When Ren and his mother move from Chicago to a small Midwestern farming town, Ren is prepared for the inevitable adjustment period at his new high school. What he isn’t prepared for is the local ban on dancing, championed by a local reverend awash in the grief of losing a child.
In attempting to suppress their youthful dancing, the community, and, in particular, the Reverend himself, must not only grapple with the consequences of their overprotectiveness, but also, and more importantly, with how to move forward in the face of great loss.
Set to the rock rhythms of its Oscar-nominated top-40 score (the soundtrack album reached number one on the Billboard charts and sold more than 15 million copies!), ‘Footloose’ the musical celebrates the wisdom of listening to young people and guiding them with a warm heart and an open mind.
Mount Madonna School (MMS) has a rich performing arts tradition. Put aside any stereotypes of what “high school play” might bring to mind — think great costumes and set, staging, musical talent and dramatic accomplishment. These actors work hard and it shows! ‘Footloose’ will be performed January 23-24 at 7:00pm, and January 25, 2:00pm at the Hawks’ Nest Theater at MMS. All seats reserved, tickets are available at 408-847-2717. Prices: $15 for adults, $10 for 18 and under.
Rating: PG-13.
”Footloose’ has plenty to celebrate,’ comments Sampad Martin Kachuck, MMS longtime performing arts director. ‘It is contemporary and relevant, and within the upbeat rock score, the play thematically asks some difficult questions: How to deal with tragedy and loss? How do we protect our young from the perceived evils of the world? When must adults truly listen to those younger to find important solutions?
‘Within the process of creating the production, students often find connection to the struggles of the similarly aged characters in the play. I also like that our high school students portraying adults have opportunity to ‘walk in the shoes’ of their parents or other grownups a bit, and in doing so, perhaps find some compassion and understanding for the challenges in that ‘job’ description.’
‘Footloose’ stage adaptation by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie. Based on the original screenplay by Dean Pitchford. Music by Tom Snow. Lyrics by Dean Pitchford. Additional music by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins and Jim Steinman. ‘Footloose’ is presented through special arrangement with R & H Theatricals; www.rnh.com.
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Contact: Leigh Ann Clifton, Marketing & Communications,
Nestled among the redwoods on 355 mountaintop acres, Mount Madonna is a safe and nurturing college-preparatory school that supports students in becoming caring, self-aware and articulate critical thinkers, who are prepared to meet challenges with perseverance, creativity and integrity. The CAIS and WASC accredited program emphasizes academic excellence, creative self-expression and positive character development. Located on Summit Road between Gilroy and Watsonville.