By Whitney Sorensen
Footloose the musical may have premiered on Broadway, but the film that inspired it was shot here in Utah, which means if you love the ‘80s, you owe it to yourself to make the drive to Park City for Ziegfeld Theater Company’s production of this jukebox musical. Plus, the performance takes place in the historic Egyptian Theatre on Main Street, a must-experience venue that represents all that is good about Utah performing arts.
Footloose follows the story of the film very closely, meaning you’ll see most of your favorite scenes reinterpreted for the stage. High school student Ren McCormack (Aathaven Tharmarajah) moves with his mom (Yoah Kristine) from big-city Chicago to small-town Bomont, a town that has outlawed all forms of teenage fun, including dancing. Ren soon finds himself in a culture clash with all of Bomont’s adults, most notably Reverend Shaw Moore (Paul Nielson), who has a larger role here than in the film. At school, Ren finds a few allies in Willard Hewitt (Porter Birchum) and Rev. Moore’s daughter, Ariel (Shelby Hovley), and they petition the city council for the right to hold a dance.
The songs in Footloose come mainly from the film soundtrack. The Kenny Loggins–penned title track serves as a dance anthem to open and close the show. Ariel’s boyfriend Chuck Cranston (Matthew Christian Prince) belts out “The Girl Gets Around” to describe his very physical relationship with her. Ariel’s trio of girlfriends (Emily Woods, Dayle Williams, and Natalie Nichols) sings “Somebody’s Eyes” as a background refrain to demonstrate the lack of teenage freedom in Bomont. All four ladies talk about what they really look for in a man during “Holding Out for a Hero,” and Ren and Ariel declare their love during “Almost Paradise.”
My personal favorite number occurs in the first scene of act two when Ariel’s best friend, Rusty (Woods), encourages her kinda-boyfriend Willard to learn to dance with “Let’s Hear It for the Boy.” Woods has a sweet and clear voice that suits the song, and Birchum and the rest of the company support her performance with plenty of high-energy dancing, choreographed by Kacee Neff.
The new music for Footloose is performed mainly by the adult characters in the show. Rev. Moore laments the difficulty of holding onto his faith after the tragic death of his son in “Heaven Help Me,” and Nielson adds the right amount of vulnerability to his voice to fit the music; I found the second act reprise of the number particularly touching.
Another actor displaying vocal talents in less familiar tunes is Carol Madsen, who plays Shaw’s wife, Vi Moore. She sings “Can You Find It in Your Heart?” to Rev. Moore to persuade him that banning dancing to save his daughter is only driving Ariel away and driving a wedge into their marriage. Madsen’s heartbreak creates one of the show’s most tender and relatable moments.
Lead couple Tharmarajah and Hovley have ample opportunity to show off their triple threats. Hovley’s dance skills are some of the best in the cast, and her voice has the power to support the power songs she takes the lead on. Tharmarajah’s acting chops shine through, particularly when he confronts Rev. Moore man-to-man during the show’s climax and during scenes with Yoah, who punctuated all her lines with the right blend of humor and heart.
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Director Dee Tua’One wears several hats in this production and also provides costume design and wardrobe management. His costumes and the hair and makeup design of Devin O’Donnell certainly bring the ‘80s back to life in this production. He also made the great call to have a live band onstage, and Sharon Datuin, Tricia Gerrard, Jacob Lambros, Daniel Tracy, and Justin Lord are the show’s unsung heroes—they’re always present but they’re never center stage.
I recommend Footloose for anyone 13 or older who knows the original film or its soundtrack by heart. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to find parking. There are several parking garages scattered near the theatre, but you may have to pay for your space (about three hours of time should cover you unless you plan to shop or eat before or after the show). If you need to cut loose, answer the invitation from Ziegfeld Theater Company to see Footloose.
Ziegfeld Theater Company presents Footloose by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie, Music by Tom Snow, Lyrics by Dean Pitchford, Additional Music by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins, and Jim Steinman
Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theatre, 328 Main Street, Park City, UT 84060
March 23-April 1 7:30 PM, Sunday performances 6:00 PM
Tickets: $29-60
Contact: 435-649-9371
Egyptian Theatre Facebook Page
Ziegfeld Theater Facebook Page
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