This is embarrassing to admit, but I’ve never actually seen 1984’s “Footloose,” the Kevin Bacon-fronted movie musical on which the stage musical currently running at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre is based.
Still, the film is so firmly entrenched in the zeitgeist that its major plot points were already known to me before the play even began: Gyration-loving Chicago teen Ren McCormack (Spencer LaRue) is transplanted to the small town of Bomont, where dancing has been outlawed by Reverend Shaw Moore (Michael A. Shepperd) in response to a local tragedy, and — amidst a love affair with the preacher’s rebellious daughter, Ariel (Victoria Pekel) — Ren makes it his mission to convince the preacher that dancing is a healing rather than sinful force. Unsurprisingly, his efforts are successful.
That none of these beats were a mystery didn’t get in the way of my enjoyment of “Footloose.” In fact, I’d argue that the production’s virtues are located in the little things instead of its overarching themes. In other words, the play succeeds most when it’s just goofing around, not when it’s attempting to make larger points about how catharsis is a better way to work through trauma than repression.
It’s not that The Rep’s cast isn’t capable of emotional heft; they do their darndest with the material they’re provided. It’s more that their comedy is so effortless and convincing that it made me realize that maybe “Footloose” is fundamentally a play about kids having a good time and that no prohibition on fun from authority figures could get in the way of that. Even if permission to groove was never reinstated, they’d find a way to enjoy themselves. Maybe the singing and dancing being so good makes it hard to believe that any of these teenagers are really suffering under an oppressive rule.
Acting-wise, the whole cast is splendid, but Spencer LaRue, Ray Robinson and Emily Royer are easily the standout performers. As Ren, LaRue has a boyish confidence and charm that makes him the perfect person to lead the charge against Reverend Moore’s crusade — and to become fast friends with Willard Hewitt, the show’s resident country bumpkin, who Robinson imbues with an infectious sweetness. Constantly donning a cowboy hat and boots, even in gym class, Robinson serves as the comedic centerpiece of “Footloose,” with his uproarious rendition of “Mama Says (You Can’t Back Down)” — all about the dynamite advice Willard’s received from his mother — taking the cake as my favorite song of the show, despite “Footloose” and “Holding Out for a Hero” being far more recognizable. Royer, in the role of Rusty, plays Willard’s unlikely love interest and comes across as a refined combination of ditzy and sharp. Though technically peripheral characters, I could watch those two fumble their way through the start of a relationship for hours.
The play’s production team deserves a serious shout-out as well. Perhaps this is the product of The Rep’s shows being closer together this season, but there’s an elegant simplicity to the backdrops that makes for extremely efficient transitions. Every scene has just a handful of touchstone props that immediately anchor the audience in a new environment, the most impressive being Reverend Moore’s church, which comes to life as soon as a wooden cross and roofline are delicately lowered from the ceiling. It’s a good reminder of how easy it is to get blissfully lost in the theater, even if the stakes are pretty low.
“Footloose” plays at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre July 9-28. Performance times are 7 p.m. Tue.-Thu.; 8 p.m. Fri.; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sat.; and 2 p.m. Sun., and tickets range from $20-$65.