Years ago, when I first heard there was going to be a musical based on Footloose, I was one of the biggest skeptics out there. A musical based on an eighties dance movie - there was no way this was going to be anything but a desperate attempt at bringing in audiences by nostalgia. Well, I am big enough to admit when I am wrong and I’ll shallow my pride and say that I love this show. The Hale Centre’s production is A-1 quality, and the show is better than I ever imagined.

The music in the show is its first plus. Taking songs from the soundtrack of the movie and adapting them to fit with the stage show works much better than I’d ever expected. “Footloose” is the perfect opening for the show and the arrangement allows the story’s exposition to flow smoothly in an eye-catching setting surrounded by dance. “Almost Paradise” is an incredible duet that holds your attention with its soaring beauty. Besides the adapted eighties tunes, there is also original music by Tom Snow and Dean Pitchford that tells a more character driven story than the original score ever attempted. Songs like “I Confess,” “Learning to be Silent,” and “Can’t You Find it in Your Heart?” are surprisingly intimate pieces, unfolding a much richer character development than you might expect within the premise of the show.

The show follows Ren McCormack as he and his mother move from Chicago to a small town called Bomont. Ren is hardly prepared to deal with the conservative town’s views of his “big city” ways. The show develops into a direct conflict between the town’s preacher and Ren, both of whom are also struggling with the pain of personal losses and are trying to find themselves after events that have left their lives empty. The musical has taken the reverend’s story to a new level, making the conflict more real by representing both sides. Also, Ren’s mother and the reverend’s wife are given moments to show deeper character. It is still a show focused on singing and dancing rather than dramatic impact, but a worthwhile emotional rise and fall are provided.

The stage adaptation opens up the opportunity for a whole new level of dance to be introduced in a show whose music is crying out to be danced to. Choreographer Marilyn May Montgomery captures the feeling of the music brilliantly. From the opening number with its fast paced, striking dance to the gym with its acrobatics to the Bar-B-Que with its country line dancing, everything is right on. The strength of the dancers is very evident in the show, though they may have been trained more in jazz or hip-hop than in classical ballet. The form is loose and energetic and fairly true to the eighties style by avoiding popping and too many sharp moves. Truly, the dance is spectacular.

There must be some credit given to one particular dancer who is astounding. He first stands out in the gym scene with his expertise of aerial gymnastics, but he is also given a quick solo during a scene change that is incredible. The audience “oooo”s and “awww”s like kids at the circus as he grooves for those few highlighted seconds. He is not credited for his dance solo (which is not surprising in the musical theatre world), so I don’t know his name, but kudos to him – whoever he might be.

Daniel Tarasevich as Ren McCormack is a great asset to the show, though he looks slightly out of place when compared to the other performers around him because of his age. He looks a bit too old to still be playing a high-schooler, at least when he is surrounded by others that look dramatically younger, but I’ve always been a big proponent of suspended reality for musical theatre, so I can let it go. What Tarasevich does give to the show is an outstanding voice that is perfect for the musical stylings of Footloose. He has just the right mix of rock and classical in his voice with the ever important growl for his “get up and move” pieces. But he doesn’t miss a beat when he switches moods to do “Almost Paradise.” It is an emotional overload moment in the show.

Andrew Barrus is the miracle worker at the Hale Centre who brings together some of the most stunning technical aspects I’ve ever seen in regional theatre. An important thing to understand about the Hale Centre is that it has a theatre-in-the-round setting. The stage has less playing room than other stages, but it also has the advantage of having five sections, each with its own hydraulic lift. This gives the stage wonderful versatility. Barrus adds onto this stage a track system that brings in and out a number of different set pieces from around corners. Seeing the church appear on stage with its members already seated in pews is perfect for the transition into “The Right Thing.” Also, Barrus has an actual car come on stage for Ren and his mother’s departure. Considering the dimensions of the stage, this is an incredible feat. Also, a real motorcycle is used for Cranston’s entrance. But it is more than just these obvious factors that makes Barrus’s work genius. The extra details he adds, even if only used for one scene, take the show from good to extraordinary. His use of a star field across the entire theatre to engulf the audience in a starry night for “Almost Paradise” sets a mood that the music couldn’t achieve on its own. In that same scene his railroad tracks rising up eight feet above ground level isolate the two young lovers in a fog filled romantic paradise for their song. Added to the music, this sight makes for a surreal yet stunning experience. In another set change, he has track lights that are built into the floor works as specials for the solo dancer. Barrus’s creativity is astounding.

The Hale Centre’s Footloose has all the elements of a great show. From cast to production crew, from sets to songs, the show has everything you could ask for in a magnificent production. For more information visit www.halecentretheatre.org.

Footloose is playing at the Hale Centre through September 5th

The Hale Centre’s next production is A Majority of One

-- Tony Burnett