Stage Right cuts loose with 'Footloose' at The Palace Theatre

Even though it’s set in the 1980s, “Footloose” has a message for today’s audiences.

So says Christopher McAllister, executive director of Stage Right, which will present the musical Friday and Saturday at The Palace Theatre in Greensburg.

The story, familiar from the 1984 movie starring Kevin Bacon and the 2011 remake, finds teenager Ren moving from Chicago to a small Midwestern town — only to find that his beloved rock music and dancing are banned.

Even as he struggles to fit in, Ren starts a campaign to loosen things up. He finds allies in a new friend, Willard, and the rebellious teen Ariel, whose pastor father is behind the restrictions.

While there are parallels to censorship issues in play across the country today, McAllister said, Stage Right didn’t choose “Footloose” to send a message.

“It was not a conscious decision, though we always look at theater to be a reflection of society and our lives,” said McAllister, who is directing. “A show that is timeless in nature will be able to be viewed multiple times throughout the decades and will always attract a new audience — and yes, the themes will resonate with younger generations.”

Ultimately, he said, the message of the musical is one of acceptance and reconciliation as the main characters deal with the issues behind the ban.

The original movie yielded radio staples including the title song, made famous by singer/songwriter Kenny Loggins, along with “Almost Paradise,” “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” and “Holding Out for a Hero.”

“If people have seen the movie, they’ll recognize some of the songs,” said McAllister.

“It draws a larger audience than those who might come to see a standard theatrical show, and maybe they’ll be attracted to come and see more shows in the future,” he said.

The 60-member cast includes 25 Stage Right students, along with professional actors. An eight-piece band “will be right up on stage in the middle of the action,” McAllister said.

Ren is played by Johnny Reardon, a college student studying performing arts, while Julia Smolka, a Stage Right resident artist and teacher, portrays Ariel. Willard is played by Noah Welter, a veteran of Pittsburgh-area theater companies including Split Stage Productions, who recently was seen in McKeesport filmmaker Mark Cantu’s 2023 indie horror movie, “Wolf Hollow.”

Performing onstage at The Palace is particularly meaningful for the company, McAllister said.

“It’s neat because you’re onstage with everything and everyone that has come before you,” he said. “You feel the nostalgia and the artists of other times in spirit there with you.”