As the chaos that comes with the end of a semester nears, Belmont’s musical theater department may have picked the perfect time to open their fall musical, “Footloose.”
The show will play in the Massey Performing Arts Center Nov. 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 17 and 18 at 2 p.m.
“This is such a fun show to watch,” said Katie Bales, a musical theater major at Belmont. “It has both serious and fun moments; this show has a little something for everyone.”
“Footloose” is a 1998 musical based on the 1984 film starring Kevin Bacon. The musical follows the story of Ren McCormack who is forced to move with his family from Chicago to a small town out west. In his new town, rock music and dancing are considered illegal, which places McCormack in culture shock.
“Ren reminds us to stand up for what we believe in and to have an open mind,” said Bales.
McCormack eventually forms friendships and fights to rid the town of the dancing bans. The musical is filled with energetic dance scenes and tells a classic story of teen rebellion and repression, said Lissa Deguzman, another musical theatre major.
“We can feel the tension and anger through the dances and the scenes, which helps everyone to identify with it,” she said. “The execution of the material creates a show that will make the audience want to join and be a part of it.”
After the huge success of “Hairspray” last spring, the department decided to showcase their ability to bring fun and laughter to the stage once again. This group of students has a true bend toward comedic, high-energy productions, which doesn’t typically happen at Belmont, said Bales.
“The show has a lot of roles that show off talent in the department,” said Bales. “In addition, the energy that the show requires reflects well the actors’ personalities.”
While Deguzman said the show’s energy will likely draw a crowd, it will also focus on heavier issues too.
“In this show you will find loss, anger, and confinement; it covers a lot of relatable issues,” she said. “We are telling audiences to fight with all their heart for what they believe while learning to become open-minded with all generations.”
For attending the musical, students will receive Culture and Arts convocation and MUG credit.