Gotta Dance

Glendale Centre Theatre did what it does best, put on a knockout musical with singers and dancers that will keep your toes tapping and heart singing. Footloose, the Musical, directed by Tom Robinson and choreographed by Simone Burch, burst onto this theater-in-the-round with an opening number that set the stage for this lively musical. Steven Applegate, the Musical Director, did a marvelous job filling the relatively small stage with non-stop action.

The story concerns Ren McCormack, played with extraordinary dancing ability by Harley Jay, and his single mom, Ethel, played by Alison Robertson who nails the concerned mom role. They leave raucous Chicago for Bomont, a city so dead even the cemetery wants to secede.

In this comatose little berg, the most lively place is the local church wherein the Reverend Shaw Moore preaches that his congregation should "do the right thing." Only thing is, the Reverend´s idea of right is "Don´t do anything." No drugs (Okay), no joy riding (Uh…), no fast music (uh-oh), and especially: No Dancing! (Whoa!)

Rev. Moore is played by talented George Champion whose beautiful voice is at home singing a hymn or a love song to his wife. Moore´s wife is played by Noel Britton who captured the part of the long suffering and silent wife until things really start to pop.

And pop they do, especially when the Reverend´s willful daughter, Ariel, rebels. Jayme Lake plays the headstrong young girl who flirts with danger. This danger has a name: Chuck Cranston, a tough biker who doesn´t seem to have a good side. Played by Shaun Sumaro, this guy is five miles of bad road.

Ren makes some friends at school and learns fast that there is no dancing allowed. He sings and dances to "I Can´t Stand Still" to prove that this boy has got to move. Harley does a great homage to Michael Jackson, Moon Walking across the stage like a dream. This kid has style.

Ren´s goofy friend, Willard, played by Joey Elrose, steals quiet a few scenes with his country-bumpkin antics. And his wanna-be girlfriend, played by effervescent Janet Krupin, will make you laugh.

The situation comes to a head when Ariel explains to Ren the real reason her father has shut down the town. Years earlier a car with four young townsfolk crashed. One of those people was Ariel´s brother. Ren realizes he just might have the answer to the situation if he does what his mother says and speaks from his heart because he understands "freedom is worth fighting for."

Set in 1982, the dance routines range from Disco to Modern Jazz to Line Dancing to a little Rock and Roll, and even a soupcon of Hip-Hop. The Junk Yard scene with Ren and his three buddies singing "Mama Says" is a hoot. The scene with Ariel and her friends at the Burger Blast doing "Holding Out for a Hero" had the place rocking. Justine Valdez who plays Urleen, one of Ariel´s friends, was a stand-out with her great voice.

Footloose runs until August 29, 2009, at the Glendale Centre Theatre, 324 N. Orange St., Glendale, CA. For tickets: (818) 244-8481 or www.glendalecentrethratre.com. Tickets range from $21-$26.