Review: The 80s Are Back! With FOOTLOOSE THE MUSICAL at American Stage

"You can lift a Congregation up so high...they have to look down to see Heaven..."

-Vi to Reverend Shaw Moore

"You make me forget everything that's wrong in my life..."

-Ariel to Ren

Over the years and throughout the History of the stage musical, certain shows come along and start as films before moving into an adaptation for the stage. Shows such as Grease, The Bodyguard, Ghost, and more recently Moulin Rouge, Beetlejuice, and Back to the Future. One thing is true to most if not all of these....they sell tickets! They bring out Audiences in abundance. Now some were musicals and have transferred to film such as Mamma Mia, In the Heights, Everybody's Talking About Jamie, and Chicago to name a few.

After a two-year hiatus due to the Pandemic ridden climate we all have experienced with shut-downs and delays, the folks at American Stage finally took to the stage at Demens Landing on the St. Petersburg waterfront to present Footloose. Originally cast and set to open in 2020 opening weekend finally arrived with the American Stage Gala and the announcement of the 45th season. On a chilly Saturday evening, the stage was set, and excitement was buzzing as the crowd at Demens Landing was busting at the seams in anticipation for a rocking good time, filled with dancing and singing that we all know and love from the iconic film of the same name.

Footloose is a musical based on the 1984 film of the same name in which Kevin Bacon placed his namesake in film history. With music by Tom Snow, lyrics by Dean Pitchford, and book by Pitchford and Walter Bobbie, the show tells the story of a city-slicker outsider Ren McCormack and his mother Ethel as they move from fast-paced Chicago to a much slower Bomont, Texas in search of a change of pace and hopefully a better life. Filled with 18 musical numbers, with favorites (Footloose, Almost Paradise, Let's Hear It for the Boy, Somebody's Eyes, Holding Out for a Hero) and a cast of crazy characters, audiences are in for a rock/rolling good time over the course of two and a half hours.

From top to bottom this cast is brimming with talent. Upon the opening of the first number we see the cast burst onto the stage with Footloose/On Any Sunday, we are introduced to Ren McCormack (Alex Deleo) as he begins telling fellow classmates he's leaving Chicago for small-town Bomont. Upon their arrival to Bomont Ren and his mother, Ethel (Emilia Sargent) are given a place to stay thanks to his Aunt and Uncle, and the McCormacks attend the town's church for Sunday Service. Being introduced to Rev. Shaw Moore (John Perez), his wife Vi (Megan Ann Fernandez), and their daughter Ariel (Lea Marinelli) they began to experience what life would be like as the new people in town, and how living in a Conservative town is much different than the hustle/bustle of Chicago. Ariel is the Preacher's Daughter and wants nothing more than to leave Bomont and the life she's always known. However, she is dating Chuck Cranston (Cameron Hale Elliot) against her father's wishes as a way to rebel against her conservative lifestyle. Chuck is manipulative and abusive The Girl Gets Around, and only wants one thing from Ariel.

Along the way, Ren has many interactions with the town locals Willard Hewitt (Troy Wallace) I Can't Stand Still, Rusty (Tay Anderson), and her friends Wendy Jo (Bianca Chico) and Urleen (Nayda Baez). Ren learns through interactions with the town's youth that no matter how low you may think you are flying under the radar Somebody's Eyes are always watching.

Vi Moore and Ethel McCormack are at wit's end, Vi with her husband, and Ethel struggling with Ren being the "new kid" in town Learning to be Silent. It's not until his first encounter with Ariel that Ren starts to realize maybe this town isn't so bad after all. Ren intervenes and Ariel begins to see the error in Chuck's ways Holding out for a Hero. Ren begins to convince the students of Bomont High that the tragedy that struck Bomont years before should no longer define how they live their lives in the present in I'm Free.

Ariel leaves to go to a Dance Hall miles out of town with Ren, Rusty, Willard, Wendy Jo, and Urleen and dance all night long Still Rockin', Let's Hear It for the Boy. Vi tries to convince her husband that he used to be a good man and had a beautiful relationship with their daughter, but his staunch Conservatism is causing their daughter to slip away Can You Find it in your Heart. Willard teaches Ren valuable lessons from his mother about not backing down no matter what the cost Mama Says, Ariel shows up with a black eye, and Ren realizes she was beaten by Chuck. The two escape to the train tracks and talk through the night Almost Paradise. Ren stands up for his beliefs in a town council meeting and tries to convince the council to abolish the no dancing proclamation and allow the students to hold a school dance.

