Footloose: Dancing Is Not a Crime

Kick off your Sunday shoes as we dive into the rebellious world of Footloose, the musical that taught a generation about standing up for what they believe in. This beloved show, inspired by actual events in Elmore City, Oklahoma, brings to life the story of Ren McCormick, a Chicago teenager who finds himself in a small town where dancing is forbidden.

What makes Footloose truly fascinating is its real-world origins. In 1980, students in a small Oklahoma town successfully overturned a generations-old dancing ban to hold their first-ever prom. The musical captures this spirit of youth-led change, showing how one passionate teenager can spark a movement that transforms an entire community. Through our discussion, we explore how the musical celebrates the power of young voices while still showing compassion for the trauma and fear that often underlies seemingly unreasonable rules.

The soundtrack of Footloose deserves special attention, with standout numbers like "Let's Hear It for the Boy," "Somebody's Eyes," and Willard's hilarious "Mama Says" providing depth beyond the iconic title track. We break down these lesser-known gems and explain why they make the show so appealing for amateur productions despite its moderate success on Broadway and the West End. From Willard's country wisdom that "once you drive up a mountain, you can't back down" to Ren's impassioned argument that "dancing is not a crime," the lyrics offer surprising insights about perseverance, courage, and finding your voice.

Whether you're a longtime fan who splits your trousers dancing to "Footloose" in clubs (as one of us admits to doing!) or someone discovering the show for the first time, join us for this joyful exploration of a musical that reminds us all about the importance of self-expression, community healing, and the transformative power of youth. Subscribe now to keep the musical conversation going, and let us know which rebellious musical you'd like us to dive into next!

End of MLL

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:25

Hello and welcome to Musical Lyrical Lingo. We're your hosts, Tim and LJ.

Speaker 2 0:30

Today and every week we will be discussing musicals, but specifically what they taught us.

Speaker 1 0:36

Another week, another musical we're back, we're back. I'm pretty sure my children are top dancing upstairs it does sound like maybe they're practicing for their end of term showcase.

Speaker 2 0:46

I think that's exactly what they're doing. Which?

Speaker 1 0:48

is slowly but surely coming upon us. The levels of stress are growing Saturday upon Saturday. It's like we all must breathe and stay calm.

Speaker 2 1:00

I love it. I love it.

Speaker 1 1:01

The show must go on.

Speaker 2 1:03

The show will always go on, and it's always wonderful, that's it Exactly that. I went to a concert this week.

Speaker 1 1:11

You're really getting out there with the whole music performances.

Speaker 2 1:15

It wasn't a musical concert. It was so. Charlotte's little friend and her mum and Charlotte were going, and then I was invited along, but I, you know, officially felt old. I felt old at this concert this lovely singer was talking about, you know now that she's grown up at age 25, oh, wow, okay, when was that I? Was like oh okay, yeah, I'm, I'm definitely here with my child. Do you know like I feel?

Speaker 2 1:47

like a couple of other concerts. Like I definitely took cj to a concert, we went to the bumps, like definitely, like within the last 10 years well, no, because she would have been three, but I mean you know roughly like say, eight years ago or something, and um, I didn't feel as old but going to see this and I didn't, I didn't know this, this singer either who was so? Um'm going to get it wrong.

Speaker 1 2:11

Mixamon. Well, listen, you're doing better than me, because I've never even heard of that singer before.

Speaker 2 2:20

It's lovely to discover new music. I really had a great time and I'm like but I'm now officially feeling old Now I officially feel old, and musicals don't make me feel that way, so I need to go and see another musical.

Speaker 1 2:32

Yeah, you feel young and fresh as a birdie.

Speaker 2 2:37

Yes. In musical theatre Musicals don't make me feel old. Going to concerts make me feel old.

Speaker 1 2:42

Yeah, especially if you don't know the person you're going to see. Like, that was awful brave of you to actually go to a concert of an artist you don't really listen to. Yeah, well done you In the world of musical theatre. It's been a busy week, though.

Speaker 2 2:56

Oh, my goodness.

Speaker 1 2:57

Particularly for a certain Rob Matt. Oh, delighted they have had quite the week. So they started off the beginning of the week on their social media by announcing that their musical or play my Son's a Queer. But what Can you Do is finally going to get its Broadway premiere in June 13th to the 15th.

Speaker 2 3:24

Yes, it's only a short stint.

Speaker 1 3:26

Yeah, in the New York City Center, but that's amazing for them, especially when they were there ready to go and then, for whatever reason, it all fell through and the opening number, I think, in their show is called Anything Is Possible, and it was really lovely that Anything Is Possible and it might have taken another year of, I think, probably a lot of hard work. Yes, so that was the start of the week, and then they announced that they are going to be the next MC in the Kit Kat Club in Cabaret in London.

Speaker 2 4:03

Yes, along with Hannah Todd is going to be Hannah Dodd Dodd, sorry.

