Footloose the Musical

Last night I went to go see Footloose the Musical at the North Shore Music Theater. The first thing I learned was a majority of the girls I went with (8 total) I was the only person (maybe my friend's mom had seen it) who had seen the original movie. Footloose is an 80's movie classic right up there with Dirty Dancing and going back further Grease. The second thing I learned was even though I love the classic, I should not try to compare the two against each other but to love them both separately.
But let me say there will there will never be another Kevin Bacon...though some have tried. If you don't know what I am talking about for awhile there was talk when the new Footloose (movie) came out Zac Efron would be playing Ren (Click Here). I will also say I love movies turned into musicals... I loved Legally Blonde the Musical. And I liked this musical as well...though it would be awesome to see it with all the production value of a Broadway Musical behind it. The North Shore is a round theater so it has unusual limits.... no drastic set changes, as well as smaller stage but I think how the stage company made the sets, rather it be the church, school, burger joint, or dance hall was great with some imagination. And we had great seats... in a round theater the seats aren't far away they are all close to the stage. But in a round theater you also get some moments where the actors are standing with there backs to you (its unavoidable) but for the most part my friend did a good job picking out the seats where we didn't have the actor's butts shaking in our face as they danced too much.

I found the first act thinking Ren is not that stupid in the movie... and I am not sure if it was the writing, actor, or director. In the film and musical Ren is just trying to adjust to living in a new town with the past of his father having just left him and his mother. But the whole town Beaumont is watching his every move and trying to trap him into trouble (while the girls sing "Some body's Eyes"). I just felt like the usual corniness of musical (that I love) was some taken too far to Ren being a little goofy... not the cool, street-wise man that Kevin Bacon played.
The second act was better for Ren, he got more to the heart and the pain that was Ren. But I would say I missed the whole trapeze dancing that Kevin Bacon (or his really good sump double did). I also missed the Tractor Chicken scene where Ren takes down the bad boy Chuck Cranston. But I loved being able to sing along to the 80's songs I know by heart. And I loved how some of the choreography from the film carried into the movie, like Ren teaching Willard to dance, or the girls with their hands in the hair whipping themselves around looking so flawlessly effortless (if I tried to do that I would like a girl having a seizure).

I think the characters of Rusty and Ariel were done nicely. Ariel was good at pretending to be the good girl for the first 5 minutes but then we get to see her bad girl side. We also learn quicker, than movie, that it was her brother that died and she is trying to get away from that memory and that pain. And Rusty love for Willard even though he is awkward and can't dance is so cute when she sings "Lets hear for the boy." Though I loved the awkward love story of Rusty and Willard it is hard to think of another playing Rusty besides Sarah Jessica Parker. Also Reverend Shaw Moore, was also embraced well with his sense of making sure everyone did what the Lord wanted, but still questioning was right and holding on to the pain of losing a son.

Over all I left the theater feeling happy... and that is the point of a musical to feel happy. But I will admit it was hard for me to take a movie I have seen a million times and not compare the musical against it. So maybe it was better for my group, who hadn't seen the movie to just see the musical, because they could love it for what it is and not compare it to the original. Though 3 of the girls had seen it in London and thought the big production value that musical had was worth it.
We shall see what happens when the new Footloose (not musical) get released come October... I wonder if any one from the original cast will make an appearance. The only person I recognize in the cast is Dennis Quaid playing Reverend Moore. If this is set in the 80's I will have to break out the leg warmers.