Cut Loose And Get Ready For Summit High's Production Of Footloose
SUMMIT, NJ — Summit High School is inviting everyone to kick off their Sunday shoes and come see their spring production of "Footloose."
The show will run at the high school from March 2 through March 5. Anne Poyner, the director of the musical, along with music director Dan King have cast 45 talented actors and actresses to star in the play.
Poyner said she wanted to put on show that not only showcased Summit's talented performers, but she also wanted to tell a good story. "Footloose" checked off all the boxes.
"Footloose" is a 1998 musical that is based on the 1984 film of the same name. The story is based on the true events of a school in Elmore City, Oklahoma. This town did not allow dancing for 90 years, and the students went to the town council in 1980 and advocated for the school to hold a prom.
A news blurb about this event caught the eye of Dean Pitchford who then wrote the movie.
"It's a great story of family and communication and young people speaking up for themselves and helping each other heal," Poyner said.
In the story, there is a young preacher who lost his son to a car tragic accident involving four kids drinking when returning from a dance. The town then banned dancing as an attempt to decrease heavy drinking in the community. The story follows the character Ren McCormack, a teenager from Chicago, who moves to this town and tries to overturn the ban on dancing.
"We're having a blast," Poyner said. "Doing 1980s hit songs like 'Holding Out for a Hero' and 'Almost Paradise' and 'Footloose' ... I mean it's just really fun for the whole family and a great message for all of us."
Kelly Mott-Sacks, an award-winning choreographer, has choreographed all the dance numbers in the show and her daughter Allie, a professional dancer, is assisting her.
Rehearsing for the play during COVID-19 has brought its challenges, according to Poyner. She said it's been difficult for cast members to wear masks while singing and dancing, but they are required to wear a mask at every rehearsal.
During the Omicron surge before the holidays in December, Poyner said a few company members caught COVID, but since they've been back from break in January, Poyner said luckily only one person has been out.
As of Tuesday, Poyner said there was zero COVID-19 cases at the high school.
Audience members must wear a mask at the show, and tickets will go on sale to the general public in two weeks. People can buy as many tickets as they want for their group, but the ticket company will block out the seats on either side to allow for social distancing.
The show will begin at 6 p.m. on March 2 and 3 and 7:30 p.m. on March 4 and 5. There will also be a matinee on March 5 at 2 p.m.
Tickets will cost $15 for students and $20 for adults. They will be sold through showtix4u.com when available.
Click here to view the full cast list for "Footloose" this spring.
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This article originally appeared on the Summit Patch
