Circle Players Cut "Footloose"

Circle Players, Nashville's oldest community theater, opens its 59th season this weekend with Footloose.  Featuring the music of Kenny Loggins (also Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, ad Jim Steinman), Footloose stars (from left to right in front) Chad Webb (Willard), Hannah McGinley (Rusty), Deonte L. Warren (Ren) and Cali Moore (Ariel).  The production runs from July 25 until August 10.

In 1949, a volunteer group of actors, directors, producers, stage hands, designers and musicians founded the Circle Players.  (My understanding is that Circle Players is one of the oldest community theaters in the United States.)  Over the years, the group has performed in a number of different venues, including TPAC and the basement of the Blue Bird Cafe.  For the past few years, they have called the Z. Alexander Looby Theater (in the Looby Branch of the Nashville Public Library) in MetroCenter home.  Tickets run about $15 for adults, although there are discounts available for certain shows.

For more information on Circle Players, click here.

In the interest of fair disclosure, the board of directors of Circle Players invited Nashville-area bloggers to the production's dress rehearsal, which is why I was able to shoot a few photos (sans flash) during the show.  The above photo is from the final scene (the prom) when the entire cast cuts "footloose."  

Let me commend the orchestra (Jason Bell, Nathan Oxley, Chappy Hull, Dyan Liverman, Josh Baker,Gary Somers and conductor Thom Garrison) for the great accompaniment for this production.  The orchestra is often forgotten since they are not on stage, but these guys deserve many kudos for their great music.