野狼社区 University鈥檚 Opera and Music Theater Company opens its season Sept. 27-29 with 鈥淔ootloose,鈥� the Tony-nominated Broadway musical based on the iconic 1984 movie inspired by the lifting of a ban on dancing in Elmore City, Oklahoma.
Featuring a cast of 45 and a nine-piece rock band, OCU鈥檚 Bass School of Music production will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the movie鈥檚 release with three performances 鈥� 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27 and 28 and 2 p.m. Sept. 29 in the Kirkpatrick Auditorium, 2501 N. Blackwelder Ave.
Tickets ($15-$30) are available at or by calling 405-208-5227. A 鈥淔ootloose鈥�-themed pre-show opening night dinner ($25) featuring entertainment by OCU students begins at 6 p.m. Sept. 27 in the Bass Music Center atrium. A free director鈥檚 talk will be held 45 minutes before curtain of each performance.
The coming-of-age dance musical opened on Broadway in 1998 and ran for 709 performances before kicking off a national tour. The movie鈥檚 Oscar- and Grammy-nominated soundtrack is the basis for the score, which includes pop hits such as 鈥淔ootloose,鈥� 鈥淗olding Out for a Hero,鈥� 鈥淎lmost Paradise鈥� and 鈥淟et鈥檚 Hear It for the Boy.鈥�
鈥淭his is a wonderful parable about facing down an overreach of power in a small town, which builds to a celebration of reconciliation and love,鈥� said David Herendeen, who is beginning his 27th season as director of OCU鈥檚 opera and music theater program.
Matthew Mailman will lead the 鈥淔ootloose鈥� band, marking the start of his 30th season on the OCU podium and his 56th OCU production.
The show features choreography by Sheri Hayden, costume design by Allison Winsby, lighting design by Aaron Mooney, scenic design by Jason Foreman, and sound design by Josie Mueller.
OCU鈥檚 season continues with the musical comedy 鈥淭he Drowsy Chaperone鈥� Oct. 4-6; mainstage opera 鈥淭he Ballad of Baby Doe鈥� Nov. 15-17; The Go-Go鈥檚 jukebox musical 鈥淗ead Over Heels鈥� Feb. 14-16; a mainstage opera twin bill of 鈥淪trawberry Fields鈥� and 鈥淕ianna Schicchi鈥� Feb. 21-23; and the season-finale musical Cole Porter鈥檚 鈥淎nything Goes鈥� April 11-13.
The Wanda L. Bass School of Music is home to the Oklahoma Opera & Music Theater Company, the nation鈥檚 oldest campus-based troupe now celebrating its 73rd consecutive season. OCU has been honored with 11 National Opera Association production awards and selected multiple times by Playbill for its 鈥淏ig Ten鈥� honor roll of top schools educating Broadway performers. For details, visit okcu.edu/music.