Speaker 1 4:08

Bridgerton's Hannah Dodd. Yeah, going to be Hannah Dodd Bridgerton's Hannah Dodd yeah, so they're both going into it from the 29th of May for well. I certainly know that Rob Madge is for 16 weeks only, but the whole story of how it came about it's really interesting. Did you hear that?

Speaker 2 4:22

no, go for it so, um, they were.

Speaker 1 4:26

so Rob Madge was hosting the Stage Awards this year and he made a joke of I am your host, as the emcee would say, and if there's any cabaret producers in the house, hit me up. And they did, and they managed to get an audition and they said that they were happy enough with that. Like that was great that they got into the into the audition room but went and booked the gig amazing and Romaj will be absolutely incredible and I love.

Speaker 2 5:02

I love them and their socials are amazing. Yeah, but they did play it um in a sylvia young production years ago, so also there was a comment where it was like I'm an old head of this yeah, as you, as you say, uh, their socials are hilarious yeah, very real and honest and, yeah, so well done and I know rob madge will be brilliant as the mc, because I have now seen cabaret.

Speaker 1 5:35

So I we haven't talked about this on the pod yet so I have come back from london where um went to see starlight express. That was planned and booked. And then I was surprised with the lovely visit to the Kit Kat Club which I did not think was happening. I was under the illusion that we were going to a book signing of an old Formula One driver, gayheart someone, and I actually thought we were going. Well, I knew we were going the wrong direction. I was like this is the wrong way, you don't know it, only to realise that they were already standing in the queue showing the tickets to the girls and it is incredible. And Billy Porter is incredible as the MC. Rob Madge will be just as incredible. And Marisha Wallace just gets better and better. So I thought she was good in Guys and Dolls. Her Sally Bowles was like up another hundred notches, like she is just incredible, wow. So that was amazing. I forgot.

Speaker 2 6:48

But I haven't talked about my London theatre goings on the pod Starlight Express.

Speaker 1 6:54

I think we'll probably have to mention it, don't we? Because we did do it on the pod and I was very vocal on how I felt about the revival and the changes that have been made and I have to say, to be fair, it was brilliant and the change.

Speaker 1 7:12

When you see it, the changes make sense, okay, uh, you know the new characters, like hydrogen, for example, because it's now a power that wasn't about in the original. I mean, to be fair, the, the female diesel, didn't annoy me and they were really good in the role. It didn't bother me. I got goosebumps four times.

Speaker 2 7:37

Wow.

Speaker 1 7:37

Because of the technical stuff involved, like the I Am or Starlight Express sequence was like absolutely gorgeous with how they do it and tell us what about seeing the child?

Speaker 2 7:54

yeah, no, it was fine, okay, because actually he loved is that you didn't see the child actually very involved in the whole show.

Speaker 1 8:02

Okay, so it wasn't that they just do a wee bit at the beginning and then they appear at the end, very involved, and actually it the way they've staged it. It's very clear that that the child is manipulating and creating everything that's happening on stage. So the child does an awful lot of work, like and and I had a wee girl and she was brilliant, like, so no, it worked as it was, and how they did, because it's mama, they don't do papa, the um, the old, like rusty um steam engine. Yeah, it's mama. And how they fit that into the story with the child is beautiful as well. So, so no, I came away going actually fair enough, like it was very good. I also didn't realise that that Troubadour Theatre was where they used to film X Factor. Oh, okay, yeah, I know.

Speaker 2 9:03

Oh right, so you've seen it there.

Speaker 1 9:04

There you go, yeah.

Speaker 2 9:05

So I went off on a tangent there because I forgot we hadn't done the theatre news. No, no, I loved it yeah. But now are you going to have to go and see Cabaret with Rob.

Speaker 1 9:15

No, here's the thing. Okay, and interestingly and I said this after having seen it because I was so, so spoiled I am a lucky boy because we sat at some of the cabaret tables, so we were very close to the front and you know, you're very involved in how in it, in the way it's staged. Um, I think I feel the same way about cabaret as I did about Hello Dolly with Mel DeStanton, like, because I've seen it, I don't ever need to see that production ever again. I want it to live in my memory.

Speaker 2 9:54

Okay. Forever Do you know what I mean. Yeah, does that make sense? Yeah, 100%.

Speaker 1 9:59

Yeah, so no, that's how I feel.

Speaker 2 10:01

Okay, awesome.

Speaker 1 10:02

Yeah.

Speaker 2 10:03

Yeah, it's been a very exciting couple of weeks it has.

Speaker 1 10:06

Yeah, it was good. Good Shall we move on. I do have other theatre news, right? Yeah, no, but I forgot I needed to talk about my theatre news.

Speaker 2 10:16

I know your theatre news.

Speaker 1 10:17

So let's move on to what we're doing this week. Then Musical Theatre News.

Speaker 2 10:19

What are we doing?

Speaker 1 10:21

What are we doing?

Speaker 2 10:22

Footloose.

