The improbable comeback of "Xanadu"
Broadway play: 4.5 Stars; Original cast recording: 3.5 Stars

Let me state upfront that I absolutely loved the 1980 original movie soundtrack, featuring 5 ELO tracks on Side 1, and 4 John Farrar-penned Olivia Newton-John plus the ELO/Olivia title track on Side 2. The movie was horrible, but the music was great. Fast forward to 2007 when the news came that Xanadu was being worked into a Broadway musical. Well, I was skeptical, but no more. I was in New York recently on a business trip, and jumped on the chance to see it. Somehow the play works great where the movie didn't and it was a guilty pleasure all over for me.

"Xanadu on Broadway" (14 tracks; 43 min.) is the original Broadway cast recording featuring Kerry Butler and Cheyenne Jackson. This features the 10 songs of the original album, plus 4 added tracks, 2 ELO songs worked into the story line ("Evil Woman" and "Strange Magic") and 2 John Farrar songs, including the oldie but goodie Olivia hit "Have You Ever Been Mellow". In all, this is a terrific cast recording, with the best songs for me being "Suddenly", "Evil Woman" and, best of all, "Suspended in Time".

The running time of this album is just 43 min. and that gives you an idea how they had to stretch it out to make this into a Broadway musical (which is 90 min.). But in all, this recording is a great memento to the fabulous experience that "Xanadu on Broadway" was.

Greatest Broadway Cast Album of 2007
XANADU, the original Broadway cast album, captures the spirit in song of the best musical on Broadway. Funny, fabulous, loving, it will make you laugh and cry. Cheyenne Jackson is the greatest singing star on Broadway since Barbra Streisand and this album captures the beauty of his incredible voice. Jackie Hoffman and Mary Testa are a riot as the evil sisters and Kerry Butler will break your heart when she sings "Suspended in Time." The supporting cast are just incredible and I wish you could see their spectacular dancing as well as hear their beautiful voices. First rate!

So much fun....I almost peed.
Yah, I have no idea why you would review a musical's album without seeing the show...that's like rating a movie by it's radio commericial. Anyway, I love this movie b/c it's is so cheese-tastic and the music is a true guilty pleasure. The musical was one of the most fun I have had on Broadway! It is truely an interactive experience. The reason why this show survived is b/c of the way it makes fun of the original movie, the 80s, and musical theater in such a clever, fun, playful, and warm way, like how you would tease your little sister or something. So if you keep that in mind, you will like this cast album. Cheyenne Jackson and Ms. Butler are talented singers and great comedic timing. This show is not trying to break musical theater ground her...it's just trying to be fun and it succeeds. I hearted it.

Love the CD...haven't seen the show yet, but will next week.
For some reason, I love the damn CD even though I haven't seen the show yet...I love almost every single song and when Kerry Butler speaks with her Australian accent, it freakin cracks me up. I guess seeing all those clips of the show on youtube made me like the songs more...Great CD!!!

Almost as good as seeing it live!
Xanadu has the reputation of being of being a bad movie. Can't argue with that. But the songs were amazing. The songs are by a very spirited cast make it very clear that this is not your 1980's Xanadu. Kerry Butler has an awesome voice and does a spot-on take on ONJ, Australian accent and all. Cheyenne Jackson matches her every step of the way and their chemistry makes it all work. I received this as a present and love it to death. You can indeed make a silk purse out of a sow's ear and Xanadu is it.