In the story of Footloose, Ren our tenacious young activist quotes the Bible to justify his desire for his friends to express themselves, “a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” What this ancient verse captures and is as true now as it was then, or in the neon lit 1980s in which our musical is set, is that life will present us with light and shade; in other words, balance. We work hard, and we play hard...that’s how we do it at Chadwick International. So what better choice of play text than one which celebrates determination, faith, creative expression, the importance of human connection and ‘cutting loose’ and having fun?
Making a musical takes time, passion and energy from many people of various ages and experiences. For all the effort, three brief performances is not a lot. However, the lasting impact of working together, creating an artwork of beauty and entertaining our audience balances out all the long rehearsals and frustrations of memorization and sweaty dance routines. The enthusiasm of Ren and his friends has sustained us through the many hours of rehearsals and planning. New friendships have been forged, discoveries and talents unfurled and memories made that will last a lifetime.
We hope you enjoy Footloose as much as we have enjoyed making it for you.
Ms. Naomi Barton
Director
