Ridge Light Opera of New Jersey, in conjunction with Bernards Township Parks and Recreation, will present the first of the annual summer “Plays in the Park”
FOOTLOOSE
Directed by Bill Corson
Produced by Lauran Corson
Musical Direction by Marion Doerr
Choreography by Beth Amiano Gleason
Executive Producer: Lorrie Lane
WHEN: July 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, and 23, at 8:00 PM
WHERE: the outdoor amphitheater at Pleasant Valley Park, Valley Road (next to the Veterans Hospital at Lyons), Basking Ridge
TICKETS: Free admission
Bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating. For information, call 908.204.3003.
The popular musical tells the story of Ren McCormack, a Chicago teen who moves to a small town where dancing has been banned. The story is loosely based on events which took place in the small town of Elmore City, Oklahoma, where dancing was banned for almost 100 years until 1980, when its high school students gained permission to dance at their prom.
The movie version of Footloose opened on February 17, 1984, and starred Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest and Sarah Jessica Parker in one of her first movie roles. The movie was nominated for two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe and a Grammy.
The stage adaptation by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie featured lyrics by Pitchford and music by Tom Snow, with additional numbers by Kenny Loggins, Sammy Hagar, Jim Steiniman and Eric Carmen. The show opened on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theater on October 1998 and ran for 709 performances, receiving four Tony Award nominations. Theatergoers will remember hit songs such as “Footloose,” “The Girl Gets Around,” “Holding Out for a Hero,” “ Let’s Hear It for the Boy” and “Almost Paradise.”
The cast includes numerous talented local performers, including Jackie Adams, Tyler Ableson, Christine Anderson, Todd Bennington, Rachel Cantor, Angie Cocuzza, Alex Corson, Julie Corson, Lauran Corson, Kate Coultas, Nik Delli Paoli, Sophie Dewil, Ryan Doerr, Michael Doerr, Marion Doerr, Tom Donelan, Donna Lee Donelan, Sophia Donelan, Ellie Escher, Christian Fentress, Samantha Ferrara, Jim Gates, Sam Grubb, Allyson Hern, Alex Herrle, Maria Herrle, Brian Herrle, Joanna Hoty Russell, Megan Hurley, Mariella Klinger, Corinna Klinger, Max Littman, Molly Littman, Lisa Littman, Ethan Lynch, Lauren MacManemin, Rick Morley, Lauren Morra, Jeff O’Donnell, Corin Pankow, Catherine Pankow, Allie Pisano, Chuck Pisano, Rhonda Pisano, Jessica Presuto ,Danielle Presuto, J. Eric Roper, Ted Roper, Kelly Scharff, Emily Sheppard, Shana Tracy, Will Wallace, Michelle Wilson, Laurie Wood, and Jennifer Wydra.
“Plays in the Park” has been a local summer tradition for many years. Bernards Township has produced over twenty years of family entertainment and achieved several awards for excellence in theater programming. Most prominent are the awards from ACT (Achievement in Community Theater) and the prestigious “Excellence in Cultural Arts Programing.” “Footloose” is made possible, in part, by support from New Jersey State Council on the Arts
Ridge Light Opera was founded in December, 2003, to preserve and maintain awareness of the musical treasures of light opera and musical theatre of the twentieth century. Shows include Light Opera (September Song); Opera (OPERAgioius!!), cabarets (based on the works of composers like Gershwin and Kern) as well as full scale productions like The Mikado and Pirates of Penzance. For additional information, go to: www.ridgelightopera.org.
