Cut Loose with FOOTLOOSE at Barter Theatre!

Barter Theatre introduces "Footloose: The Musical" on Friday May 19. The production starts next week and runs until August 12 on Barter Theatre's Gilliam Stage. The play features Joseph Matthew Veale, Sarah Laughland and other members of Barter Theatre's resident Acting Company.

Telling the story of rebellious teens growing up in a town where dancing is forbidden, watch as estranged families grow closer and learn to listen when it is most crucial. "Footloose" features a soundtrack that topped the Billboard charts, and is sure have inspire plenty of dancing of its own.

Director Paul Russell said he was drawn to the play after recognizing a bit of himself in the main character, Ren.

Ren sees a reflection of his personal loss, a father who abandoned him, in the residents of Bomont, according to Russell.

"Within that mirror it's Ren who challenges himself and Bomont toward changing a negative in to a positive," Russell said.

Corporate sponsors, Johnston Memorial Hospital and Strongwell Corporation, make "Footloose: The Musical" possible at Barter Theatre.

Be sure to get tickets to upcoming Barter Theatre productions, with tickets for every show starting at $20. Call the Barter Theatre Box Office at 276-628-3991 for more information.

About Barter Theatre

Barter Theatre, the nation's longest running professional theatre, is located in Abingdon, Virginia. The theatre opened in 1933 during the Great Depression. Founder Robert Porterfield offered patrons admission to the theatre by bartering food and livestock. Barter Theatre was designated as the state theatre of Virginia in 1946. It exists today as one of the last year-round professional resident repertory theaters remaining in the United States. Barter Theatre is funded in part by The Virginia Commission for the Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts.