Well known Perth actor, writer and director Humphrey Bower has never appeared in a musical, but all that is about to change when he stars in Drew Anthony Creative’s Footloose at Planet Royale next month.
“We start rehearsals in a few weeks’ time so I don’t exactly know how Drew is going to put us through our paces. But I imagine I’ll be getting extra attention as someone who hasn’t been in a musical before,” Humphrey tells Have a Go News.
“The role I’m playing in Footloose, Reverend Shaw, is someone who doesn’t like dancing, he disapproves of it. So, I think there won’t be a lot of dancing for me which is probably a good thing.
“There are a few songs which I think I can handle. Other than that, it will be an acting role of which I have plenty of experience.”
Humphrey is an award-winning actor, writer, director and teacher based in Perth. He moved to Perth from Melbourne 25 years ago and has worked in theatre, puppetry and contemporary performance across the country.
He leads a busy life and has just returned to Perth from Tasmania after taking part in its biennial arts festival, Ten Days on the Island. He also teaches at WAAPA.
Footloose on stage is based on the hugely popular 1984 film starring Kevin Bacon. It tells the story of Ren MacCormack, a city teenager from Chicago who moves to a small American town in Texas where dancing and rock music have been banned by the local reverend.
Struggling to adjust, Ren rallies his classmates to defy the strict rules and bring joy back to their community. Along the way, he finds unexpected allies in the reverend’s rebellious daughter, Ariel and her friends.
“The musical has great songs and a great story,” Humphrey says. “I think it’s a very timely musical because the original film was made in the 1980s in Reagan’s America when there was a conservative backlash against various things in culture.
“I think we’re living through a similar time now. I think the message of the musical really is one of understanding, generosity and trust that we all need.”
Drew Anthony says the decision to bring Footloose to the stage came about when the run of The Wedding Singer finished last year. “I put out a survey to the audience to show 10 options I was considering next year and which one would people like to see the most?
“I suggested some pretty cool shows including Singin’ In the Rain, Les Miserables and 42nd Street and I included Footloose. A whopping 92 per cent came back with Footloose as their number one choice so that was pretty amazing.
“So, we decided to proceed and give the audience what they asked for, I guess is a good way to say it.
“I would describe Footloose as being an iconic film exploding onto the stage and we’re actually choreographically giving it a real kind of country and western boot scooting feel with lots of line dancing.
“The musical Footloose has been around since not long after the film was released in the 80s. It has appeared on Broadway and in London’s West End and has had some national tours and been performed in Australia, but not for quite a while.”
Drew says Footloose has a cast of 20 which is big for one of his shows. “We’ve got a terrific principal cast of really great actor-singers who are musical theatre specialists and a strong ensemble of adults and teenage performers so it’s a really well balanced mix.
“This epitomises the show which has a real clash in the story in terms of attitudes and values.”
Well known songs in Footloose include the title song Footloose originally sung by Kenny Loggins, Let’s Hear It for the Boy and Holding
Out for a Hero which were big hits because of the Kevin Bacon film.
Drew says audiences are in for a treat, with Footloose a show to lift the spirits.
It plays at Planet Royale 7.30pm May 22-June 1. Tickets at ticketmaster.