Speaker 1 10:26

Footloose, footloose, kick off your Sunday shoes. I have to say, back in the day, when we were out at the DISCO or out for a wee night out, you know we did like the dance floor. We did and normally when Footloose came on like the dance floor, maybe cleared a little bit. No, no, no, no we were there there was many a night I split my trousers, dancing to Footless in a club.

Speaker 2 10:49

And we also learned a really good routine from one of our dance teachers for Footless.

Speaker 1 10:53

Sure did.

Speaker 2 10:54

So we always did that.

Speaker 1 10:55

I always loved that as well, like looking back, so uncool. But like at the time, we thought we were amazing when, like a song like Foot Fitness did come on and we did have a dance routine and we did the dance routine in the club Same with like S Club.

Speaker 2 11:14

Yeah, well, we do that at any gathering S Club.

Speaker 1 11:15

Reach. You know like we have a routine for that too and we think we're really cool but in hindsight like that's so not cool, like doing a full on routine in the club. No, I know Absolutely, nor did I. But, like At the time, we thought we were like Proper rock stars.

Speaker 2 11:30

Yeah, we were like We've got a routine, we've got a routine.

Speaker 1 11:33

Yeah.

Speaker 2 11:36

You're so cool, so cool.

Speaker 1 11:38

Whilst everybody's Looking at us Like going Seriously, okay, I'm going to beat him up In the car park. Why seriously?

Speaker 2 11:44

I'm going to beat him up in the car park. Why are you dancing to that song? Okay, so Footless, the 1998 musical based on the 1984 film which I wasn't massively familiar with. I knew of it, it was kind of like there, but it's really the musical that I would know more than the film.

Speaker 1 12:03

I knew it was Kevin Bacon's big thing, and that's you know, knew it was Kevin Bacon's big thing yeah.

Speaker 2 12:06

You know, you always see Kevin Bacon like dancing. Is it in the middle of like some street or something? No, it's not, it's in a building, and you always have that like whenever it's due. You know, this was what he was in, type thing. I don't know what I'm saying. And Sarah Jessica Parker, she's in it too so I was aware of it but I don't think I ever actually sat down and watched it.

Speaker 1 12:25

No, and I can happily stand over. I wouldn't be a fan of the film and I'm a bit more of a fan of the musical. Do you know what I mean? The film just doesn't grip me at all. And the remake? I think I watched the first five minutes and then turned it off. But does the remake have music in it? No, yeah, remake, I did. I think I watched the first five minutes and then turned it off.

Speaker 2 12:45

But is that? Does the remake have music in it? No, yeah like it's.

Speaker 1 12:49

It's the musical well, no, no, no, no, no, no. So for the remake they had, as far as I'm aware, because I only watched the first five minutes, but I think they had some of the key tracks from the first movie, like Footloose, and then they put in like extra, like more up-to-date, modern-y kind of music yeah. Oh right, but certainly not the hits from the musical, which I think are the best thing about the musical. Yes, I think some of the songs are quite good.

Speaker 2 13:20

Yeah, some of the songs are great. So music is by Tom Snow Mm-hmm. He is a songwriter for many, many people.

Speaker 1 13:27

Yeah.

Speaker 2 13:28

Many, many people Lyrics.

Speaker 1 13:30

Like music artists? Yes, it's not in the world of musicals.

Speaker 2 13:35

Lyrics were Dean Pitchford, who did one of my faves, the Boy From Oz, oz and Lizzie McGuire, a movie we all love.

Speaker 1 13:47

What a hit.

Speaker 2 13:49

It's just like dreams are made of.

Speaker 1 13:50

Oh, is that what that's from? Yes, oh, interesting. Okay, I know the song, I've not watched the film.

Speaker 2 13:56

And my cousin when he got married. That is what him and Niall walked down the aisle to after they got married Lizzie McGuire? Yeah, but it was like an orchestral version of it.

Speaker 1 14:10

Oh, classy, it was amazing.

Speaker 2 14:11

It was really, really cool. Dean Pitchford is a songwriter who is also in the Hall of Fame. He was inducted in 2024.

Speaker 1 14:22

Oh wow, he must be very good.

Speaker 2 14:25

Yeah, kenny Loggins, you know, we all know him from A Star Is Born, barbara Streisand's A Star Is Born, and the book was by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobby. He was the original Roger in Grace.

Speaker 1 14:41

Walter Bobby.

Speaker 2 14:42

Mm-hmm. Oh, and he was a nicely, nicely Johnston in the 1992 Guys and Dolls.

Speaker 1 14:50

Oh, well done, walter Bobbe. Great name, walter Bobbe.

Speaker 2 14:54

And he won Tony for Best Director of Chicago.

Speaker 1 14:59

Tony, tony, tony, you're very enthusiastic about that. You were shaking your pen, aren't?

Speaker 2 15:04

you. I know because it was a fact I remembered. Very good, Excellent. I was more impressed with the fact that I remembered it.

