Kick off those Sunday shoes and cut loose with a night out at Ellsworth High School’s fall musical “Footloose,” debuting this Friday.

Showtimes are 7 p.m. Fridays, Nov. 3 and 10; 7 p.m. Saturdays, Nov. 4 and 11; and 2 p.m. Sundays Nov. 5 and 12 in the EHS Cafetorium.

“We’re doing two matinees this year because Sunday afternoons seem like a bigger hit,” said Director Karen Kornmann. “A lot of the elementary parents don’t want to keep their kids out too late (on Thursdays, like past shows).”

This year’s production features 42 students in the cast and pit band and 27 students on the crew. EHS band teacher Nick Verheyen is the pit band director, while EHS art teacher Olivia Bonlander serves as assistant director.

“It’s a big one,” Kornmann said. “But that’s great. We like to get as many of them involved as possible.”

EHS performed “Footloose” 21 years ago in 2002, but Kornmann felt the time was right to bring it back.

“We had kids who could fill the roles, have the singing ability and it’s just a super fun, great show. It’s a crowd pleaser,” she said. “What’s thrilling about it is a lot of community members were in the 2002 ‘Footloose,’”

Some names you may recognize from 2002, Kornmann said, were Nick Foley as the preacher, Jens Loberg as Willard, Andrew Borner as bad boy Chuck and Reed Grimm as

Nick Foley was the preacher, Jens Loberg was Willard, Andrew Borner was Chuck (the bad boy. Reed Grimm was Ren McCormack.

The musical tells the story of a teenager and his mother who move from Chicago to a small Midwestern town called Bomont where no dancing is allowed. The show follows the trials and tribulations of the teens wanting to abolish the no dancing law and have a prom for the seniors at the high school.

Kornmann said the cast’s amazing singing, energetic dancing and great storyline are going to put smiles on everyone’s faces.

“They’ve been working super hard at it, working their tails off learning the dancing and singing,” she said. “There are a lot of costume changes and scene changes. It’s a lot more ambitious than ‘Oklahoma’ was for sure, but way more fun.”

The cast has been rehearsing since the beginning of the year in a class called Theater Performance.

“Within that class we get to practice a little bit, learn the music, learn the staging,” Kornmann said. “Evening rehearsals started in October, with some Saturdays.”

So kids can get registered for the Theater Performance class in time, auditions were held last February. Seniors Lander Levers as Ren and Ava Brookshaw as Ariel are leading the cast. Levers is a theater veteran, while Brookshaw is in her first leading high school role. The rest of the cast is a mix of sophomores, juniors and seniors, with freshmen assigned to the crew.   

“I love being in the musical and performing on the stage,” Levers said. “Dancing and singing is lot of fun. It’s a great drive when people love the show.”

Brookshaw has been involved in musicals since sixth grade.

“It’s a lot of work, a lot more than junior musicals, but I also get to understand more,” she said. “When I’m in the chorus, I get a bit confused about what’s going on. ‘Footloose’ is super well known, so I already knew the story.”

Levers’ favorite part is when everything comes together, the music and dancing combined.

“You can put a lot more energy into and it becomes a lot more fun,” he said.

Brookshaw has enjoyed learning the choreography, especially since her friend is in charge of it.

“My friend Corynn is really good at teaching it, so I feel like a pro,” she said.

Kornmann likes students to be take the lead in choreography and costumes. The students are also responsible for learning their solos and lines.

Although the shows are a lot of work and hours, Levers is sad when each show ends. 

“It's very sad. I loved ‘Cinderella,’ ‘Oklahoma,’” he said. “I just remember being really sad after every single one. After show blues.”

Brookshaw said it’s surreal this will be her last high school musical, but she’s looking forward to the future.

“Not everything is going to be over for me. I’m not going to a huge school. They do musicals at  

Rochester Community Technical College, where I’m going,” she said.

Kornmann believes theater build character and confidence in her students and can change a person’s life.

“People who are hiring, they look for people who have done these things because they know they know determination,” she said.

The public can purchase tickets online at GoFan, at the door (cash or check only), or at the high school office (cash or check only). Seats will be assigned so people can choose where they’d like to sit.