Footloose the Musical | Starlight Theater Aug 5-11

Footloose the Musical |Starlight Theater Aug 5-11

I attended opening night of Footloose courtesy of Starlight. All opinions are my own.

During a recent trip to New York City my oldest and I attended our first Broadway musical. I’ve attended many (many) high school plays/musicals (heck, I was even in a few), but up until last year had only attended a small handful of productions. Footloose is an iconic movie from my husband and I’s youth, so when we were invited to attend opening night we jumped at the chance. I was ultra curious as to how the storyline would be spun as Footloose the movie was transposed into Footloose the Musical.

The story line…

When Ren McCormack moves to a small town where the local government has banned dancing and rock music, he leads his classmates around the law and Reverend Shaw Moore to have a real senior prom. When the reverend’s rebellious daughter sets her sights on Ren, her roughneck boyfriend tries to sabotage Ren’s reputation, with many of the locals eager to believe the worst about the new kid. The heartfelt story that emerges is of a father longing for the son he lost and of a young man aching for the father who walked out on him.

What is Footloose Like?
Footloose celebrates the wisdom of listening to young people, guiding them with a warm heart and an open mind. The incredible pop/rock score which features such standards as “The Girl Gets Around,” “Holding Out For A Hero,” “Let’s Hear It For The Boy,” the achingly beautiful “Almost Paradise,” and the hit title song. Footloose still brings audiences to their feet at every performance!

Having seen the movie many times I didn’t quite know what to expect for the storyline. I was a little surprised but also pleased with the few little twists of the story to incorporate the new songs. The characters were well played a few times during the musical I realized that I had been drawn into the storyline so much that I forgot I was in an outdoor theater.

Is Footloose Good for Kids?
Toe-tapping fun for teens and nostalgic for parents, this Starlight production of Footloose is softer in tone and language than the film and the Broadway production. Great discussion items for families include teen rebellion, drinking, drug use and sexuality.

I highly recommend spending an evening under the stars taking in this well acted, highly talented production of Footloose. Come a little early for a relaxing dinner at the VIP Lounge where you can find everything from a Veggie Bar (Salad Bar) to hot dogs and chicken fingers for the kids.

Interested in learning a little more about the theater? They offer several walking tours (for free!) that even take you backstage. It was fun to see the props used on stage as well as all the backdrops hanging from the ceiling. We even saw a few of the actors/dancers warming up during our walkthrough.

Take a look at the photo slideshow courtesy of Bob Compton Photography.

To view the next photo simply click on the arrows to the right or left of the photo box or the small dots at the bottom of the photo (will show up when you hover your mouse).

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