Concord Theatricals has launched a new competition that will see 10 schools in low-income communities receive complimentary license packages to perform Footloose. Kick Off Your Sunday Shoes: The Footloose Competition honors the musical's upcoming 25th anniversary.
Interested schools, which can be at the middle and high school level, are encouraged to complete a written application including an essay that shares how dance has changed their school community for the better. Schools will also have the option of submitting a video entry. Winning schools will be selected based on financial need and creativity of their answer, and will receive a three-performance licensing package for either Footloose, Footloose Youth Edition, or Footloose (90-Minute Version). Also included will be production rental materials from iTheatrics, Right On Cue Services, and KeyboardTEK.
Applications will be accepted via ConcordTheatricals.com through November 4 at 11:59 PM ET, with winning performances to be presented between January 2023 and June 2024.
"What better way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Footloose on Broadway than to share the show with deserving schools," says Concord Theatricals President Bill Gaden. "Creating opportunities for young diverse theatre makers to thrive is one of our central values at Concord Theatricals, and we are delighted to be working with the authors of Footloose on this important initiative."
Adapted from the 1984 film, Footloose debuted on Broadway in 1998 with music by Tom Snow, lyrics by Dean Pitchford, and a stage adaptation by Pitchford and Walter Bobbie, adapted from Pitchford's screenplay. The score also features additional music by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins, and Jim Steinman.
"Footloose is a story of healing and forgiveness, both between individuals and within communities," shares Pitchford. "I like to think that its longevity is due in equal parts to its energetic and irresistible score as well as to its deeply moving account of how people can—unexpectedly!—enrich each other’s lives and touch each other’s hearts."
