Category Archives: Footloose

There’s a new kid in town from the big city and he knows how to dance. What he doesn’t know is that he is about to transform a town as he teaches them how to cut loose dancing. That is until he finds out it is against the law. 

Footloose the toe-tapping musical opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on October 22, 1998, with 737 performances just a few years after the movie aired publicly. It was nominated for several Tony Awards. With its Oscar-nominated hit score (the film soundtrack album has sold over 15 million copies worldwide), the celebrated film musical now bursts explosively onto the stage. 

The Story of Footloose

The 1998 musical Footloose was based on the film of the same name and is set in Bomont, a small farming town in the Midwest. The story follows the main character Ren McCormack, who has moved to the town with his mother from the big city of Chicago, Illinois. While Ren is prepared to be the new kid in school, what he isn’t prepared for is the local laws that prohibit dancing! 

Ren sets out to find out the reason behind the “no dancing of any kind” rule and befriends the daughter of the Reverend (Ariel) who preaches against such abomination. With Ariel’s help, Ren goes about teaching the teens of the town how to dance and trying to convince the adults why it is not a sin. Eventually, Ren convinces the Reverend to let the teenagers dance, and in the process helps the town to heal from a tragedy that affected them all.

Set the Stage For Footloose 

CHS has more than 30 backdrops that can help your theater group or school group create the perfect scenery for your production of Footloose

The small farming town of Bomont is where most of the action takes place in the theatrical version of the show. This small town feel needs a backdrop of farmlands, cornstalks, and the sense that there is nothing to do for miles and miles. 

This Farm Landscape Backdrop #2379 shows wooden fences, farmland, and rolling hills in the background surrounded by bright blue skies.

If you want more of a farming feel to your backdrop, this cornfield will do just the trick. Cornfield Backdrop #2315 shows rows and rows of corn surrounded by a farmer’s fence and green grass.

For scenes in the local high school, this Classroom Backdrop #2349 offers a modern classroom interior with a chalkboard, flag, globe, and projector screen.

For the scenes under the stars when Ren teaches Ariel how to truly enjoy dancing, this Night Sky Stars Backdrop # 2560 offers a night sky with a gradient purple to the black sky and bright, white stars.

To explore all of our Footloose-appropriate backdrops visit the show suggestion page under Footloose