Open Forum

Hello all,
I am considering Footloose for our musical next year. I usually do a really family friendly musical(this year was Mary Poppins) and this would be a bit divergent from that pattern in my community, but I'm willing to take the chance because of the potential challenges it offers my actors.

I'm wondering what the good, the bad and the ugly might be in producing this concerning tech (i.e. Quick or difficult scene changes, costuming challengs, casting challenges) or content that you may have experienced in producing this show.

Do the support materials equal those of MTI (Rehearscore, etc.)?

Thanks,
Holly
To create one's own world in any of the arts takes courage.--Georgia O'Keefe
Sent from my iPad

I have directed the show twice, and I love it. Unfortunately, the newer version changes the country song at the bar to a song for a man, so you might want to try to do that version if it is still available. 

While it is not family friendly, the teenagers at my school loves it, and the parents and staff came out in droves because it is the music of their youth. 

The set is tough because of all of the different locations. The first time I did it, I borrowed periaktoi from another school who had done it. We rotated them like crazy. The second time, we made all of these crates that looked like they were part of a barn, and used them to represent everything. If I do it again, I think I would use projections. Broadway Motion Design has them or you could attempt your own. We just used their projections for Mary Poppins, and they worked really well. 

------------------------------
Alicia Henning
NBCT
Drama Director
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
Lexington KY

Original Message:
Sent: 04-30-2016 06:44
From: Holly Thompson
Subject: Footloose

Hello all,
I am considering Footloose for our musical next year. I usually do a really family friendly musical(this year was Mary Poppins) and this would be a bit divergent from that pattern in my community, but I'm willing to take the chance because of the potential challenges it offers my actors.

I'm wondering what the good, the bad and the ugly might be in producing this concerning tech (i.e. Quick or difficult scene changes, costuming challengs, casting challenges) or content that you may have experienced in producing this show.

Do the support materials equal those of MTI (Rehearscore, etc.)?

Thanks,
Holly
To create one's own world in any of the arts takes courage.--Georgia O'Keefe
Sent from my iPad

Good Morning,

I, too, have done the show twice and had great successes with it at the Catholic HS that produced it. Yes, the country song was changed in the newer version, but we took that "solo" had a small group of guys (could add girls) and turned it into a country line dance. Because of that, I liked it better than the original. Regarding content, it is fine for a family. I played it safe with some of the dialogue in the bar when willard it talking about "doing it" and trimmed some of that away. In hindsight, i think it is innocent enough as long as more, unnecessary attention is brought to it. For example, if it is made into a big deal, then it will be a big deal. 

If interested, feel free to check out a small photo album from our production. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate.

Have a great week.

Jim

------------------------------
James Fry
Director of Student Life & Malvern Theatre Society
West Chester PA

Original Message:
Sent: 04-30-2016 06:44
From: Holly Thompson
Subject: Footloose

Hello all,
I am considering Footloose for our musical next year. I usually do a really family friendly musical(this year was Mary Poppins) and this would be a bit divergent from that pattern in my community, but I'm willing to take the chance because of the potential challenges it offers my actors.

I'm wondering what the good, the bad and the ugly might be in producing this concerning tech (i.e. Quick or difficult scene changes, costuming challengs, casting challenges) or content that you may have experienced in producing this show.

Do the support materials equal those of MTI (Rehearscore, etc.)?

Thanks,
Holly
To create one's own world in any of the arts takes courage.--Georgia O'Keefe
Sent from my iPad

Having sat through many productions of Mr. Bacon's masterpiece, I will say that the productions that have cut the tempo to half time, or therebouts, have turned the show to drudgery!  Just make certain you have the cadre of confident dancing boys that can keep up the with the fast paced tempo.  The expectations of the dance in that show are high.

------------------------------
Charles McHugh
NBCT
Theatre Teacher
Stratford High School

Original Message:
Sent: 04-30-2016 06:44
From: Holly Thompson
Subject: Footloose

Hello all,
I am considering Footloose for our musical next year. I usually do a really family friendly musical(this year was Mary Poppins) and this would be a bit divergent from that pattern in my community, but I'm willing to take the chance because of the potential challenges it offers my actors.

I'm wondering what the good, the bad and the ugly might be in producing this concerning tech (i.e. Quick or difficult scene changes, costuming challengs, casting challenges) or content that you may have experienced in producing this show.

Do the support materials equal those of MTI (Rehearscore, etc.)?

Thanks,
Holly
To create one's own world in any of the arts takes courage.--Georgia O'Keefe
Sent from my iPad

If you live in a conservative area there may be those that take issue with the Chuck/Ariel relationship.  It is controlling and the song I think it's "The Girl Gets Around" had some innuendo.  Students and adults loved it though!

------------------------------
Cecille Deason
Weyers Cave VA

Original Message:
Sent: 04-30-2016 06:44
From: Holly Thompson
Subject: Footloose

Hello all,
I am considering Footloose for our musical next year. I usually do a really family friendly musical(this year was Mary Poppins) and this would be a bit divergent from that pattern in my community, but I'm willing to take the chance because of the potential challenges it offers my actors.

I'm wondering what the good, the bad and the ugly might be in producing this concerning tech (i.e. Quick or difficult scene changes, costuming challengs, casting challenges) or content that you may have experienced in producing this show.

Do the support materials equal those of MTI (Rehearscore, etc.)?

Thanks,
Holly
To create one's own world in any of the arts takes courage.--Georgia O'Keefe
Sent from my iPad

I directed Footloose last year, and it went over very well with both the kids and the audience.  I had a huge number of students audition because they knew the show.  The dancers at my school came out of the woodwork, and my choreographer was able to do a lot of advanced work with the ensemble because of the number of trained dancers who made the cast.  

The content isn't inappropriate; I'm held to some pretty strict standards as to what I am allowed to put on stage, but no one in the administration or in the community had any issues with the show.  It helps that the characters are well-developed (if Ariel was one note, just the "girl who gets around", then it could be offensive, but she is also intelligent and loving) with clear character growth throughout the play.  

As far as the set goes, there is a lot you can do.  I opted for a bridge across the back of the stage.  It was 12 ft long, 6 ft high, with a 6 ft staircase on each side.  It served as a choir loft for the church scenes, the actual bridge for "Almost Paradise", a bandstand for "Still Rockin", and the window Ariel sneaks out of.  The bridge had a railing that brought its height to almost 10 ft.  We used it to hang signs for the Bar-B-Q and the Burger Bash, as well as sports team banners for the gym scene, a stained glass window for the church scenes, and mylar streamers for the finale.  I left the underside of the bridge open for character entrances and exits. It was rock solid: I'd have 10 kids up there dancing and it didn't budge.

------------------------------
Robert Ellis
North Richmond VA

Original Message:
Sent: 04-30-2016 06:44
From: Holly Thompson
Subject: Footloose

Hello all,
I am considering Footloose for our musical next year. I usually do a really family friendly musical(this year was Mary Poppins) and this would be a bit divergent from that pattern in my community, but I'm willing to take the chance because of the potential challenges it offers my actors.

I'm wondering what the good, the bad and the ugly might be in producing this concerning tech (i.e. Quick or difficult scene changes, costuming challengs, casting challenges) or content that you may have experienced in producing this show.

Do the support materials equal those of MTI (Rehearscore, etc.)?

Thanks,
Holly
To create one's own world in any of the arts takes courage.--Georgia O'Keefe
Sent from my iPad