Part 3, The Final Xanax-adu, This Time With Passion!

October 27, 2006

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So the big sing-along screening of Xanadu I’ve been blogging about was last weekend. As I’ve told you before, I was one of a troupe of 20 live dancers who performed in front of the screen during the big 40’s meets the 80’s showstopper “Dancin’.” I’m happy to report that our number was a big hit. I didn’t forget the steps, drop anyone or tumble into the orchestra pit. A friend told me afterwards that he’d never seen me look so happy as when I was dancing to ONJ in my purple suit with a bunch of kids half my age.

Perhaps we should have quit while we were ahead. We returned to the stage to do the Xanadu chant in the finale and though that was a bit of an under-rehearsed train wreck, it was fun to be able to shout the word “Xanadu!” over and over again in public. I do that quite often anyway, so it was a nice change to be in an environment where it was acceptable.

Before the screening there was a costume contest that watched from backstage and let’s just say, the kids were pretty creative. Along with your ‘Golden Goddess Kiras’ and ‘Short Shorts Sonnys’, there were some ‘Disgruntled Painters’ in blue smocks, a ‘Hot Dog Vendor’ in a tube top and a ‘Finale Cocktail Waitress,’ who flew in from Washington DC to be there. Her plexiglass tray was a bit cracked from the trip but her spirit was intact. I think she won a Dirty Dancing DVD.

While watching all this craziness unfold on the monitor from backstage, I got to wondering what was it about this film that spoke to these Xana-nuts all these years a later -- and make no mistake, I am a Xana-nut myself. It’s not a great movie. The story makes no sense and the happy ending arrives because a disembodied Zeus gets his words confused, a divine type-O, if you will.

Why can’t I live without it?

I’ve come to the conclusion that Xanadu lives on because in addition to catchy tunes and Olivia at her prettiest, it gives inspiration to all the dreamers out there who lack focus. It’s not like Rocky, where Sly Stallone wants to be a boxing champ, busts his ass and ends up a boxing champ. Michael Beck professes to want to be a serious ‘artist’ but he ends up opening a roller disco with Gene Kelly. Close enough.

So if you dream of more, but lack the talent, focus and wherewithal to make it happen, Xanadu is the movie for you. It’s a love letter to the undisciplined dreamers out there, like me. Long may it reign.

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