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Wrightsville Beach
Friday, March 29, 2024

Dancin’ in the park

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Children and adults sprawled out on blankets and lawn chairs by the Wrightsville Beach Park Amphitheater to watch the Performance Club’s production of “Footloose” on Friday, June 5.

Performance Club director LJ Woodard welcomed the audience sporting a tan cowboy hat.

“Did you guys know that ‘Footloose’ was released in theaters just about 30 years ago? Who remembers Kevin Bacon?” she asked. “What we did was revise the movie and we made this rendition appropriate for young children. …We learn by playing and we play by acting.”

Then, Woodard introduced the cast members, who ranged in age from 4 to 14.

Woodard opened the show by announcing that dancing had been outlawed in Wrightsville Beach. Her cast members rebelled; boys with gelled hair and girls wearing side ponytails and colorful hair bows danced to Kenny Loggins’ “Footloose.”

The remainder of the show took place in Beaumont, Texas. Cooper Hyldahl played Ren McCormack, a sharp-dressed new student from Chicago. Sebastian Landenberg played Willard — Ren’s sidekick — and Peyton Philemon played Ariel, Ren’s crush.

The girls took the stage as they danced to Bonnie Tyler’s “I Need a Hero.” The entire cast danced together during Jana Kramer’s “Let’s Hear it for the Boy.”

To protest Beaumont’s law against dancing, Ren (Hyldahl) and his peers marched into a town council meeting. Signs reading “Dancing is not a crime” and “Let us dance” adorned the stage.

The show concluded with another dance number performed to “Footloose.” The cast members sat in a row on the steps of the stage in a formation known as a foot line and stomped their feet to the beat of the music.

Then, Woodard invited audience members to dance on stage with the actors.

“Show them how it’s done, guys,” she instructed her cast.

Ten-year-old Sky Mendoza, who played Ren’s classmate Katie Jo, said this was her third Performance Club show.

“I was in ‘Shrek’ and ‘Nemo,’” she said.

Mendoza’s favorite part of the show was the “Footloose” finale.

“I liked the foot line at the end,” she said.

Woodard also enjoyed dancing with the cast and audience.

“I love including the audience. Then, it becomes a community event,” she said.

Woodard chose “Footloose” because she thought it would be suitable for June.

“I thought it would be relaxed and fun before summer,” she said.

Woodard was impressed by the actors’ performance.

“I’m always surprised by how well they do. We only meet once per week. We’re here to have fun,” she said. “I like to think of this performance as a party. It’s a great family event. … It’s the most stress-free theatrical performance you can imagine.”

Woodard was grateful for Friday’s blue skies.

“Our greatest challenge is the weather. If it rains, we can’t do our show,” she said.

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