Ren McCormack (Kyle Southern) as a highly energetic teenager in Slow Burn Theatre's "Footloose." (Photo by Larry Marano)
Mention the musical “Footloose,” and the rousing title song may spring to mind. You know, the one that encourages listeners to “cut loose, footloose, kick off your Sunday shoes.”
However, “Footloose” is more than a rockin’ experience. In addition, the show tells a touching and thought-provoking, if not particularly original story. Specifically, it is one about how we react to death (especially the death of a youngster), and how we must strike a balance between protecting our youth and letting them experience life.
Also, with fairly recent headlines of book banning in mind, “Footloose” has become timelier.
Kudos, then, to Slow Burn Theatre Company for recognizing the show’s timeliness, and including it in its 2022-23 season line up. Of course, the Ft. Lauderdale-based professional, nonprofit theater company also deserves praise for its believable, rousing, and touching production. It opened recently in the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. The production runs through Sunday, Jan. 1. Certainly, under Patrick Fitzwater’s sensitive direction, the show will move you emotionally and perhaps even physically by getting your toes tapping.
The 1998 stage musical, whose basis is a mega-hit 1984 film starring Kevin Bacon, takes place in small town America during an unspecified time period.
In the film and live stage show, dance-loving Chicago teenager Ren McCormack (Kyle Southern) moves with his mother, Ethel (Heather Jane Rolff), to a small town after his father abandons them. Much to the young man’s shock, he learns that a town ordinance forbids teenagers from dancing in public and listening to rock music. Years back, the town’s council passed the law, under advice from Shaw Moore (Michael Dean Morgan), an influential conservative minister in the town.
Ren, who harbors a rebellious and fun-loving streak, takes the lead in trying to change the law in time for a high school senior prom that includes dancing. In the meantime, he falls for Ariel (Caiti Marlowe). She is the pastor’s daughter, who feels that her father is overprotective of her.
LEFT: The Rev. Shaw Moore (Michael Dean Morgan) faces an inner conflict in "Footloose." RIGHT: Vi Moore (Irene Adjan) is the pastor's wife in "Footloose." (Photo by Larry Marano)
Of course, Ren has no way of knowing the reason behind the ordinance forbidding the town’s youth from public dancing and listening to rock music. Years back, several teenagers died in a car accident after drinking and dancing to such music. One of those young people was the pastor’s son. In an effort to prevent another such tragedy, Moore convinced town official to enact the ordinance.
Understandably, some people may roll their eyes and wonder why the town didn’t just forbid its minors from drinking alcohol. Indeed, forbidding young people from dancing and listening to rock 'n roll smacks not just of helicopter parenting but censorship. And with recent instances of censorship in mind, it may strike a nerve after hearing the townspeople’s reaction following the mention of a classic work of literature.
While you may not agree with the town’s method of seeking to protect its youth, at least one of the show’s songs allow Moore to express his feelings on a deeper level. Morgan as Moore sings “Heaven Help Me” in a vulnerable state. On the one hand, he does not want to be his daughter’s “jailer.” But also, he does not want to fail her. This contemplative song gives us a rare chance to hear somebody who leads prayer and guides others spiritually to bare his own soul. Certainly, “Heaven Help Me” humanizes the pastor and Morgan brings that to light.
We also get to hear from the town’s youth. They sing, among other numbers, the tension-filled “Somebody’s Eyes.” In it, the characters express concern that the adults seem to be watching their every move. The song’s lyrics are not as vivid as those from other numbers. Nevertheless, “Somebody’s Eyes” give the youthful characters a voice.
The stage show’s songs range in mood and tone from energetic, such as the title song and “Holding Out for a Hero” (written by Jim Steinman who created hits for rocker Meatloaf) to the quieter “Can You Find it in Your Heart” and “Almost Paradise" (co-written by Billboard hitster Eric Carmen and, which became a top 40 hit with Mike Reno and Loverboy and one half of the rock duo Heart, Ann Wilson, in a duet).
In Slow Burn’s production, Ren and Ariel sing one touching ballad while almost standing at the top of a staircase. A starry night sky serves as the perfect backdrop for the number. Adding to the romantic aura, Ren (Southern) and Ariel (Marlowe) sing the number tenderly.
