This Footloose is Fancy Free

- Louis B Hobson

 As 42nd Street Productions' version of the musical Footloose clearly shows, Scott Drewitz is one of Calgary's premier musical theatre talents. His Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for StoryBook Theatre is still one of favorite versions of that musical, and his Footloose comes a close second for me.

He has such a true theatrical eye. He knows how to spotlight a performer, and how to keep the stage vibrant even in more intimate scenes. Not only did he direct this Footloose, but choreographed it, and designed the set. And what a clever, highly functional set it is, allowing the action of the play to go seamlessly from street scenes to the school lockers, the minister's home, and even a secluded water tower.

Footloose the musical is based on the 1984 film that helped rocket Kevin Bacon to fame as the outsider in a small conservative town. Watching Footloose, it's difficult to believe the film is 40 years old, especially because many of its themes apply to Alberta today.

Drewitz is fortunate to have a pair of powerhouse actors to play Ren McCormack, and his adversary Reverand Shaw. Griffin Kehler is a triple threat young actor who brings authenticity to his acting scenes, a clear powerful voice to his songs, and pizzaz to his dance moves. Kevin Aichele brings a kind of brooding authority to the Reverand who has banned dancing in Bomont for a most personal reason.

Kehler avoids making Ren a punk because the script leaves that up to Kaelin Good who plays Chuck, the town chauvinist bad boy who is dating Shaw's rebellious daughter Ariel played by a very feisty Aisha Kueh. These are both difficult roles because they could slide into grating, offensive stereotypes, which Good and Kueh avoid.

Megan Kerrigan, Rachael Stade and Brooke Tluchak play Ariel's best friends as a kind of mini Greek chorus, and they're having so much fun up there, it's often contagious. Their renditions of Somebody's Eyes and Holding Out for a Hero are the highlights they need to be.

As Ren's new buddy Willard, Layne Zazalak is the comic relief, and winningly so because he doesn't play Willard as an oaf, but just a genuine innocent. We laugh with Willard, not at him, and that's to Zazalak's immense credit.

Drewitz has assembled a talented, hardworking ensemble, literally keeping them on their toes with the big, brassy dance numbers. Keep your eye on the incredibly elastic Dex Drewitz. This man was born to play Mr. Mistoffelees in Cats, or the Artful Dodger in Oliver! He has stage presence to match those dancing feet.

Once again, it's disheartening to watch singers fight with their orchestra, and it's a great little onstage orchestra but, occasionally they overpower the singers and we lose the lyrics.

When you amplify actors, there is a danger the mechanics will negatively impact the more intimate scenes, and that happens here especially in the first act. There is no subtlety in dramatic scenes. The actors seem to be emoting instead of speaking.

We need that intimacy especially in the scenes between Shaw and his wife and daughter, and between Ariel and Ren.

Footloose which runs in the Evan Hazel Theatre in the Seaton YMCA until Jan. 26 is a credit to all involved, and another feather in Scott Drewitz and his 42nd Street Productions caps.