Kick off your Sunday shoes for ‘Footloose’

He’s played an astronaut, a soldier, a killer, a child molester … but there no getting around the movie that had Kevin Bacon fans on their feet and dancing.

Like it or not, “Footloose” burst across the big screen with some of the most memorable songs of the 1980s. With an Oscar-nominated score, Bacon danced his way through “Holding on for a Hero,” “Let’s Hear it for the Boy,” “Heaven Help Me” and “Almost Paradise.” True. The soundtrack was No. 1 on the Billboard charts, with more than 15 million records sold.

Well, 25 years and a little more than six-degrees of separation later, “Footloose” is back — on stage, thanks to Live Arts.

But it’s not the usual cast of characters who will be cutting loose. This Tony-nominated musical will be performed by and staged by young local talent.

And what would be more fitting, after all, since this was a film and a play, about young people? For those not familiar with the Bacon ballet, “Footloose” is the tale of a big-city kid from Chicago who moves to the small town of Bomont with his mom. Bacon was the dancing kid who suddenly found himself in a place that had laws against dancing.

Ren (Bacon) and Ariel (the girl next door, whose father happened to be a staunch supporter of the no-dance law) go all out to try to abolish the ban.

Live Arts director Mark Valahovic got help from Edwin Roa to make sure that his young cast is on point.

“As a long time fan of dancing in musicals, I’m thrilled to have Edwin Roa choreographing this piece,” Valahovic has noted in a release. “I’m ecstatic about how quickly the kids are learning, and eager to see audience members cutting loose in the aisles.”

Roa, the owner of Zabor Dance, was one of several mentors who work with the young stars in the Technical Mentor Apprentice Program. Tanya Manwill handled the music direction and Bob Button served as stage manager. Even an experienced live band came on board to coach the teen apprentice musicians, who will be performing for the show.

“Footloose,” the second work staged by the apprentice program, is putting the teens to the test off and on stage. The program was designed to give the local cast and crew the opportunity to get hands-on experience in theater production.

Stepping up and stepping out on stage is a cast of 25. Here are the stars: Carly Amburn, Katherine Baird, Ally Boate, Scott Dunn, Kelsy Fehlner, Caitlin Hunt, Gage Jenkins, Gabrielle Laskey, Veronica Lowry, Jacob Lyon, Richie MacLeod, Trent Manwill, Jane McDonald, Chris Moneymaker, Brittanie Pleasants, Corbin Puryear, Kevin Snyder, Ronald Stewart, Ali Stoner, Joy Tanksley, Courtney Thompson, Josh Tucker, Anna Webster, Jessica Wilbert and Brittany Yount.

The fun begins July 10. Let’s hear it for the boys and girls.

DETAILS

Footloose

July 10 to Aug. 2

8 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays

7:30 p.m. Thursdays

2 p.m. matinees July 19 and Aug. 2

977-4177

(Free preview is July9)

Wednesdays are pay-what-you-can nights.

http://www.livearts.org