Next stop Theatre Company: Footloose: The Musical

As much as I enjoyed the movie, the musical at this theatre company was an excuse to just finally get out to Herndon and experience this far western DMV Theatre Company.  I did not know what to expect.  What I found was a fairly spare operation, not unlike Iron Crow up in Baltimore, or 1st Stage in Tysons.  Also housed in an industrial like series of buildings--it reminded me of a large storage for rent campus that has been retro-fitted to accommodate a wide range of business.  The parking is very limited.  Inside, there is a lobby space with a bathroom and a doorway into the theater.  On the left against a wall is a series of seats in steeply ascending rows.  All the seating is general.  I arrived 20 minutes before the curtain and found limited options for a seat.  I ended up one row from the top on the right side.  Every row was so far above the one in front of it, that all the sight-lines were clean.  The drive to the theatre midday on a Saturday took me about 1 hour.  The trip home was just as long.  

The company is semi-professional.  The women sitting next to me described it as "a lovely community theatre."  It has a history of winning Helen awards for excellence, which is another reason for making an introduction.  

SO, lets come to today.  What isn't there to love about Footloose as a story?  Dance versus hypocrisy.  Oddball kid liberates an oppressed community.  In so doing, he redeems the oppressor, too.  And the music.  And the dancing.  Yet, nothing is ever guaranteed, am I right?  What did I like?  

There are a lot of really funny quips all throughout.  Honestly funny.  In the hands of this cast, SO MUCH HEART.  Lordy, they felt it, and the hometown audience?  They ATE IT UP!  It was not a standing ovation performance--but I realized within the first 15 minutes, a standing ovation was preordained.  The acoustics were blunt.  A lot of the singing was just loud.  Thankfully, everyone could sing in key.  The staging was interesting.  The choreography was ambitious, pushing the limits of the cast, but keeping them from looking awkward.  

It might seem like I didn't enjoy the show.  That's not true.  Heart covers over a multitude of sins.  The lead was played by Jeremy Crawford, whom I had experienced before in the aforementioned Iron Crow production of Rent.  He's earnest and energetic and he needs to know what nuance can do for a performance.  But he was believable, which really counts for a lot.  The quiet surprise was Jennifer Redford as Vi, the preacher's wife.  Great presence, beautiful voice.  Comedy silver goes to the trio Kimberly Camacho, Anna Marie Ferrari, and Amelia Jacquat as high school besties Rusty, Wendy Jo and Urleen.  The most entertaining member of the cast was Ben Ribler as the hapless Wilber.   He gets comedy gold. 

Was it great?  No.  Was it fun?  Yes.  Is it worth schlepping back out again to see something else?  The jury is still out.

The culmination of "I Need A Hero".

Urleen (Amelia Jocquat), Wendy Jo (Anna Maria Ferrari) and Ariel (Brigid Wallace Harper) the preacher's daughter at the local burger place.

Rusty (Kimberly Camacho) singing at a regional Dance Hall

Ren (Jeremy Crawford) and Ariel pleading their case for a high school dance before the town council.

The finale!