Speaker 1 15:09

So yeah, the musical opened in Broadway's Richard Rogers Theatre in October 1998. So it's not as old a musical as you think it is.

Speaker 2 15:20

Do you know?

Speaker 1 15:21

what I mean. I think in my head I kind of thought, with the movie being of the age it was 1984, I thought the musical was a bit closer to that.

Speaker 2 15:33

Same and this was because it's set and it's very much an 80s, very much an 80s film. You associate it with the 80s and the musical is set in the 80s.

Speaker 1 15:42

You just assume that yeah, it was that's it, and it ran for 709 performances until July 2000. It received mixed critical reception. General consensus was that the show was in and of itself poor Nice, but, as we've just said, the music and the talented cast at the time made it entertaining. It was nominated for four Tonys.

Speaker 2 16:09

Yeah, just there's not a huge love for it, and if you didn't think there was an awful lot of love for it in America, where it is set, there is even less love for it in the West End. So went on a world tour first in 2000. Had a UK tour in 2004. Ended up in the West End in the Novello Theatre on the Strand.

Speaker 1 16:30

That's it.

Speaker 2 16:31

Excuse me, but lasted seven months. Didn't last very long.

Speaker 1 16:35

No, it really didn't. It did, interestingly, star David Essex, and I love this one, cheryl Flippin Baker.

Speaker 2 16:45

Did it Absolutely. Oh my goodness, we love a one. Cheryl Flippin' Baker Did it Absolutely.

Speaker 1 16:48

Oh, my goodness, we love a bit of Cheryl. She was. You gotta slow it. Bugs Fizz. I can't remember. I should remember it. It's coming up to that time of the year, isn't it? Who was?

Speaker 2 16:58

she. You're a vision. Who was she in?

Historical Context of Dancing Bans

Speaker 1 17:02

I have no idea. Maybe the Bugs Fizz? I have no idea. Maybe, but she wouldn't have. She'd have been too young to play one of the mothers, wouldn't she? Did she play?

Speaker 2 17:14

no, she wasn't Ariel. No, in 2006 no, you're right she must have played one of the mothers, aye so there you go.

Speaker 1 17:23

Yeah, it didn't really do very well, no no, did have another revival in 2017, but with Gareth Gates and Maureen Nolan but yeah, just still not it's more of a teary kind of show, isn't it?

Speaker 2 17:39

it's more of an amdram show. And what did we say? Oh, brittle no, it is because you know what. It is a good chorus show. There's some really good songs in it. There's some nice wee parts or whatever. But yeah, there's a couple of these musicals that we've done, and you know what? It's okay to be an Amdram show.

Speaker 1 18:00

No, I need to verify because obviously I work with an Amdram. I didn't mean O Brutal as in let's make it an amateur show. I mean it wasn't even a show that could go on national tours.

Speaker 2 18:14

No, I don't think so.

Speaker 1 18:16

Just don't do any tours. No, yeah, okay, no yeah.

Speaker 2 18:20

I need to verify. I'm not saying.

Speaker 1 18:23

Amdram's the best thing in the world.

Speaker 2 18:27

I think you know an Amdram will do it justice. Well, I don't think you need to put it on tour, that's what I'm telling you.

Speaker 1 18:35

Those producers that listen to us don't bother putting it on tour.

Speaker 2 18:37

Just allow the Amdrams to have it.

Speaker 1 18:40

Anybody who doesn't know Footless tells the story of Rem McCormick, a teenager from Chicago who moves to a small town where he attempts to overturn a ban on dancing enforced by the efforts of a local minister. There lieth the plot. That is it. There's not much more you need to know.

Speaker 2 18:58

I mean. All I would say is he becomes the voice for young people.

Speaker 1 19:02

That's it, and I suppose that's one of the overriding kind of things that I learned from the musical.

Speaker 2 19:10

And actually I was helping a lovely student this week. Look at monologues for an edition, and Ren's is actually a really good monologue. Oh yeah, you know that speech that he gives to the preacher, so yeah, you know Very good.

Speaker 1 19:27

Fun facts, fun footloose facts. Oh, yes, with a little bit of alliteration. It grossed 80 million. The film grossed 80 million, becoming the seventh highest grossing film in 1984. And Footloose Number by Kenny Loggins and let's Hear it for the Boy, my personal favourite by Denise Williams. We're both nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Speaker 2 19:54

Awesome, there you go. Well, my musical air glingos. Are we okay?

Speaker 1 19:58

to sort of move into there.

Speaker 2 20:00

I didn't know much about the film and then I actually the remake totally bypassed me. I didn't even know there was a remake until I was doing research for this.

Speaker 1 20:12

And you watched it. No, I didn't, no. And now that we've done the podcast with your fellow podcastee, he's telling you don't bother.

