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 无毛视频淔ootloose无毛视频� at the Geyer Performing Arts Center with the musical based on the movie from the 1980s.
无毛视频淚 grew up in the 80s, and Footloose is one of those iconic movies from that time period,无毛视频� said David DeFazio, the co-director of 无毛视频淔ootloose无毛视频� at GPAC. 无毛视频淏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.无毛视频�
Co-director Rachael Szabo said the musical version of 无毛视频淔ootloose无毛视频� is the one that made her fall in love musical theater 无毛视频� 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无毛视频檚 not prepared for the ban on dancing instituted by the local preacher, who is determined to exercise control over the town无毛视频檚 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.
无毛视频淚 am certain everyone will walk away with the catchy and classic songs from this show stuck in their head,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淲e do every day after rehearsals.无毛视频�
Songs include the eponymous 无毛视频淔ootloose,无毛视频� 无毛视频淟et无毛视频檚 Hear It for the Boy,无毛视频� 无毛视频淎lmost Paradise无毛视频� and 无毛视频淗olding Out for a Hero无毛视频�
无毛视频淓veryone will enjoy the music and the dancing for sure 无毛视频� what无毛视频檚 无毛视频楩ootloose无毛视频� without it? 无毛视频� but I also feel like they will connect with these characters like never before,无毛视频� Szabo said. 无毛视频淲e have a cast of extremely talented actors who do a great job at making these characters relatable.无毛视频�
The co-directors said the musical doesn无毛视频檛 differ from the movie无毛视频檚 storyline, but it moves faster, delves deeper into the characters无毛视频� 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 无毛视频淔ootloose无毛视频� before.
无毛视频淏ut it is a story of coming of age and also redemption with which we can all relate on many different levels,无毛视频� DeFazio said. 无毛视频淭hey are enjoying the music and choreography and really trying to dig into their characters.无毛视频�
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无毛视频檚 work.
With the rehearsals going out of the summer and into the school year, there have been some schedule changes to accommodate 无毛视频� including one actor who无毛视频檚 more than 2,000 miles away.
Aubrey Burchell, who无毛视频檚 playing the role of Rusty (Ariel无毛视频檚 best friend), advanced to the live performances on the NBC show 无毛视频淎merica无毛视频檚 Got Talent.无毛视频� Unfortunately, Burchell was voted off earlier this month.
无毛视频淲e had a small window of time with her before she left for California,无毛视频� Szabo said.
无毛视频淔ootloose,无毛视频� 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