August 9, 2024 By Hingham Civiv Music Theatre
Hingham Civic Music Theatre’s latest hit show, “Footloose,” returns Saturday and Sunday after last week’s rousing opening weekend. This Saturday’s performance is at 7:30 p.m. in the Hingham Town Hall Sanborn Auditorium, with a closing 2 p.m. Sunday matinee for which limited seating is still available.
Tickets for “Footloose” are $25, and available at the door, or in advance through the website HCMT.org. Sanborn Auditorium, in Hingham Town Hall, is at 210 Central St.
The Hingham production features Randolph’s Trevor Nataupsky as Ren McCormack, a dance-loving kid who has moved to a new town, Bomont, only to discover that the school principal has banned the rock-and-roll music that Ren loves. The other kids–eager for rock ‘n’ roll to return—love Ren’s drive to bring the music back. And the girl most interested in dancing’s return, and in Ren himself, is Ariel, played by Carly Williams, of Marion. Ariel happens to be the daughter of rock music’s other main enemy, Rev. Shaw Moore, played by Brockton’s Steve Shannon.
Complications ensue, as the show’s intriguing story teems with the rise of young love.
The show’s songs—composed for the 1998 Broadway hit by Tom Snow, with lyrics by Dean Pitchford, and Kenny Loggins as an additional lyricist–include “Almost Paradise,” “Holding Out for a Hero,” “Let’s Hear It for the Boy,” “I Can’t Stand Still,” “Somebody’s Eyes” and “Dancing Is Not a Crime.” Additional music was by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar and Jim Steinman.
This “Footloose” production has benefitted from three directors: Nathan Fogg-DeSisto, Samantha Brior-Jones Sullivan and Laura Gunning, with music direction by Kelley DePasqua, who is also on keyboard. During preparation of the show, Fogg-Desisto had a successful heart and kidney transplant after being diagnosed with organ failures. Hingham Civic has continued to help his friends and family raise funds for his continuing medical expenses—establishing a system for supporters to make a Venmo donation (haveaheartfornathan.xo / @Samantha-Brior-Jones).
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Roy Harris, a semi-retired journalist living in the World’s End area of Hingham, has been involved with numerous Hingham Civic Music productions over the years