Character guide
Clio / Kira
from Xanadu
Clio, who takes on the guise of the roller-skating Kira, is the divine heart of Xanadu, the 2007 Broadway musical built around the songs of Jeff Lynne and John Farrar.
- Show
- Xanadu
- Broadway premiere
- 2007
- Role
- Lead
- Music by
- Lynne & Farrar
Clio / Kira: from the film to Broadway
Broadway compared with the 1980 film
The musical changes who the heroine really is. In the 1980 film, Olivia Newton-John's Kira is the muse Terpsichore, come to earth to inspire. On stage she is Clio, who disguises herself as Kira with roller skates and an Australian accent, and the show adds a pair of jealous sister muses, Melpomene and Calliope, who scheme to bring her down.
Kerry Butler originated Clio/Kira on Broadway in 2007, in a production full of parody references to the movie.
Who is Clio / Kira?
Clio is one of the Greek muses who descends to 1980s Southern California to inspire a struggling artist, adopting the persona of Kira, a roller-skating Australian girl, to do it without revealing her true identity. The disguise sets up the show's central romantic and comedic tension, since Clio is forbidden from falling in love with a mortal even as her connection with the artist she is meant to inspire grows deeper.
Her double identity, part goddess, part carefree California dreamer, gives the character a playful, larger-than-life quality that drives much of the show's charm and humor.
Clio / Kira's role in Xanadu
Clio/Kira is the female lead of Xanadu, and the role calls for a performer who can shift fluidly between comic exaggeration and genuine romantic sincerity. Since the musical is built from a jukebox score of upbeat pop and roller-disco era songs, the part demands strong pop vocals along with the energy to sustain the show's high-spirited, tongue-in-cheek tone.
The role also requires solid comic instincts, as much of Xanadu's appeal comes from leaning into its own campy premise rather than playing it straight.
Why Clio / Kira resonates
Clio/Kira resonates because she anchors a musical that is unapologetically fun, letting performers show off both vocal power and comic timing in equal measure. For fans of the show, she represents the joyful, self-aware spirit of Xanadu, a character who never takes herself too seriously while still carrying real emotional stakes in her forbidden romance.
Clio / Kira: frequently asked questions
What show is Clio / Kira from?
Clio/Kira is the female lead of Xanadu, the 2007 Broadway musical.
Is Clio / Kira a lead or supporting role?
Clio/Kira is a lead role and the emotional and comedic center of the show.
Who wrote the music for Xanadu?
Xanadu is a jukebox musical built around songs by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar.
Think you can name today's mystery character in eight guesses?
Play today's Character Guesser