Footloose Opens At Southmont!

Jump Back! It’s time to “kick off your Sunday shoes” when Southmont Jr.-Sr. High school performs the toe-tapping musical Footloose this Friday and Saturday March 18th and 19th at 7pm, and Sunday March 20th at 2 pm in the Southmont Auditorium. Based on the popular 1984 movie starring Kevin Bacon, the Tony Award-nominated musical by Dean Pitchford tells the uplifting story of a one small town’s journey toward celebrating life.

Set to the tune of an Academy award-nominated soundtrack, Footloose follows Chicago transplant Ren McCormick (Wyatt Woodall) and his mother Ethel (Emma Phillips) as they try to adjust to both their new life in rural Bomont and the loss of Ren’s father from the family. Ren quickly begins to feel out of step as friction develops with his Uncle Wes (Thomas Woods) and Aunt Lulu (Bracy Slavens), with whom he and his mother are now living. When Ren attempts to use his favorite past-time of dancing as a way to fit in, he is dismayed to discover that the town has outlawed all public dancing!

“Ren feels sad and misunderstood when he finds out he can’t just dance and have fun like he did before. I think all of us kids have felt a lot of that same thing lately.” Woodall said when asked about his character.

Both a dancer and a wrestler just like his character in the show, Woodall found great satisfaction in exploring Ren’s journey.

“I really like that he doesn’t give up and stays true to himself,” said Woodall. “He finds a way to make something positive from his challenges and that’s something we talk about in wrestling all of the time.”

Some of those challenges come in the form of the town’s influential minister Shaw Moore (James Clester) , the local high school’s Principal Clark (Emma Myers) and Coach Dunbar (Jordan Endicott) and his wife Eleanor (Sierra Robbins), all of whom are adamantly opposed to any change in the law against dancing. We soon discover that Reverend Moore’s motives are tied to a loss of his own and the subsequent grief and helplessness that followed for both himself and his wife Vi (Clair Simpson).

But Ren finds an ally in Reverend Moore’s rebellious daughter Ariel, played by Alivia Williams. She and her friends Urleen and Wendy Jo (Stella Snook and Jessie Bradley) dream of garnering new experiences and seeing more of the world. Ariel and Ren soon find they have much in common.

“People in the town kind of judge both of them without really taking the time to know them,” said Williams of the relationship between the two principals, “and that draws them closer to each other.”

The budding romance doesn’t sit well with Ariel’s bad boy ex-boyfriend Chuck (Dawson Mason) or his cronies (Logan Link and Tovi Powell), who do everything in their power to thwart the couple. But support – and comic relief – come in the form of Ren’s rhythmically challenged new found friend Willard (Waylon Gomez) and buddies Jeter and Gaby (Marlin Williams and Kylee Reeves), along with Ariel’s talk-a-mile-a-minute best friend Rusty, played by Kelsey Thompson.

When asked about the show, Thompson shared that she thinks that audiences will connect with the story.

“It’s kind of crazy how the show is set in the 1980’s but so much of it is still so true today,” said Thompson. “I like that it doesn’t just show these perfect families. There are funny moments and serious moments. And the music is awesome!”

Thompson’s castmates also raved about the musical’s songs and score, which includes the Grammy-nominated ‘Let’s Hear It For The Boy’ and title track ‘Footloose’, as well as 80’s hits ‘Almost Paradise’ and ‘Holding Out For A Hero’.

Ren and his friends eventually push to have the no-dancing law abolished so that they may hold a school prom, winning over several of the other students and townspeople (Rachel Rhoads, Hilary Haltom, Violet Shaw, Addison Meadows and Parker Church) to their cause. Their efforts lead to a direct showdown with Reverend Moore and the town council (Abby Sayler, Zoe Albertson and Avery Hannum). Can the two sides find a way to listen to one another so that the community can move forward with grace and understanding? You’ll need to head on down to Southmont this weekend to find out! Tickets for Footloose may either be purchased online at www.showtix4u.com under Southmont or at the door prior to performances. The production is artistically directed by Amy Woodall, musically directed by Sarah Fadil, and choreographed by Riley Woodall. Nicole Thompson and Angie Williams serve as the show’s producers. Lennon Woods, Noah Myers, Jacob Peck, Kaytlin Roark, Grace Simpson, and Trent Reeves serve as stage crew.

(Footloose is presented through special arrangement with Concord Theatricals.)