PHOTO EXCLUSIVE: "Don't Walk Away!" Backstage Glances at Drury Lane's Xanadu With Chris Critelli | Playbill

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PHOTO EXCLUSIVE: "Don't Walk Away!" Backstage Glances at Drury Lane's Xanadu With Chris Critelli

With her non-stop costume/footwear changes, getting her leg-warmers to look just right is actually a huge (and daily) challenge. Sometimes she needs a little help. — PHOTO EXCLUSIVE: "Don't Walk Away!" Backstage Glances at Drury Lane's Xanadu With Chris Critelli

Chris Critelli, who stars as handsome Sonny in the Drury Lane Theatre's current production of Xanadu, offers an exclusive backstage look at the disco-era musical playing the Illinois venue through Oct. 28. Read the Playbill.com story.
24 PHOTOS

Hi, Playbill! Welcome to our behind the scenes glimpse of life here at <i>Xanadu</i>. (I had to write that sign backwards so it would work in the mirror. Be impressed.) — Hi, Playbill! Welcome to our behind the scenes glimpse of life here at Xanadu. (I had to write that sign backwards so it would work in the mirror. Be impressed.)

Chris Critelli

Let’s take a look around! — Let’s take a look around!

Chris Critelli

One of our pre-show rituals in the guys’ dressing room is checking out hilarious Internet videos. Here's pit singer, understudy and YouTube cowboy Jake Klinkhammer servin' up some lolz for Gene Weygandt (Danny/Zeus) & Sean Blake. — One of our pre-show rituals in the guys’ dressing room is checking out hilarious Internet videos. Here's pit singer, understudy and YouTube cowboy Jake Klinkhammer servin' up some lolz for Gene Weygandt (Danny/Zeus) & Sean Blake.

Chris Critelli

My holy trinity: sweat bands, Throat Coat and a trusty bandana. — My holy trinity: sweat bands, Throat Coat and a trusty bandana.

Chris Critelli

Behold their power. — Behold their power.

Chris Critelli

Next Slide

Our dry erase board is usually home to drawings too appalling to talk about in public. Here’s something a little tamer. It’s Mitt Romney and his binder full of women! — Our dry erase board is usually home to drawings too appalling to talk about in public. Here’s something a little tamer. It’s Mitt Romney and his binder full of women!

Chris Critelli

Sean Blake & Gary Carlson (Thalia/Cyclops) showing us that real men wear checkered jumpsuits. — Sean Blake & Gary Carlson (Thalia/Cyclops) showing us that real men wear checkered jumpsuits.

Chris Critelli

Here in the ladies’ dressing room, Stephanie Binetti (Euterpe/Thetis) puts on one of her many wigs from our show. — Here in the ladies’ dressing room, Stephanie Binetti (Euterpe/Thetis) puts on one of her many wigs from our show.

Chris Critelli

And Christine Sherrill (Melpomene/Medusa) & Nancy Voigts (Calliope/Aphrodite) help her get into costume. — And Christine Sherrill (Melpomene/Medusa) & Nancy Voigts (Calliope/Aphrodite) help her get into costume.

Chris Critelli

Here I am photo-bombing Nancy Voigts while she tweets, or instagrams, or…something. — Here I am photo-bombing Nancy Voigts while she tweets, or instagrams, or…something.

Chris Critelli

Before every show we have a skate call or what I like to call a make-sure-you-don’t-die call. We roll around for a bit and perform our big finale. Here are Gene Weygandt & Jake Klinkhammer getting fresh. — Before every show we have a skate call or what I like to call a make-sure-you-don’t-die call. We roll around for a bit and perform our big finale. Here are Gene Weygandt & Jake Klinkhammer getting fresh.

Chris Critelli

And look who else is at skate call! It’s my lovely co-star, the beautiful & hysterical Gina Milo (Clio/Kira)! Here she is giving us some signature XANA-hands. — And look who else is at skate call! It’s my lovely co-star, the beautiful & hysterical Gina Milo (Clio/Kira)! Here she is giving us some signature XANA-hands.

Chris Critelli

And here she is getting into character. — And here she is getting into character.

Chris Critelli

With her non-stop costume/footwear changes, getting her leg-warmers to look just right is actually a huge (and daily) challenge. Sometimes she needs a little help. — With her non-stop costume/footwear changes, getting her leg-warmers to look just right is actually a huge (and daily) challenge. Sometimes she needs a little help.

Chris Critelli

Hey look, it’s a serial killer’s basement! Just kidding. It’s one of many wig stations for our show. Hairdos are a huge part of <i>Xanadu</i>. — Hey look, it’s a serial killer’s basement! Just kidding. It’s one of many wig stations for our show. Hairdos are a huge part of Xanadu.

Chris Critelli

And when my castmates aren’t looking, I steal their wigs. — And when my castmates aren’t looking, I steal their wigs.

