What if Greek Gods were real? Imagine the great beings we tell tales about, the ones who always meddle in the affairs of humans, except they wear leg warmers, roller skates and have the biggest hair possible.
Xanadu is the newest and final musical to hit Theatre Baton Rouge’s stage. Set in the 1980s, the story follows Clio, the Muse of History, as she inspires Sonny Malone, an artist from Venice Beach. Disguised with an Australian accent, Clio ventures to help Sonny with his dream to open a Roller Disco. Thomas Jackson plays Thalia in the show, the Muse of Comedy.
“Going into the show, I really just like keeping things as lighthearted, and I guess open-minded as possible,” Jackson said. “Then I can continue to find different avenues of comedy and, you know, hit the nail on the head.”
It was recently announced that the 79-year-old theatre in Baton Rouge, located at 7155 Florida Blvd, will be closing after Xanadu’s last performance, making this play the theatre’s last one. The leading cause was lack of funds and the rise in how expensive it is to produce theatre.
Jackson began performing at Theatre Baton Rouge in 2015 at just 16 years old. This was the place where he found himself as a teenager and into his early adult life. Theatre became his passion once he arrived at Theatre Baton Rouge.
“Getting to be a part of the show is kind of bittersweet I guess, but the sweetness is hard to find,” Jackson shared. “I feel so privileged to have ended up in this cast, and I wouldn’t have it any other way as far as being involved in TBR’s last hoorah.”
Don Fields, a junior theatre major plays Sonny. Fields did not know anything about the play until his friend Kamryn Hecker, who plays Clio, asked him to audition. Fields described the show as extremely camp.
“It is roller disco, over the top, stupid lines-camp,” Fields said. “It’s an unapologetic movie-musical adaptation presented with a bit of Shakespearean Grandness.”
Fields explained the history behind Xanadu, with the film originally being released in 1980. It flopped at the box office, but like with all cult classics, it eventually found its audience. In 2007, the musical adaptation rolled onto broadway, not only parodying that film, but others like it, especially the “Clash of Titans.”
The first show that Fields participated in at Theatre Baton Rouge was “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” He says it’s a shame to see the theatre go, since it’s one of the few musical theatre venues in Baton Rouge that offers this type of experience.
“Theatre Baton Rouge is my home away from home, and I’m devastated that it’s closing,” Fields said. “I am very, very honored to be the closing leading man. That’s not something I ever imagined. It’s bittersweet for a place that has given me so much, in terms of community and opportunity.”
Fields and the rest of the cast and crew have a bittersweet relationship with being involved in Theatre Baton Rouge’s last show. The cast is approaching the performance with excitement, with hopes of putting on the best show possible to close out this cultural center that has meant so much to many people in Baton Rouge.
“When you come to Xanadu, know whether you’re new to TBR or whether you’re a season subscriber, that this has transformed from a production of Xanadu, to a love letter from all of us,” Fields said.
Xanadu will run at Theatre Baton Rouge from March 7th to 23rd. Tickets to the three weekends of performances are available on the Theatre Baton Rouge website.
