Drury Lane Theatre adds 'Xanadu' to its 2012 lineup

Drury Lane Theatre announced Tuesday that “Xanadu,” the 2007 Broadway musical inspired by the much-maligned 1980 film starring Olivia Newton-John as a Greek muse sent to inspire the invention of roller disco, will replace the previously announced “Promises, Promises.”

“Xanadu” runs Sept. 6 through Oct. 28, 2012.

Drury Lane opens its cinema-centric 2012-13 season in April with “Hairspray.” The buoyant musical set in 1960s Baltimore was inspired by John Waters' 1988 film about a pleasantly plump, socially conscious teen who battles discrimination while trying to fulfill her dream of dancing on the Corny Collins Show. The show runs April 12 through June 17, 2012.

A Brit trying to help out a female spy finds himself in the middle of a mystery in “The 39 Steps,” the comedy adapted from Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 film of the same name. David New (“Broadway Bound”) directs the rollicking show in which four actors play 150 roles. Previews begin July 5, 2012. The show runs through Aug. 26, 2012.

“Singin' in the Rain,” the well-loved musical about the making of film musicals, begins previews Nov. 8, 2012, and runs through Jan. 13, 2013. Based on the film starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds, “Singin' in the Rain” — a love story between a star and a chorus girl during the time when silent films were giving way to the talkies — has been described as the greatest movie musical ever. Bill Jenkins (“Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”) directs.

Drury Lane concludes its season with “Sunset Boulevard,” the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical inspired by Billy Wilder's 1950 film. Drury Lane artistic director William Osetek (“Spamalot”) directs the musical about a down-on-his-luck Hollywood screenwriter who agrees to pen a comeback role for faded silent screen star Norma Desmond. “Sunset Boulevard” runs Jan. 24 to April 7, 2013.