The show also features touching moments between the pastor (Morgan) and his wife, Vi (Adjan).
In “Can You Find it In Your Heart,” Vi movingly encourages her husband to act less strict with their daughter and try to see things from her point of view.
“Can you find it in your heart, to forgive her?” she sings. “Can you stop and see there’s part of her that’s trying to obey, while part of her is dying to run away? Can’t you hear what she’s trying to say?”
Of all the characters in the show, the pastor undergoes the greatest change. Namely, he softens after spending some one-on-one time with Ren. For much of the show, they are at odds with each other. However, two eventually realize that they share something in common. Specifically, both have lost someone dear in their lives. While Moore lost his son, Ren’s father abandoned him and his mother.
Ren has helped to change not only the minister, but his daughter.
Ren may harbor a rebellious streak, but he is likable and charismatic. And in Slow Burn’s production, Southern makes it easy to see why someone like Ariel would fall for him. The performer lends Ren a free-spirited aura, charming charisma and a can-do attitude. His traits win over not just Ariel, but the town’s other youth – and us. Under Fitzwater’s careful direction, we get a sense of Ren’s energy the first time we see him. That moment occurs at the beginning of the show, when he leaps off a platform and starts singing.
Oddly, our first impression of Moore is of an optimistic and sunny pastor in the beginning. But it is not long before the minister’s voice becomes louder and less friendly.
While Morgan does not turn Moore into a thundering, fire-and-brimstone preacher, he is clearly a stern, overbearing parent and pastor. But just as Captain von Trapp in “The Sound of Music” softens late in that show and lets music back into his and his children’s life, Moore does the same in “Footloose.”
Morgan also makes his character’s inner conflict and vulnerability palpable in “Heaven Help Me.”
Another cast standout is the always strong Adjan as the pastor’s supportive but direct wife. Adjan imbues Vi with grace and a touching sense of resiliency.
Meanwhile, Marlowe imbues Ariel with a bit of a rebellious streak and an exasperation that makes it clear that she is tired of her father’s smothering nature. Marlowe’s Ariel is also assertive and ambitious.
In a supporting role, Jeffrey Keller makes Willard Hewitt a simple but likable and humorous country bumpkin. By contrast, Dorian Quinn lends bad boy Chuck Cranston menace. Cranston competes with Ren for Ariel’s affections. And Quinn’s threatening demeanor makes us clearly side with Ren.
Rolff also succeeds as Ren’s devoted mom, Ethel. The performer imbues her with a mother’s affection.
Generally, the actors boast pleasant and expressive voices. And a vibrant-sounding, live, seven-piece band accompanies them.
Ren McCormack (Kyle Southern) and Ariel Moore (Caiti Marlowe) embrace in a scene from Slow Burn Theatre Company's production of "Footloose." (Photo by Larry Marano)
Cast members also deftly execute Shannon Mullen’s physical, almost acrobatic choreography. Through forceful moves, the performers make it clear that they are portraying characters who are itching to express themselves.
Behind the scenes, lighting designer Clifford Spulock uses many colors. Some are more successful than others at creating moods. The lighting also succeeds at focusing the characters and creating energy; at times, the lighting instruments move.
The actors in costume designer Rick Peña’s character-defining clothing, perform on scenic designer Sean McClelland’s spacious set. It includes plenty of room for the performers to execute highly physical dance moves. In addition, the set features an additional stage on top of the original one. This allows Fitzwater to highlight performers. Mostly, McClelland’s design features simple set pieces which appear on the higher stage. Signs overhead help to establish a scene’s setting.
While “Footloose” is not a groundbreaking show, it is an invigorating musical about the need for young people to have healthy outlets to express themselves. Such outlets can keep youth out of trouble and on the right path to success in life.
We owe that much to our youth.
Slow Burn Theatre Company’s production of “Footloose” runs through Jan. 1 at Broward Center for the Performing Art’s Amaturo Theater. The address is 201 S.W. 5th Ave. in Ft. Lauderdale.
Ticket prices start at $49. For tickets, go to www.browardcenter.org/events/detail/slow-burn-theatre-footloose or call (954) 462-0222.
