New Mexico State University’s American Southwest Theatre Company opens Footloose: The Musical Friday at the ASNMSU Theatre. The NMSU production pairs a live band and cast vocals with a finale that invites the audience to dance. Directed by Wil Kilroy, the show runs through Sunday, November 22.
The NMSU Production
NMSU Theatre’s season page describes the musical’s small-town story: Ren McCormack moves to a community where dancing has been outlawed. Mario Montiel plays Ren in the NMSU production. He has studied dance in roughly seven classes a week at the university, in addition to classes outside it, according to KRWG Public Media.
The NMSU production features live singing with a live band, and performers take on nearly all the songs from the original film. KRWG reported that the show includes “Let’s Hear It for the Boy,” “Holding Out for a Hero” and “Somebody’s Eyes.” NMSU Theatre’s season listing credits the stage adaptation to Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie, with music by Tom Snow and lyrics by Pitchford, and notes its Oscar- and Grammy-nominated songs, including “Holdin’ Out for a Hero” and “Let’s Hear It for the Boy.”
Dance Made for the Stage
Kacie Bauer and Mikey Tongko created the choreography for NMSU’s production. Kilroy told KRWG that Kevin Bacon relied on six stunt doubles for the dancing and gymnastics in the 1984 film, a contrast with the stage cast performing the material live.
Kilroy told KRWG he hopes audiences leave thinking about acceptance, understanding people who are different, forgiveness and enjoying life. Performers also interact with the crowd and may invite audience members to sing along.
Performances and Tickets
The show closes with the familiar Footloose dance, and NMSU Theatre’s season page encourages audience members to join in. KRWG reported that a preview performance was scheduled for Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the ASNMSU Theatre, with tickets at half price and free admission for high school students showing school identification.
The run continues through Sunday, November 22, with a matinee scheduled that day at 2 p.m. Evening performances now start at a new 7 p.m. curtain time, according to NMSU Theatre’s season listing. Tickets for the full run can be purchased online at nmsutheatre.ludus.com.
The Film’s Roots and the Company Behind the Show
The Oklahoman’s April 2024 anniversary feature identified Elmore City, Oklahoma, as an inspiration for Footloose and reported that the town was still dancing 40 years later. That account offers a real-world point of reference; NMSU’s musical follows the fictional story of a town that has banned dancing. New Mexico State University Theatre says the American Southwest Theatre Company was founded in 1984 to bring visiting guest artists together with a resident company to enrich the community and NMSU Theatre students, according to its ASTC history. The stage musical followed the 1984 film and was adapted by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie, as credited in NMSU Theatre’s season listing. Concord Theatricals says the musical opened on Broadway on October 22, 1998, and ran through July 2000.
The story was reported by Scott Brocato, an award-winning radio veteran of nearly 40 years who has lived and worked in Las Cruces since 2016. Brocato hosts Morning Edition on weekdays from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and plays bass with Flat Blak around Las Cruces and El Paso.