Speaker 2 20:21

So there we go. Anyway, I also didn't know that it was actually inspired, by a real event so um elmore city in oklahoma yeah and they had this tragedy, you know. So this is why they had the the ban on dancing where, um some teenagers were at a dance, um, they were drunk and yeah and they crashed the car and this had a major impact on the town of Beaumont. Yeah, but yes, this did actually happen in 1979. So this Elmore City banned dancing.

Speaker 1 20:54

Yeah, so Elmore City in Oklahoma. They banned it in an attempt to decrease the amount of heavy drinking Advocated by the Reverend FR Johnson, and he said no good ever comes from dancing. If you have a dance, somebody will crash it. They will be looking for only two things women and booze. When boys and girls get together, they get aroused. You can believe what you want, but one thing leads to another. Well, there you go. So there you go, and because of that the town never had a prom.

Speaker 2 21:31

Yeah.

Speaker 1 21:32

Not okay. No, until 1980, though, junior class of Elmore City High School made national news when they requested permission to hold a junior prom, and it was granted. The request overturned the ban. Permission to hold a junior prom, and it was granted. The request was over. Uh, the request overturned the ban to hold the prom was met with the 2-2 decision from the school board. When the school president, raymond Lee, broke the tie with the words let them dance.

Speaker 2 22:00

There we go. That's in the musical and that's in the musical.

Speaker 1 22:03

Yeah it kind of rang a bit similar to the prom. Do you remember when we were talking about the prom?

Speaker 2 22:10

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 22:11

For goodness sake, just let kids be kids sometimes I know you need a wee boogie.

Speaker 1 22:17

And that's what I kind of learnt the idea of celebrating the youth. Fitless is a celebration of youth, highlighting the energy and the passion and the potential that young people can bring to positive change. Yeah, I suppose that's the teacher in me coming out, is that? I suppose? Yeah, but the musical showcases that power of the young people to challenge the status quo. Stick to the stuff. You know, it's a different musical Name, the musical, high school musical Well done, and to inspire others to embrace, embrace, embrace, embrace their own individuality.

Speaker 2 22:52

Yeah, no, I like it and I like that. You know it's a, there is a real fight for it and yes, okay, everything comes okay in the end. But initially you think, oh, it hasn't, it hasn't worked, even though you've fought. But initially you think, oh, it hasn't worked, even though you've fought.

Speaker 1 23:07

And sometimes that does happen in life.

Speaker 2 23:07

You know, you've fought really really well, you've fought your case really well, but just there's too much hurt there, or trauma or whatever it is, but then obviously it does all come out well.

Speaker 1 23:18

In the number footless on any given Sunday.

Speaker 2 23:29

Reverend Moore.

Speaker 1 23:29

he says in this morning's convocations I'm so glad that you got that, because I have that down to me, but I didn't want to say the word oh, convocations, so you didn't know what they were either. So a convocation is a planned assembly of people for a specific purpose, usually religious in nature.

Speaker 2 23:42

From the Latin convocare, meaning to call or come together oh yeah, so I didn't know that it has to be a formal meeting, academic or religious, and you have to be gathered for a specific reason, so you can't just just come together or can't just. Oh my goodness, there's 20 of us here. Oh we're at. You know we're a complication. Yes, you had to have came at that time pre-planned.

Speaker 1 24:13

Yes, yeah, yeah, interesting.

Speaker 2 24:17

That's all I learned in that one. Do you have anything else to say? That's all I learned.

Speaker 1 24:21

No, the one thing, one musical effort.

Speaker 2 24:25

Yes, no same yeah, can't stand still. I really like that wee song, I think you see, if it's done well, I think it's a. It's a nice way, like I don't know, there's like a wee, like I can feel my shoulders going with it. Anyway, um, it says book, a book. Back where I came from back where I From. Life's Never a.

Speaker 1 24:47

Humdrum Well done. I will take you there.

Speaker 2 24:50

What is a humdrum?

Speaker 1 24:52

No idea. Well, I just presumed it was like the.

Speaker 2 24:55

Yeah, boring or lax excitement.

Speaker 1 24:58

There you go. Life's a bit humdrum sometimes, isn't it? Until you stick on a wee musical.

Speaker 2 25:05

Yeah, and then you're buzzing, see um so you like that song.

Speaker 1 25:11

Probably my favorite song in the whole musical is let's hear it for the boy love it.

Speaker 2 25:19

Oh, here actually I've got another one in. I'm so sorry. Just says gotta watch my p's and q's becomes I'm so sorry. Just says gotta watch my p's and q's um, which is weird. Yeah, yeah. So which is weird because our daughter said what is p's and q's? Yeah, and then I was like here, guess what, I'm researching this musical and they say p's and q's. So it's a British idiom to be mindful of one's manners and behavior in social situations. People think it came from pints and quartz.

Speaker 1 25:46

Okay.

Speaker 2 25:47

Which originated in pubs and taverns, where bartenders would remind customers to keep track of their orders.