Reverend Shaw Moore (John Perez) is strong in delivery both vocally and in dialogue. His Heaven Help Me is heartbreaking. There are times during the beginning sermon when he comes across as slightly forced, but after a few moments, I overlooked it as his character quickly became one to watch. The brief interactions he has with Ren are wonderful to watch and not only heartbreaking but sobering. For me personally, the scene in which Ren says, "We both lost somebody..." truly opened an old wound and found me emotionally in a place I had not connected with since my own turn as Ren McCormack in 2015. John Perez should be proud of his work here.

As Vi Moore (Megan Ann Fernandez)is a strong woman especially when it comes to standing up for her beliefs. She loves her husband and daughter with the best of her heart and her Learning to be Silent is an interesting moment with Ethel and the addition of Ariel. I'm unsure if having Ariel in the song pulled some of the power out of this moment, as I feel it would've been better executed as a duet versus a trio because we see the pain both mothers are fighting with.

Ethel McCormack (Emilia Sargent) is outstanding here. No stranger to her work onstage Emilia is wonderful and reminiscent of Laurie Metcalf. She is strong in her vocals and her love for her son. I always enjoy getting to see Emilia onstage and her Ethel is no exception, and she should be commended for her strong turn.

As the three best friends Rusty (Tay Anderson), Wendy Jo (Bianca Chico), and Urleen (Nayda Baez) are our Supremes/Dreamgirls of the story. Rusty's Let's Hear It for the Boy is a great moment in Act 2, and her relationship with Willard is full of comedic moments. Wendy Jo's comedic timing in the diner scene is wonderful. For me, the best moment for these three has to be Somebody's Eyes, a powerful song with an even stronger message. Their harmonies are spot on here and it's an exciting moment to watch.

Willard Hewitt (Troy Wallace) is wonderful and a great addition to the cast. His Mama Says is hilarious to watch, and his dancing in Let's Hear It for the Boy is a great moment. Troy has great comedic timing, and his moments with Ren are a joy to watch. He wears his heart on his sleeve and sometimes his temper gets the best of him, but he has a heart of gold.

As our villain, Chuck Cranston (Cameron Hale Elliot) is a bad boy in every sense of the word. The Girl Gets Around is a great moment to show off his vocals, I just wish he was nastier. You want to hate him with every fiber of your being, and you kind of just dislike him. I commend him for his efforts, but for me, I just wanted more.

Ren McCormack played by Alex Deleo is a strong performer, but for me, I had a hard time placing him in this part. While I commend the work he achieved here I found myself watching the supporting cast and other principals more. I wanted more from his connection with Ariel, and it was a slight misstep for me here. He can move and sing exceptionally well. I found it hard to root for his Ren and it made this a complicated plight for me.

The Supporting Cast featuring Bryce Bayer, Tyler Fish, Jada Griffin, Tauren Hagans, Mac Hawbaker, Taylor Hilt Mitchell, Zummy Mohammed, Brandon Rodriguez, Melanie Souza, Donovan Whitney, Hailey Hendrickson, and Jessica Jennelle each take this show to new heights and help move the story along and are a great addition to the Company.

Our best in show hands down goes to Ariel Moore (Lea Marinelli). From the first moment, she introduces her rebellious side The Girl Gets Around she commands the stage with so much gusto you cannot wait to see where she goes next. Her Holding Out for a Hero is a strong moment both vocally and physically. She is a powerhouse on stage and badass in red cowboy boots. Her moment on the train tracks before Almost Paradise is exceptional. She has everything: dancing ability, strong vocal skills, and dynamic acting, and is a joy to watch on stage. I just wish there was a bit more chemistry between her and Ren, especially in the moments with just the two of them. Lea should be exceptionally proud of her work, and she will be on my radar for future performances.

In areas of Technical Execution Footloose has its strengths and its weaknesses. Albeit some of these have a lot to do with a very windy day and being outside in the elements, but nonetheless. Having this being my first park show at Demens Landing I was excited to experience a show like Footloose.

Set Design by Jerid Fox is functional and helps to evoke the world in which the show resides. With pieces that roll in and out to represent the different locales of the moment and a stationary set of a church pulpit/barn combo, it makes for the perfect setting. The addition of the pickup truck parked downstage right was a nice touch and added another level of detail to the world. I especially enjoyed the addition of the Railroad Crossing Sign and the use of the tower downstage left, giving us different vantage points in an otherwise functional set. Douglas Cox's Lighting Design helped blend the world together and tell the stories of different moments effectively.

