“Footloose” Comes Alive At The Candlelight!

By TOM JONES

Ethan Walker portrays Ren McCormack who is at loose ends – yep.  He is footloose.  He and his mom have moved from exciting Chicago to “Bomont” in the middle of nowhere USA when his father abandons the family. Ren and his mom, Ethel, are forced to move to Bomont, as his mom’s sister and her husband have offered them a place to live.  Walker is wondrous as the out-of-place Ren.  He can sing.  He can dance.  He can act.  He creates excitement wherever he goes.

Unfortunately for Ren and his mom, Bomont is not excited to have them arrive in town.  It appears that a few years ago there was a tragic automobile accident that killed four youths, including the son of Reverend Shaw Moore, the local preacher.  The preacher continues his deep morning the loss of his son and has expanded his grief to exclude any type of normal teenage activity – including dancing.  Thomas Castro is well known to Candlelight audiences, and he is especially good as the preacher who has not only excluded the town teenagers from happiness, but has alienated his wife, Vi, and their teenage daughter, Ariel.

Heather McClain is convincing as the wife, Vi, and Susanna Ballenski dazzles as Ariel, their daughter.  Like Ethan Walker playing Ren, Ballenski is sensational as Ariel.  She, too, can dance, act, sing, and light up the stage.  Unfortunately she is dating the town trailer trash Chuck Cranston making her preacher father especially unhappy.  Hugh Butterfield also well known to Candlelight audiences is very good as Cranston, and he brings a roughness to the boy from the wrong side of town.

“Footloose” at the Candlelight is a wonderful story- one of forgiveness and hope  that doesn’t come along very often.  It has a beautiful storyline, some comedy relief, and some phenomenal dancing.  Music is pleasant, with a few songs that are hummable favorites from the past, including “Mama Says” and “Footloose.” Ren and Ariel make their own magic with “Almost Paradise;” and “Let’s Hear it for the Boy” in the second act is just about as rollicking a dance number as seen in recent memory.

Ren learned his dancing skills in Chicago and wants everyone in Bomont to enjoy such an opportunity. He even rallies the town around the idea of over-riding the Preacher’s anger, hoping to have an actual school dance.  He faces obstacles.

Everyone associated with his production appears to be first class!  The trio of leads is amazing, as are all of the supporting players. In addition to the persons listed above other standout performances are provided by Ethan Lee Knowles as Willard Hewitt,  Allison Hatch as Ren’s mother, and Sarah Forman as “Rusty.” The extent of talent is remarkable.

Putting the production together must have been a Herculean task!  The planned production was to be a version of “Peter Pan,” but that was pulled from the list only about two weeks prior to opening night.  Cast and crew decided upon “Footloose” and put the entire production together in only about two weeks.  A mini miracle on its own.

Much of the credit for the success is the work of Cole Emarine, (Director and Choreographer), Phil Forman Music Director), Heather McClain (Associate Choreographer), and Jalyn Courtenay Webb (Associate Music Director).  The set, lighting, costumes, and sound are all excellent.

Footloose the Musical is based on the 1984 movie that sky-rocketed Kevin Bacon to stardom.  Bacon portrayed Ren who has moved to Bomont with his mother and just plain doesn’t fit into the crowd.  The musical stage version opened on Broadway in 1998 and versions of the show have toured worldwide.

I saw the final dress rehearsal prior to opening night at Candlelight and was blown away with the excellence of the entire production.  Seeing it again a week later only heightened my appreciation for the efforts made to make “Footloose” such great entertainment.

As a bonus to “Footloose” is the current Candlelight meal!  Dinner theaters are not highly regarded as great places to eat.  That has changed as Rode Roberts is now Head Chef at the Candlelight.  The meal with “Footloose” was a super addition to an already exceptional evening!

Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
4747 Market Place Drive
Johnstown, CO 80534
970/744-3747
www.ColoradoCandlelight.com

A Mother And Four Daughters Are At Home In Concorde, MA — Far From The Warfront

By Tom Jones
April 18, 2021

Reverend March is away from home, serving as a chaplain for the Union during the Civil War. His wife, Marmee, has remained in Concorde to, MA, look after the couple’s four daughters – each on the brink of adulthood.

Jalyn Webb is excellent as the concerned Marmee, trying to keep her daughters in line while facing challenges of her own. The girls have their share of sibling rivalry as well as familial love!

The eldest is Jo, a bit of a tomboy who is always eager to show her rough and tumble side while not quite knowing how to accept neighborhood boy, Laurie, into the group. She is a writer who has already received numerous rejections from several publishers. “Little Women” is basically Jo’s tale, with memories of her childhood and family and fanciful stories interspersed throughout the show. Jo is portrayed by Emery Hines, a newcomer to the Candlelight stage. She is excellent.

Sara Kowalski portrays Amy, a romantic, with issues of her own – very unhappy to be in Jo’s shadow, claiming that she has nothing on her own. Meg is portrayed by Elaina Osburn, a more traditional woman eager to take on the role of a caring mother. Beth, played by Charlotte Movizzo, is the more timid of the family, willing to stay somewhere in the shadows of her more outgoing sisters. One of the show’s highlights, however, occurs when Beth sits at the piano with a cranky neighbor, Mr. Laurence, making delightful music together with “Off to Massachusetts.”

Almost a part of the family is the neighborhood boy, Laurie, very well portrayed by Eric Heine. Laurie lives with his grumpy grandfather, Mr. Laurence, who the March family feels is aloof and unpleasant until Beth’s music softens him. Todd Resseguie is convincing as the dour grandfather, touched by Beth’s music.

Michelle Jeffres is a wonderfully-annoying as a somewhat stereotyped Aunt March, eager to irritate everyone. She announces she will take Jo to Europe to give her culture and refinement. When Jo doesn’t meet her idea of perfection, however, she takes Amy instead. Chris Bain is Professor Bhaer who Jo meets in a boarding house when she is living in New York, and is interested in her potential as a writer. Ethan Lee Knowles is Mr. Brooke who meets Meg March at her first ball and immediately woos her.

The set is minimal, and is particularly effective. The lighting is also very good as are the costumes and choreography. Scenic design and lighting are by Shauna Johnson, costumes by Liz Hoover and Judith Ernst; scenic arts by Joel Adam Chavez; wardrobe by Judith Ernst; and sound by Kyle Harper.

Pat and Payne and Phil Forman have co-directed the production, with chorography by Susanne Houdesheldt, and music direction by Phil Forman. Orchestra consists of Mr. Forman, Heather Holt Hall, and Joshua Margheim.

“Little Women” was written by Louisa May Alcott of Concorde, and appeared in print as a semi-autobiographical two-volume novel in 1868-69. It went on to become a literary classic, appreciated throughout the world.

The stage musical version opened on Broadway in 2005, starring Sutton Foster as Jo. Foster received excellent reviews, and the production ran for 137 performances. The Candlelight production looks very good and the cast is universally eager to please. Music is by Jason Howland with lyrics by Mindi Dickstein. The audience does not leave the theatre humming the music, which sometimes gets in the way of the story. The story itself is well told and will provide those familiar with the story a great opportunity of seeing how the characters they well remember are currently portrayed.

Two songs are particularly good. Emery Hines as Jo sings a wonderful “Astonishing” at the end of an overly-long first acts and arrives too late to be fully appreciated. Jalyn Webb’s Marmee pulls out all the stops in “Days of Plenty,” mid-way in Act II.

The total production comes through with a tender tale of family love. This is a warmly effective look at the March family’s life in Concorde during the Civil War. It is set to be on stage at Candlelight to June 6.

“Little Women”
Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
April 8-June 6, 2021
4747 Market Place Drive
Johnstown, CO 80534
970/744-3747
www.ColoradoCandlelight.com