Review: 'Footloose The Musical' at Musicals at Richter

Matthew Farina returned to Musicals at Richter this summer after making his directorial debut last summer with his Onstage Critics Award-winning production of ‘Hairspray.’ This year he both directed and choreographed a spirited production of ‘Footloose The Musical’ that opened on Saturday evening under the stars at Richter Park. The scheduled Friday performance was cancelled due to thunderstorms, so opening night had to share the space with some nearby fireworks celebrating July 4th a bit early.
‘Footloose The Musical’ is based on the 1984 film starring Kevin Bacon and tells the story of a teenager who moves to a small town where dancing has been banned after a tragic accident. Mr. Farina calls the musical a celebration of life and admits that it was the high-spirited dancing that originally caught his interest. Now he continues to be inspired by the heart of the story that prompted him to reimagine the show at MAR, and rest assured that his image of ‘Footloose’ included plenty of excellent choreography and many heartfelt performances.
The show began a little early when the teen-aged ensemble members grabbed red Solo cups as they gathered around a table set up in the aisle and staged a summer reunion among the audience members finishing their picnics on the lawn. The contemporary music made it feel very current before Ren and company took to the outdoor stage for the opening number “Footloose,” stunningly staged in black and white and featuring lots of fine dancing by that same chorus.
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‘Footloose The Musical’ continues through July 16. Remember that sitting on the lawn for two and half hours can get chilly even in the summer, so bring along enough outerwear to keep warm along with your bug spray.

Photo by David Henningsen Photography