Costume Design by Saawan Tiwari was interesting in concept but the execution lacked here. I felt the idea of having a retro feel was an interesting concept, but some pieces looked ill-fitting, and was unsure if the plan was to blend retro and contemporary, but a show like Footloose can be set in modern times. While I respect an ode to the time period in which this show was originally produced, unlike Grease, this show does not have a set time period.

Steve Kraack's Sound Design works well here to help push the story forward, but the mics cutting in and out was a huge issue, and so much of an issue audience members would comment each time a mic cut out.

Not to mention the volume level of the band was also ear-splitting at times. It could be the wind and the fact that the outside elements intervened but the sound especially in the areas of the band felt very tunneled, or like being in a small space with music so loud it sounded muddy at times. Rachel Harrison and Hope Rose Kelly navigate a tight ship here, sometimes feeling almost too tight. There were times I felt the pacing was rushed and I wondered if the cold had its factors in play, Footloose should be a fast-paced show, but at moments this felt like a marathon.

Shain Stroff managed to assemble a talented team of artists both in production and onstage talent that proved Footloose is a good option for the park. Audiences want to come out to a Park show to party and enjoy the outdoors. A musical such as Footloose is a great option for this as the music is rocking and with a choreography-heavy show, it makes the park a perfect arena. Sometimes I find wearing multiple hats to be a troubling gig to handle, sometimes even for the most seasoned of Directors. Wearing a hat of a Director/Choreographer means that both of these should come together seamlessly to blend the two areas together and create a cohesive piece. Now there is no denying that this happened here as the two worked well as a unit, however, the choreography didn't burst off the stage as much as I would've liked it too. The choreography should have and evoke so much energy that it makes the audience want to jump up and dance along. Just as much as the music, the choreography should take a show like Footloose to new heights, and to me this is an area that fell flat. It's a joy to watch as a whole but I just wish there were more dynamics throughout. I left just having enjoyed my time, as opposed to having one specific moment that stuck out above all others. My other question was about the Mega-mix at the end of the show. I was stuck scratching my head wondering why not just end with Footloose. The transition into Holding Out For a Hero from Footloose was almost like listening to a record slowed down and in reverse, and totally bizarre. The audience was dialed-in the whole time and a great time was had by all, but for this particular production, some things left me questioning decisions both in character choices and direction. In his Director's Note, Shain includes words from Dean Pitchford (Lyricist):

"The major characters in Footloose the musical have one trait in common: they are survivors. Their circumstances- no matter how tragic- have not defeated them: and, as a consequence, we the audience, find them likable, sympathetic...human."

The one unforgivable situation that plagued the evening and has an unfortunate ability to dampen even the best of moods is the parking situation. It would behoove you as a patron/audience member to arrive with extra time allotted for parking. This is one major critique that has been an issue in St. Petersburg. A month ago I went to see another show in downtown St. Petersburg and ran into a similar issue. I arrived with over an hour to find parking and make my way to Demens Landing, and unfortunately at this time, there was also a Blues Festival, a Rowdies Game, and a Ray's game to contend with. I found myself with little to no options for parking, with all garages full or at a $20 rate. Logically if a garage is full and three cars exit, then three cars should be allowed to enter. Such was not the case here. Thankfully after driving for almost an hour, I found parking almost two blocks away and had to practically run to make showtime. With five minutes to spare, I found my seat just before the opening number. Now you can 100% park at Demens landing if you have a handicap sticker or a pass for the Marina, but unless you fall in one of these categories you are left to your own devices. I highly suggest either carpooling or using a ride-share service (Lyft or Uber) to make your way to Demens Landing.

Aside from parking and weather being an issue, I want to use this time to thank American Stage and their return to programming in the Park. More shows such as Footloose should make their appearance in the park arena. At Friday night's Gala American Stage opened with the announcement of their 45th season, "This is America." I for one only wish American Idiot would've been their park selection. Footloose is onstage at Demens Landing through May 8, 2022. Park opens at 6 pm for evening performances which begin at 8 pm. Tickets can be purchased by visiting americanstage.org.

"There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance...."

PHOTO CREDIT: AMERICAN STAGE