Footloose
Stage Adaptation by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie
Based on the Original Screenplay by Dean Pitchford
Music by Tom Snow, Lyrics by Dean Pitchford
Additional Music by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins, and Jim Steinman
Directed by Christian Borle
Choreographed by Jessica Hartman
The Muny
July 18, 2019
Mason Reeves, Eli Mayer
Photo: The Muny
The Muny’s impressive 101st season is continuing this week with an energetic dance musical. Footloose, based on the popular 1984 film, is a fun show most of all. This production fills the giant Muny stage with a large cast and lots of energy, along with a dose of 1980s nostalgia and an excellent cast, many of whom are college students or recent graduates.
I hadn’t seen the stage version of Footloose before, nor have I seen the 2011 film remake, and I hadn’t seen the original film for many years. From what I can tell, this rendition keeps fairly close to the plot of the first movie, with some character expansion and the addition of new, original songs along with hits from the film’s soundtrack such as the title song, love duet “Almost Paradise”, and the bouncy “Let’s Hear It For the Boy”. The story follows the teenaged Ren (Mason Reeves), who moves along with his mother, Ethel (Darlesia Cearcy) from Chicago to the small rural town of Bomont (state unspecified). Here, Ren has some trouble fitting in with the locals, eventually making friends with classmate Willard (Eli Mayer) and forming an attraction to an influential local preacher’s rebellious daughter, Ariel (McKenzie Kurtz). Ariel’s father, Rev. Shaw Moore (Jeremy Kushnier), is the driving force behind a restrictive law in the town that avid dancer Ren is shocked to hear about. All dancing in the town is banned, and after making more friends and gaining some support among his classmates, Ren leads the effort to change that law and hold a dance at the school. The reasoning behind Rev. Moore’s opposition to dancing, and his strained relationship with his daughter, is a key element of the story that drives a lot of the drama. It’s not a perfect book, with some characters being underutilized and a few loose ends in some of the subplots, but overall, it’s an entertaining show. There are some poignant moments here, with messages about family relationships, friendship and acceptance, as well as many upbeat moments of fun and, of course, dance, leading up to a rousing finale that makes excellent use of the large ensemble, including an energetic Muny Youth Ensemble.
The look and atmosphere of this production is impressive in that it’s able to achieve an obvious ’80s vibe without being too over the top with it. The colorful costumes by Leon Dobkowksi and wigs by Kelley Jordan reflect the setting well, and Tim Mackabee’s set is vibrant and versatile, making excellent use of Greg Emetaz’s video design as well. There’s also excellent lighting by Rob Denton and a rocking Muny Orchestra led by music director Andrew Graham. Jessica Hartman’s choreography is also impressive, with a blend of various styles showcasing the talent and energy of the whole cast.
There’s a great cast here, led by the immensely talented Reeves as Ren. He’s got charm, energy, a great voice and dance skills, and a strong presence on stage, and his chemistry with the also excellent Kurtz as Ariel is excellent. He also works especially well with the terrific, amiable Mayer as the sweet, gawky Willard, who has several great moments in the show such as the memorable Act 2 number “Mama Says (You Can’t Back Down”. Also a standout is Kushnier, who originated the role of Ren in the 1998 Broadway production, as the conflicted, grieving Shaw Moore. He’s well-matched by Heather Ayers in a strong performance as Shaw’s wife Vi, as well, providing for a lot of the show’s poignancy and drama. A musical highlight is the simply staged, expertly harmonized ballad “Learning to Be Silent”, wonderfully performed by Ayers, Kurtz, and Cearcy. Other standouts include Khailah Johnson, Maggie Kuntz, and Katja Rivera Yanko as Ariel’s friends Rusty, Urleen, and Wendy Jo. Johnson especially gets a memorable moment to shine, leading the superbly staged “Let’s Hear It For the Boy” production number early in Act 2.
There’s a great assembly of talent on stage, bringing Opening Night energy even though the show’s tech rehearsal had to be cancelled because of the weather. Aside from a few slightly slow transitions early in the first act, the fact that this was the first full-scale staging of the show wasn’t apparent, and I’m sure it’s only going to improve in terms of energy and pacing as the show continues to run. It’s a bright, upbeat, occasionally poignant, and highly crowd-pleasing evening of entertainment, and another reflection of the true excellence of this season at the Muny.
Cast of Footloose
Photo: The Muny
The Muny is presenting Footloose in Forest Park until July 24, 2019