Footloose takes to the stage

Rox Music and Arts has pulled together a fine young cast for a run at the Regis Centre from April 13-16.

Rox director Robbie Cameron is delighted at the way it is coming together.

“There are a lot of other shows that I would like to do, but Footloose is available and it is current, and in respect of the other shows that we have done, this is the strongest and most vibrant dance show.

“Nothing we have done has been as intense as this. We have had the cast going out keeping fit and doing weights. Our choreographer has really pushed the boat out on the dance routines.

“The cast has worked extremely hard. It’s been a fairly short rehearsal period for us. We started in January. Personally I prefer a longer rehearsal period, but we set ourselves this deadline and it is coming together well.”

Adapted from the original screenplay by Dean Pitchford, with music by Tom Snow, Eric Carmen and Kenny Loggins, the show is burst of energy to a soundtrack of 80s greats such as Let’s Hear It For The Boys, Holding Out For A Hero and more.

Robbie has drawn together 23 performers aged from 16 to 25, from as far afield as Portsmouth in the west; Worthing in the east; Horsham in the north – and one cast member who travels back from university in Kent every weekend for rehearsals.

“We audition every time. There is no club. There is no membership. Every time we audition, so there is a new set of faces.”

This show follows last year‘s Rox production of Spring Awakening and reunites some of the principal cast members from the 2009 sell-out production Rent.

“Rox is historically about what people bring to the table. I have introduced this to Rox. We tend to have our own areas within Rox.

“Historically Rox has been about rockers, mostly heavy rock. The early festivals were filled with a lot of heavy metal. But this past ten years it has been changing that perception. We have now got the musicals and we have also introduced things like comedy nights. It is all about opening up access to Rox.”

Follow the Footloose cast on Facebook Footloose Rox Bognor fan page, on the Rox Music and Arts website www.the-rox.org.uk and on Twitter: www.twitter.com/FootlooseRox

Tickets are available from the box office on 01243 861010 or via the website www.alexandratheatre.co.uk.