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CELEBRITY SLIDESHOWS

'Xanadu' Among Top Tony Nominees

Movie Bomb-Turned-Play Gets Nod For Best Musical

POSTED: 8:20 am CDT May 13, 2008
UPDATED: 8:56 am CDT May 13, 2008

The movie disaster-turned-hit musical "Xanadu" is being toasted as one of Broadway's best.

A spoof of the original 1980 disco musical, "Xanadu" was nominated for Best Musical Tony Award Tuesday, along with "In the Heights," "Passing Strange" and "Cry-Baby."

Despite a paltry box office take, the movie version of "Xanadu," starring Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly, yielded major hit singles for Newton John with "Magic" and "Suddenly" (with Cliff Richard), and "Xanadu" for Newton John and the Electric Light Orchestra.

"In the Heights" was the top Tony nominee overall with 13 nominations. The revival of the classic musical "South Pacific" earned 11 nominations.

Nominated for Best Play Tonys Tuesday were Pulitzer Prize-winner "August: Osage County," "The Seafarer," "Rock 'n' Roll" and "The 39 Steps."

Four-time Oscar host Whoopi Goldberg will host the Tonys, set for June 15 at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

Goldberg said that not only does she love Broadway, she's "thrilled to be doing anything for the first time."