2027 Show Announced!

We've been working so hard getting ready for the 2027 production, and are thrilled to announce that the 2027 show will be the hot-steppin' musical Footloose!  Staged at the Arlington Arts Centre on the 18th-20 March 2027!

The original 1984 film Footloose is a quintessential 1980s pop-culture phenomenon that launched Kevin Bacon into superstardom. Loosely inspired by the real-life events of Elmore City, Oklahoma—a small town that actually banned dancing for nearly a century—the movie trades the live theatrical numbers of the musical for gritty, stylized cinematic sequences. Directed by Herbert Ross, it masterfully blends teen rebellion with a high-energy, multi-platinum rock soundtrack. The film is iconic for its definitive '80s aesthetics, intense neon-lit sequences, and Kevin Bacon's unforgettable, angst-ridden "angry dance" in an empty warehouse, cementing its place as a classic story of youthful defiance against rigid authority. 

The Plot

The story follows Ren McCormack, a spirited, fast-talking teenager from Chicago who loves to dance. When his father walks out, Ren and his mother are forced to move to Bomont, a tiny, deeply conservative rural farming town.

Ren expects some culture shock, but he is completely blindsided by Bomont's local laws: dancing and rock music are strictly illegal. The law was pushed through by the town's influential minister, Reverend Shaw Moore, following a tragic car accident years prior that claimed the lives of four local teenagers—including the Reverend's own son.

As the "new kid," Ren quickly becomes a target for the town's suspicion. However, he finds allies in:

• Willard Hewitt: A well-meaning country boy who can't dance a lick (but is eager to learn).
• Ariel Moore: The Reverend’s rebellious, high-spirited daughter who is desperate to escape her father's strict control.

Determined to show the town that dancing isn't a sin, but rather a healthy way to celebrate life and process grief, Ren takes on the town council. He tries to get the ban overturned so the high school can hold a legal prom. Ultimately, the musical is a heartfelt story about a young man aching for the father who left him, and a grieving father learning to let go of the son he lost.