Speaker 1 25:53

That is so interesting because until now I have never heard wondered what the P or the Q stood for, so I knew it was your manners. Yeah, I knew what it meant. Yes, but I never really thought of the significance of the P's and the Q's. Yeah, so pints and quarts.

Speaker 2 26:11

Yeah.

Speaker 1 26:11

Interesting, isn't it?

Speaker 2 26:12

So that's why I just got into it a little bit deeper, because it was only whenever CJ pointed out like but why is it P's and Q's?

Speaker 1 26:23

And I was like I actually don't know why she's a clever girl, isn't? She is so um sorry, yes, I'm here for the boy which she sang.

Speaker 2 26:28

So go nice little introduction.

Speaker 1 26:31

Your CJ sang it last year on our show. That's right um. Can I check now? I might just be be doing a silly Timmy moment on the pod, do you know? Did you know that Bollorama was referring to bowling?

Speaker 2 26:52

alleys, yes, Okay. So you didn't.

Standout Songs and Characters

Speaker 1 26:57

No, okay. So in the song it says let's hear it for the boy she sings oh he, he don't score a bowlerama. I didn't realise that bowlerama was like an established generic term for bowling. Yes, it's called bowlerama, let's go to the bowlerama. Yeah, I didn't know that.

Speaker 2 27:14

Yeah.

Speaker 1 27:15

Is that an American thing?

Speaker 2 27:17

Yes, I was going to say, and is that why you know? Yeah, well, it's probably not why I know.

Speaker 1 27:20

But you're more American than me. It is?

Speaker 2 27:24

It is an American thing.

Speaker 1 27:24

Because I've never spoke to you about this. But whilst we're on the topic, let's do it.

Speaker 2 27:28

What.

Speaker 1 27:28

You're very American in our intro, am I? Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats.

Speaker 2 27:34

Oh yeah, I am. I was like, oh flippin' Nora, she's gone, all Americanized almost. Oh yeah, I think I was trying to disguise my voice as an American. No, but I don't think. Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to take your seats. Do you know? I think I was just making sure it wasn't broad.

Speaker 1 27:59

Fair enough, total tangent there, but I just thought bull-aollorama like kind of reminded me of your intro.

Speaker 2 28:05

There we go, ladies and gentlemen. No, there is definitely a film where Bollorama is mentioned. No, no, no, it's Flintstones.

Speaker 1 28:13

I was like how do I know?

Speaker 2 28:15

Bollorama. It's from the Flintstones. There we go, got it.

Speaker 1 28:18

Yeah, they also make reference of maybe he's no Casanova, still his kisses bowl me over, like some of the lyrics are hilarious. We do know we've often heard of Casanova, but I did look into him a little bit more Notorious for seducing women and having many lovers, giovanni Casanova, an Italian adventurer I didn't know what he did, and Casanova was known for being a bit of a seducer, a bit of a lover, lover, lover. So there you go. He was an adventurer who was born in the Republic of Venice and travelled extensively through Europe. And they know that he was a lover lover because they came across his autobiography, which was published post-human.

Speaker 2 29:15

No, because you've said it, I can't say it. Okay, not Humorously when After he's Dead? Not Humously, after he's dead.

Speaker 1 29:23

Yeah, detailing the provocative customs and norms of the European social life in the 18th century. There you go, mr Lover, lover.

Speaker 2 29:35

Yeah, that is a good song. Good, yeah, now that he said it Humanus, hominus, something like that, we know what it is. Yeah, I know. See, now that he said it humanus, it was hominous, hominous, it was hominous, something like that, we know what it is. Yeah, I Need a Hero. I need a hero.

Speaker 1 29:49

I get rid of that bloody song.

Speaker 2 29:51

Okay, that song has two meanings for me. One, it was in one of the very first productions I did with Stageco. Yeah Well, it was was. No, it wasn't my first production, lauren, it was in the second one, it was in Seating Beauty. I love when you start talking out loud and it's just your innermost brain working, isn't it?

Speaker 1 30:12

It's really bad, it's very funny. No, lauren, no, it was. It's terrible, it was a Stageco favourite as far as I can remember.

Speaker 2 30:22

I need a hero, I think sharon loved it yeah um it was in every pantomime going it was in every end of year thing. There was a performance of it. I remember lying on stage and somebody walking over me like there was just lots and lots um, but I also think um. Aaron's brother likes it or something, and he's a joiner and apparently whenever he hears this song when he's in the workshop it makes him work harder.

Speaker 1 30:50

That's hilarious.

Speaker 2 30:52

It would be delighted if you shared that across the board. Well, he doesn't listen, so it does not Absolutely true, I love the Shrek.

Speaker 1 31:02

is it in Shrek 2 that one of the characters sings?

Speaker 2 31:05

is it the the fairy godmother, it is Jennifer Saunders sings.

Speaker 1 31:10

I Need a Hero.

Speaker 2 31:11

I like that one but yes, whenever it says isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?

