Submitted by event organizers
Get ready for a toe-tappin’ good time!
’Footloose’ leaps onto the main stage at the San Juan Community Theatre this week, with cast and crew hard at work preparing an exhilarating production of this American musical classic.
The ‘Footloose’ plot is based on a true story that happened in 1979 in Elmore, Oklahoma. The story revolves around a teenager who tries to overturn a town council’s ban on dancing.
Directed by Robyn Bueller, Cody Balcomb-Bartok and Shelby Mullin lead this entertaining production as Ren McCormack and Ariel Moore, dancing their way onto the stage and into your hearts. The talented pair are joined by a stellar cast and crew of young talent from Friday Harbor High School and Spring Street International School rounding out this high school drama production.
Ren (Cody Balcomb-Bartok) has just arrived in the fictitious midwest town of Beaumont with his mother (Lucy Marinkovich). The pair left Chicago where Ren used to go out with friends dancing at the disco, but in Bomont rock and roll music and dancing are banned by local municipal law.
Charming and charismatic Reverend Shaw Moore (Luke Fincher) has a quick mind, a loving heart, and a sense of humor which endears him to his congregation. However, Reverend Moore defends the prohibition of dance at all costs after losing his son in a car accident during an evening out with friends.
Ren, a fairly witty joker who enjoys a good time, soon begins to be attracted to Shaw’s rebellious daughter Ariel, a smart young teenager who understands the rules of the different worlds she moves between and plays her part brilliantly in each situation. Ariel is dating dirt-track driver Chuck Cranston (Colby Border), a bit of a bully and villain of the show.
Ren also befriends country boy Willard Hewitt (Josh Mellinger), a gentle soul with quick fists who becomes giddy with the discovery of the new worlds that Ren opens up to him. Wanting to show his new friends the joy and freedom of dance, Ren drives Ariel, Willard, and her best friend Rusty (Kira Clark) to a country bar 100 miles away from Beaumont, where they dance the night away.
Soon the entire town is involved as Ren pleads his case before the town council, asking for permission to hold a high school dance.
*SPOILER ALERT*
In the end Ren and Ariel, along with all their friends, shake the rafters as they hold a lively high school dance celebrating life, love, and happiness.
This truly high-spirited stage adaptation of ‘Footloose’ opens Thursday night, with performances running through Sunday. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, with a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday. All four shows are “Pay What You Can” at the door. Don’t miss it!
