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Ely High School students cut loose with ‘Footloose’

Show runs next weekend

Keith Vandervort
Posted 11/3/17

ELY - Ely Memorial High School students are cutting loose and busting moves all over the stage, as they prepare for this year’s musical, “Footloose.” They have been working for seven weeks on …

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Ely High School students cut loose with ‘Footloose’

Show runs next weekend

Posted

ELY - Ely Memorial High School students are cutting loose and busting moves all over the stage, as they prepare for this year’s musical, “Footloose.” They have been working for seven weeks on their singing, their acting, and their footwork. “This musical exudes energy and everyone who attends will feel it,” said Director James Lah.

In the play, the main character, Ren (Blaise Lah), and his mother (Emma Terwilliger), starting a new life, have to move from the big city of Chicago to Beaumont, Texas.

“The culture shock is enough to ruin Ren’s life,” Lah said. “He learns that this town has outlawed dancing because of a past tragic accident.”

Reverend Shaw Moore (Jasiah Wigdahl) is the de facto mayor and enforcer of the “no-dancing” law. In doing so he alienates his daughter Ariel (Erika Mattson) and his wife Vi (Danielle Krostue). Ariel rebels and finds Ren quite attractive. Vi retreats, but by the end finds her voice.

Ariel and Ren lead the high school on a quest to reverse the dancing law. In doing so, Ren helps the Reverend let go of the past, which secures his support of dancing. “The play ends in a dance sequence that has the whole cast pounding the boards,” Lah said.

“One of the most difficult things about doing a play in Ely is that the students are involved in everything. Practices and performance weave their way through four sports schedules, music concerts, and personal breaks,” he said.

Because of this the public should be informed about the unique performance schedule.

The two performances will be Friday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 12 at 4 p.m.

These two performances will be in the Washington Auditorium. All tickets are $5.