Jackie Hoffman and Mary Testa Join Cast of Broadway-Bound Xanadu

Jackie Hoffman and Mary Testa have been added to the cast of the new Broadway musical Xanadu, which begins previews on May 23 at the Helen Hayes Theatre. The production, starring Kerry Butler and Tony Roberts and directed by Christopher Ashley, is set to open on June 26.

Testa has been cast as Melpomeny, the evil muse of tragedy. Hoffman will play Calliope, the muse of epic.

Douglas Carter Beane has provided the book and the score, featuring all of the hits from the feature film including top 20 hits "Magic", "Xanadu," "Party All Over the World" and "I'm Alive." The musical's score was written by John Farrar and Jeff Lynne. Dan Knechtges is set to choreograph.

Testa's Broadway credits include Chicago, 42nd Street, Marie Christine, On the Town, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and The Rink. Her off-Broadway credits include See What I Wanna See and A New Brain. Hoffman played the role of Prudy Pingleton in Broadway's Hairspray and has received great acclaim for her own one woman shows, including Jackie with a Z, which she recently performed at Joe's Pub. Coincidentally, Hoffman created the role of a wisecracking Jewish maid in the Manhattan Theatre Club's recent production of Paul Rudnick's Regrets Only and was replaced by Testa when she left the production for medical reasons.

Created as a follow-up musical to Grease for leading lady Olivia Newton-John, the film version of Xanadu was released in 1980. In the fantastical film, the nine muses from ancient Greece come to life on a Venice Beach wall mural. While roller skating on the beach, one of the daughters, Kira Newton-John in the role to be played onstage by Butler, meets and falls for a frustrated record album cover artist named Sonny. Enter Danny McGuire movie musical legend Gene Kelly in a role Roberts will play onstage, an aging song and dance man who Kira inspired back when he owned a supper club in New York in the 40s. Together, with the magical help of Kira, Sonny and Danny team up to build and open a roller disco nightclub calledXanadu.