Cut loose: ‘Footloose’ hits the stage at the Geyer this weekend
"Footloose" will be performed on the stage at the Geyer Performing Arts Center from Sept. 22 to 25. Pictured are cast members (from left) Madaline Struhar, Aubrey Burchell, Halee Chapman and Jordan Zelmore.
Members of the show "Footloose" practice a dance number on the stage of the Geyer Performing Arts Center where the show will run from Sept. 22 to 25.
Everybody is about to cut 鈥淔ootloose鈥� at the Geyer Performing Arts Center with the musical based on the movie from the 1980s.
鈥淚 grew up in the 80s, and Footloose is one of those iconic movies from that time period,鈥� said David DeFazio, the co-director of 鈥淔ootloose鈥� at GPAC. 鈥淏ringing it back to the Geyer stage re-introduces the show and the music to a whole new generation and allows all of us to enjoy it again.鈥�
Co-director Rachael Szabo said the musical version of 鈥淔ootloose鈥� is the one that made her fall in love musical theater 鈥� it was the first show she took part in.
The story involves the character Ren, who moves from Chicago to a small farming town with his mother. While Ren knows there will be an inevitable adjustment period at his new high school, he鈥檚 not prepared for the ban on dancing instituted by the local preacher, who is determined to exercise control over the town鈥檚 youth.
The show follows the stories of Ren and his mother, and the preacher and his sweet but rebellious daughter Ariel, and includes all the music, dancing and spectacle the audience would expect.
鈥淚 am certain everyone will walk away with the catchy and classic songs from this show stuck in their head,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e do every day after rehearsals.鈥�
Songs include the eponymous 鈥淔ootloose,鈥� 鈥淟et鈥檚 Hear It for the Boy,鈥� 鈥淎lmost Paradise鈥� and 鈥淗olding Out for a Hero鈥�
鈥淓veryone will enjoy the music and the dancing for sure 鈥� what鈥檚 鈥楩ootloose鈥� without it? 鈥� but I also feel like they will connect with these characters like never before,鈥� Szabo said. 鈥淲e have a cast of extremely talented actors who do a great job at making these characters relatable.鈥�
The co-directors said the musical doesn鈥檛 differ from the movie鈥檚 storyline, but it moves faster, delves deeper into the characters鈥� stories, and has more of an energy on stage with live performers.
The show has a cast of 35 and a crew of seven, and DeFazio said he and Szabo were surprised to learn quite a few in the cast had never seen 鈥淔ootloose鈥� before.
鈥淏ut it is a story of coming of age and also redemption with which we can all relate on many different levels,鈥� DeFazio said. 鈥淭hey are enjoying the music and choreography and really trying to dig into their characters.鈥�
Szabo said having an actor unfamiliar with the material has some bonuses. For example, those who were unfamiliar with the show could more easily make their character their own, instead of becoming a caricature of another actor鈥檚 work.
With the rehearsals going out of the summer and into the school year, there have been some schedule changes to accommodate 鈥� including one actor who鈥檚 more than 2,000 miles away.
Aubrey Burchell, who鈥檚 playing the role of Rusty (Ariel鈥檚 best friend), advanced to the live performances on the NBC show 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Got Talent.鈥� Unfortunately, Burchell was voted off earlier this month.
鈥淲e had a small window of time with her before she left for California,鈥� Szabo said.
鈥淔ootloose,鈥� an Actors and Artists of Fayette County production, will be performed at the GPAC in Scottdale at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 22, 23 and 24 and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25.
Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at geyerpac.com