Speaker 1 31:17

yeah that's just a horse yeah, did you not know that? Oh, I did. I love it when aaron ep aaron puts his hand in his head, because that that means we've really gone to a new, a new low, and we will be as ostracized the right words, we will be ostracized for what we've just said I know oh, lauren, you're not going to be able to walk down the street.

Speaker 2 31:43

I know, but I mean Ferry Stade.

Speaker 1 31:46

Sure, back to my reference about Shrek. He talks about him being a noble. The donkey talks about being a noble steed.

Speaker 2 31:53

Yeah, but that's different from a Ferry Stade.

Speaker 1 31:56

It's still a steed. Ferry, steed, fari, steed, noble steed. Oh, it's the steed part. That's the first one. It's the steed, oh my God, it's not like a Siamese cat.

Speaker 2 32:05

Oh no, it is like a Siamese cat.

Speaker 1 32:10

We need to have another wee grammar lesson.

Speaker 2 32:16

Adjectives and nouns.

Speaker 1 32:18

So the steed is the noun Okay and Fari, or noble, is the adjective describing the steed Got it. Anyway, let's move on to. Mama Says Okay. One of my favourite songs. So I love Willard. Willard, if I Brilliant, he's the comedy comic relief. No, hence I like it. I like that character because I like the comedy characters, don't I? And he's? You know, ren comes across him when he moves to Beaumont, beaumont, I went to say Baltimore, beaumont, I went to say Baltimore. And I was like wrong musical Wrong musical.

Speaker 1 32:55

Beaumont, and he's a mixture of stupid and hothead. Do you know what I mean? He gets himself into trouble by opening his mouth and saying something stupid, or like always looking for the fight.

Speaker 2 33:10

Yeah.

Speaker 1 33:10

Yet he doesn't really have much to back up the fight. Do you know what I mean? Anyway, he sings Everything I ever learned. That gets me through the worst. I learned at my mama's knee. It's so true. It's so true. To learn at your mother's knee means that you learn it when you're a child. Willard is characterised as not being very bright and a bit of a troublemaker, so it's no surprise his mother had to teach him a lot of lessons right, yep, and I love that and that's a great wee number for what are you giggling at?

Speaker 2 33:49

just thinking if you have more lessons.

Speaker 1 33:51

I got you doing right apr and just said if lauren had more lessons like that she'd be all right. Oh shush.

Speaker 2 33:58

Um, it's a great note because there's not very many numbers where there's like a boy and then a couple of boy dancers, you know, in the show, where then it's kind of just them focusing.

Speaker 1 34:08

I really like that number for that am I gonna say milk it for all? It's worth, I think it gets like three reprises doesn't it yeah? You think he's he's given. You know he shared all of the lessons his mom has taught him. And then he remembers more, and that happens three or four times. He also remembers he says Mama says don't hold your breath for longer than an hour Tangent, but do you know what the longest recorded time was for holding your breath?

Speaker 2 34:40

Like underwater or holding your breath.

Speaker 1 34:42

Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh underwater.

Speaker 2 34:44

Who is the longest one? Is it Kate Winslet?

Speaker 1 34:48

No.

Speaker 2 34:48

No, because she was doing like for Avatar. She was doing training and it's like 15 minutes or something.

Speaker 1 34:56

Nope. So the longest recorded time a man voluntarily we need to add that voluntarily held his breath was 24 minutes and 3 seconds, set by Alex Sequeira Vendrell. Sorry if I didn't pronounce your name properly, but he was a professional free diver there you go Very good.

Speaker 2 35:23

I always remember like I was taught in school you can't go more than three minutes without oxygen, three days without water and three weeks without food.

Speaker 1 35:37

It took you a wee while to remember that, considering all figures, were the number three. I'm very tired.

Speaker 2 35:47

It was like a P7 for every teacher, so it didn't really mean much oh my excuse me, You're sitting opposite a P7 teacher. That's why I said it. That's why I said it.

Speaker 1 35:57

Sure, I love the chorus of that song though. Yeah, sure, uh, I love the chorus of that song though. Yeah, once you drive up a mountain, you can't back down, and I think that is yeah, it's a good life. Lesson a good life lesson signifies that idea that taking a difficult path, like climbing a mountain, can make it challenging or even impossible to turn back, but it also implies commitment, the consequence of decisions and, potentially, the need to persevere despite obstacles. I might actually write that on a poster and stick that in my classroom.

Speaker 2 36:35

I think you should. I think you should.

Speaker 1 36:38

And just any time I point to it, I could break into song Once you drive up a mountain, you can't back down with my southern accent.

Speaker 2 36:50

no, Do it.

Speaker 1 36:52

Here can you do next week's podcast intro in a southern accent. No, here he sings. You can throw a bit.

Speaker 2 37:01

Uh-huh.

Speaker 1 37:02

Do you know what a bit is To throw a bit?

Speaker 2 37:04

Well, is it a bit of money? No, no, here he sings, you can throw a bit.

