By Skylla Mumana | Reporter
Baylor Theatre opened its new musical production of “Footloose” Wednesday at the Jones Theatre in the Hooper-Schaefer Fine Arts Center.
The show opened at 7:30 p.m. and ran until about 9:45 p.m. Highlands Ranch, Colo., freshman Hannah Abraham, a theater major at Baylor, was already in the crowd before the show, heavily anticipating the event.
Abraham saw firsthand the dedication that went into creating the show. She said she saw how hard the cast has worked and was excited to see it all come together.
“I know a lot of people in the cast, and they’re so excited about the show,” Abraham said. “They’ve worked so hard, so I’m just excited to see all of their hard work.”
Students from different focus areas within the major came together to put on the show. Pflugerville sophomore Winston Ross, a theater design technology major, served as the assistant lighting designer for the show.
Ross said he had a hand in most lighting aspects, from spotlights to design elements, and helped out wherever he could. Ross said the success of the production is due to the dedication of all the students in the program.
“Everyone’s here early, everyone’s working and they really are passionate about what they’re doing,” Ross said. “It’s that level of passion that brings advancement.”
The production is based on the 1984 film “Footloose,” which starred actors Kevin Bacon and Lori Singer. The film followed newcomer Ren McCormack, a Chicago native who moves to a small, Christian, Midwestern town called Bomont with his mother. After finding out dancing and rock music have been banned, McCormack shakes up the town with his rebellious spirit by trying to hold a high school prom to get the law revoked. In doing so, he clashes with the townspeople, including influential figure, pastor Shaw Moore, and sparks the interest of his daughter, Ariel.
From the beginning of the show, to intermission and the final curtain, the energy of the cast and the crowd radiated throughout the entire theater. The show featured musical numbers, riveting acting and enough dancing to keep the audience on their toes.
For actors such as Plano junior Erik Campos, it was not easy preparing for opening night. However, Campos said the hard work was worth it thanks to the audience themselves.
“Our audience was awesome,” Campos said. “They made us feel like rockstars the entire show and made us all feel really proud of all the work we’ve been putting in.”
The Department of Theatre Arts is recognized as an elite program that combines a liberal arts education with intense training in theatre study. The department was named among the top 25 undergraduate theatre programs in the country in 2018. With degree programs in theatre studies, design and technology, directing and much more, the program is continuously growing and thriving.
For more information on showtimes and upcoming spring productions, visit the Theatre Arts events calendar.