Chris Critelli

Gene Weygandt getting into the zone before the show begins. — Gene Weygandt getting into the zone before the show begins.

Chris Critelli

And here’s a candid shot from the wings of Gene’s Zeus lounging on his Olympian throne. I took this right before my entrance. (Don’t tell my stage manager) — And here’s a candid shot from the wings of Gene’s Zeus lounging on his Olympian throne. I took this right before my entrance. (Don’t tell my stage manager)

Chris Critelli

Here Gary Carlson transforms into his scene-stealing Cyclops. — Here Gary Carlson transforms into his scene-stealing Cyclops.

Chris Critelli

And Sean Blake gives us his brand of Centaur attitude. You don’t have to be a biped to be sexy.

Chris Critelli

Meet our incredible pit-singers Robin Childress & Jake Klinkhammer! Here they are luxuriating in their custom-built backstage sound booth complete with mini disco ball. — Meet our incredible pit-singers Robin Childress & Jake Klinkhammer! Here they are luxuriating in their custom-built backstage sound booth complete with mini disco ball.

Chris Critelli

Every now and then, we change the setting of the play from 1980s Venice Beach to modern day Brooklyn for a special hipster rendition of <i>Xanadu</i>. This is me getting into character. Whatever. — Every now and then, we change the setting of the play from 1980s Venice Beach to modern day Brooklyn for a special hipster rendition of Xanadu. This is me getting into character. Whatever.

Chris Critelli

And here we are, after a long week’s work, winding down in my apartment where I host my weekly "Sunday Fundays." Snacks, booze, board games & ghost stories. What’s not to love! — And here we are, after a long week’s work, winding down in my apartment where I host my weekly "Sunday Fundays." Snacks, booze, board games & ghost stories. What’s not to love!

Chris Critelli

Well, thanks for taking a peak into our backstage lives! Now, get outta here - we’ve got short shorts & glittery jumpsuits to put on! — Well, thanks for taking a peak into our backstage lives! Now, get outta here - we’ve got short shorts & glittery jumpsuits to put on!

Chris Critelli

With her non-stop costume/footwear changes, getting her leg-warmers to look just right is actually a huge (and daily) challenge. Sometimes she needs a little help.

Hi, Playbill! Welcome to our behind the scenes glimpse of life here at <i>Xanadu</i>. (I had to write that sign backwards so it would work in the mirror. Be impressed.)

Let’s take a look around!

One of our pre-show rituals in the guys’ dressing room is checking out hilarious Internet videos. Here's pit singer, understudy and YouTube cowboy Jake Klinkhammer servin' up some lolz for Gene Weygandt (Danny/Zeus) & Sean Blake.

My holy trinity: sweat bands, Throat Coat and a trusty bandana.

Behold their power.

Our dry erase board is usually home to drawings too appalling to talk about in public. Here’s something a little tamer. It’s Mitt Romney and his binder full of women!

Sean Blake & Gary Carlson (Thalia/Cyclops) showing us that real men wear checkered jumpsuits.

Here in the ladies’ dressing room, Stephanie Binetti (Euterpe/Thetis) puts on one of her many wigs from our show.

And Christine Sherrill (Melpomene/Medusa) & Nancy Voigts (Calliope/Aphrodite) help her get into costume.

Here I am photo-bombing Nancy Voigts while she tweets, or instagrams, or…something.

Before every show we have a skate call or what I like to call a make-sure-you-don’t-die call. We roll around for a bit and perform our big finale. Here are Gene Weygandt & Jake Klinkhammer getting fresh.

And look who else is at skate call! It’s my lovely co-star, the beautiful & hysterical Gina Milo (Clio/Kira)! Here she is giving us some signature XANA-hands.

And here she is getting into character.

With her non-stop costume/footwear changes, getting her leg-warmers to look just right is actually a huge (and daily) challenge. Sometimes she needs a little help.

Hey look, it’s a serial killer’s basement! Just kidding. It’s one of many wig stations for our show. Hairdos are a huge part of <i>Xanadu</i>.

And when my castmates aren’t looking, I steal their wigs.

Gene Weygandt getting into the zone before the show begins.

And here’s a candid shot from the wings of Gene’s Zeus lounging on his Olympian throne. I took this right before my entrance. (Don’t tell my stage manager)

Here Gary Carlson transforms into his scene-stealing Cyclops.

Meet our incredible pit-singers Robin Childress & Jake Klinkhammer! Here they are luxuriating in their custom-built backstage sound booth complete with mini disco ball.

Every now and then, we change the setting of the play from 1980s Venice Beach to modern day Brooklyn for a special hipster rendition of <i>Xanadu</i>. This is me getting into character. Whatever.

And here we are, after a long week’s work, winding down in my apartment where I host my weekly "Sunday Fundays." Snacks, booze, board games & ghost stories. What’s not to love!

Well, thanks for taking a peak into our backstage lives! Now, get outta here - we’ve got short shorts & glittery jumpsuits to put on!

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