Students and recent graduates from area high schools are kicking off their Sunday shoes for “Footloose: The Musical,” this year’s Southwest Missouri Regional Youth Theatre production.
Based on the original screenplay by Dean Pitchford, “Footloose: The Musical” begins at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Joplin High School Performing Arts Center. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door.
This year marks the fourth annual Southwest Missouri Regional Theatre program, which brings together regional high school students to perform in a summer production.
Fifty-five students from eight school districts — Joplin, Webb City, Carl Junction, Neosho, Mount Vernon, Carthage, McDonald County and El Dorado Springs — as well as a foreign exchange student from Germany are involved in the cast and crew.
Ashley Trotnic, director, said the youth theater program started in 2021 after students approached her about having a summer show. In the past, students have performed “Shrek,” “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Mean Girls.”
“We had done a summer musical for a lot of years, and we had Joplin students express sadness for having to be away from theater for so long,” Trotnic said. “We get to bring in students from other schools and have that community theater aspect to it. We opened it to any area schools, and it has continued to grow every year. This year is our biggest yet, with the number of schools participating. We have incoming freshmen and outgoing seniors involved.”
The musical is based on the movie of the same name, which was released 40 years ago. Joplin’s two-hour production is choreographed by Zach Pettit with vocal direction under Monica Brown, and the set was designed by Tegan Whited.
Students have been rehearsing from 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday for the last three weeks, and Trotnic said she’s proud of their growth and determination.
“The kids really love the program because everyone wants to be here and is passionate,” Trotnic said. “It’s really a great experience to work with students who are at the top of their game and want to work hard to make the best show possible.”
“Footloose: The Musical” follows main character Ren McCormack, a high school student who moves from Chicago to a small farming town with his mom. He may be prepared for the inevitable adjustment of attending a new school, but he’s not prepared for local edicts, including a ban on dancing instituted by the local preacher, who is determined to exercise control over the town’s youths. When the reverend’s rebellious daughter sets her sights on Ren, her boyfriend attempts to sabotage his reputation.
For many students, this production will be their final performance of their high school careers before going on to higher education.
Anna Beth Trueblood, 18, who graduated from Webb City High School in May, is playing Vi Moore, the wife of the Rev. Shaw Moore.
Trueblood has been involved in the Southwest Missouri Regional Youth Theatre for the last four years, a program that she looks forward to every summer. Not only has the program helped refine her theater skills, but she’s cultivated meaningful relationships with students whose paths she may not have crossed otherwise.
“I love the fast-paced environment of the program, and the friendships that I’ve made,” she said. “I kept auditioning every year, and it’s been so much fun these past four years. I’ve made a lot of best friends through this program.”
Trueblood plans to attend Oklahoma City University this fall where she plans on majoring in musical theater and vocal performance. She said participating in the Southwest Missouri Regional Youth Theatre has been an unforgettable, immersive experience.
“This program has shaped how I view theater and made me want to pursue it as a career,” Trueblood said.
Jaden Wilson, 18, who recently graduated from Mount Vernon High School, plays Ren McCormack, which he described as his dream role. Wilson said he had to return to the summer theater program after how much fun he had performing in “Mean Girls.” He will be attending the University of Arkansas in the fall, majoring in music composition.
“I played Aaron in ‘Mean Girls’ last year, and the quality of the production was amazing,” Wilson said. “I learned so much from the people here. The professionalism is so high that it doesn’t feel like a high school show. It feels like a step above it. I fell in love with that and the people here, so I had to come back.”
Want to go? Tickets for “Footloose: The Musical” are $10 for adults and $8 for students and senior citizens. Tickets can be purchased with cash at the door or by reserving seats at https://tinyurl.com/swmofootlose.
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