Theater Reviews

Nov 15, 2004 - Nevada Rep joins with UNR's Lyric Opera Theatre for an exuberant "Footloose"

By Jack Neal

New performing arts cooperation is taking place on the University of Nevada Reno campus. After years of you go your way, I'll go mine, someone at long last has taken a sharp look at working together and reorganized the music, dance and theater departments into a more total performing arts experience that benefits both students and the public.

"Footloose," the stage musical as opposed to the movie musical, is one of first collaborative efforts for what the university calls its School of the Arts headed by Larry Engstrom. It's not a perfect beginning, but it is an auspicious one. Kudos to all involved. "Footloose" may have its problems, the musical itself to name one, but it is nonetheless a very pleasant way to spend an evening.

Tanya Jean Kluck has directed; she's from the Lyric Opera Theatre portion of the deal. Sue Klemp is the show's producer; she's from the Nevada Rep portion of the deal. Damon Stevens is the musical director; presumably he's from the Music Department portion of the deal. Their combined efforts have paid off close to handsomely for a terrific step in the right direction.

"Footloose," itself, is another matter. The show can't make up its mind. Is it going to be a lighthearted kid's thing - "Let's put on a show" - or is it going to wallow in in a maudlin story about why the kids of Bomont, Texas, can't dance? (An accident five years before the musical's action killing the preacher's son on the way home from a dance.) With the book's angst (Dean Pitchford wrote it), "Footloose" is anchored in too much weight to be the buoyant dance outing the title suggests.

Add to that touch of trouble the show's centerpeice, Ren McCormack, a high school senior who loves to dance, moves to Bomont from Chicago with his mom because his dad has run out on them, and - well - you get the picture. There's trouble in Bomont, Texas.

Despite all that baggage "Footloose" does have its up times at Bomont High. Lots of 'em.

The choreography by JoAnna Wagner is upbeat and inventive enough to be interesting to watch without taxing the show's large cast of gypsies too much. These exciting youngsters give the show a very good old college try with dance skills not yet at the professional level "Footloose" requires to really take off and soar.

Tanya JEan Kluck's staging is good once scenes get going. It just takes time to move Larry Walters' attractive - but heavy - sets into place so the show can move along. Which makes "Footloose's" pacing an issue. It's too stop and go. Damon Stevens musical direction is quite good. He leads a solid seven-piece band, and a chorus and soloists into producing well disciplined sounds. Unfortunately, over-amplification sends some of the women's voices into painfully ear-piercing ranges.

Maggie Beauchamps' costumes are Texas down home and good for teenage dancing. Michael Fernbach's lighting is excellent, and the cast is just as willing to please as it can be.

Mark Lorentzen (Ren) is the kid from Chicago who dances his way deep into the heart of Bomont, Texas. Lorentzen can sing, dance and act, and is just grand doing all the things he needs to do. Bradford D. Kai'ai'ai is a stern Reverend Moore and pulls off the show's major downer role with seasoned style. Jennifer Crenshaw plays the reverend's beleaguered daughter, Ariel, (she just can't please dad) and is a magnetic performer who shines it on with every dance step she takes and every song she sings. As Ren's mom, Ethel, Kimberlee A. Pechnik is supportive of her son and excellent each moment she's on stage. As Ariel's mom, Vi, Christina Sleigh is outstanding and a compelling character actor.

There's a slew of magnetic youngsters in this show who deserve mention. Nick Nealon (Chuck), Mark Emerson (Travis), Mike Simpson (Lyle), Lauren Ashley Durant (Rusty), Susan Lingelbach (Urleen), Andie Anderson (Wendy Jo), Mary J. Pinkerton (Irene), Donald Petit (Willard), Russell D. Jones (Jeter), Eric Boudreau (Bickle), and John Simpson (Gavin), plus, of course, everyone else. Every last one just gotta dance, gotta sing. The joy they bring to the show is exhilarating.

"Footloose" can be seen at the Redfield Proscenium Theatre on the University of Nevada Reno campus, 900 North Virginia Street, Reno, Nov. 12, 13, 17, 18, 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m. and November 20 and 21 at 1:30 p.m. For ticket information call 775-784-6847.