Speaker 1 37:06

Uh-huh. Do you know what a bit is To throw a bit? Well, is it a bit of money? No, no, do you know, ep Arne, I don't think so. It's an informal way of saying someone can be a little reckless or impulsive in their actions or decisions. To throw a bit? Oh okay, someone willing to take like risks or to act out without thinking too much about the consequences.

Speaker 2 37:27

Surely that's not to come back to gambling. Maybe, you know like.

Speaker 1 37:32

The number of times on this podcast you've said surely that's come back to gambling.

Speaker 2 37:36

You have definitely said that to me.

Speaker 1 37:38

Before that expression, I think I feel like I have you, so have, because every time you said, I'm like that's a vega center, that's a vega center which you don't want to go to.

Speaker 2 37:48

No, I know have.

Speaker 1 37:49

We mentioned that in the podcast we're celebrating big birthdays well okay, so lauren's like. So the rest of our friendship circle celebrating a big birthday. Lauren's the following year, and my God, does she make sure we don't forget it? And they all want to go to Vegas. And I point blank went no, I'm not wasting the money, so we're going to go to Balina. Anyway, we're divulging, so we're going to lovely Balina. He sings don't chew on tinfoil unless you like that feeling.

Speaker 1 38:24

Oh, that is the worst thing in the world I know, but it took a very long time for me to realize that that feeling was created because of the reaction with fillings.

Speaker 2 38:33

Yes, your fillings oh did you miss that skip that science lesson clearly oh yes, it's horrible. Ooh yeah, not when you do it voluntarily. You just accidentally one of your sweets gets stuck.

Speaker 1 38:49

Yeah, why anybody would stick tinfoil in the gob. I've no idea.

Speaker 2 38:52

No, idea, no idea.

Speaker 1 38:53

I feel this often happens. With a song I really like, I kind of go down a path of lots of musical lyrical lingos. I've talked for a long time. Have you anything else?

Speaker 2 39:02

I don't have any other musical lyrical lingos. I'm on to my stand on a basis.

Speaker 1 39:06

See, you're a good upstanding citizen and you know all the references in. Dancing is Not a Crime.

Speaker 2 39:14

Oh, don't you. I recognise them all, but you would know them too I would know them too.

Speaker 1 39:20

What interested me in that number was the mention of tribal.

Speaker 2 39:24

Yeah.

Speaker 1 39:25

So anyone who doesn't know the show, dancing is Not a Crime is the song that Ren then sings to the Reverend Moore and the congregation when he's trying to convince them to let them have a dance. Yeah, because it's in the Bible and he references lots of Bible references. In Ecclesiastes there's a time for singing, a time for dancing. But he also mentions when folks were tribal back before the Bible, they were liable to dance when crops came in and I was like okay, so obviously you've heard of Sundance like do a Sundance.

Speaker 1 40:04

Rain dance or a rain dance, so I did look into it like a bit of a shadow, but it's all for the pod, right, the listeners appreciate it. So many tribes have used dance as part of rituals aimed at influencing crop growth and ensuring good harvest. Influencing crop growth and ensuring good harvests these dances often involve symbolic movements and were performed during specific seasons or stages in the planting or harvesting cycle. Neolithic harvest dances celebrated the harvest and also were done to ensure growth of future crops. Then some dances like the basket dance of the toowa. Yeah, pablo, okay, I know this is going to be fun. We're symbolic movements to invoke plant growth and fertility. Some tribes believe certain dances could influence spirits and gods or deities associated with agriculture and encouraging bountiful harvest. Some like the Lakota Syox.

Speaker 2 41:16

Lovely.

Speaker 1 41:17

The Sundance was a complex ceremony to honour the Great Spirit and ask for blessings for the crops. Rain dances many tribes, such as the Navajo and even some called pardon me, Navajo, Navajoajo, not navajo the navajo and some cultures in africa performed rain dances to ensure rainfall. The pony yeah in nebraska, yeah, were known for their extensive knowledge of agriculture and had specific dance rituals tied to planting and harvesting many different varieties of maize, pumpkins and squash.

Speaker 2 42:03

Yep, and that's why as well, years ago, when people thought witches, you know, you think back to Crystal the dance thing was banned because they thought that it was because they were bringing creation Spirits To the crops. They thought it was bad, they thought they had witchcraft and that side. And seeing them dancing, have you seen, though, in Broadway?

Speaker 1 42:28

She's winging her finger at me again.

Speaker 2 42:29

There is a play called John, proctor is the Villain.

Speaker 1 42:33

Yes.

Speaker 2 42:34

Which is a it's. The crucible hasn't been rewritten. It is a take on it about a group of kids studying the crucible and then looking at John Proctor. But isn't it interesting? Because we flipped the crucible. That's.

Speaker 1 42:51

I didn't realise that's, so that's, I didn't. I didn't realize I that's, so that's disappointing, actually I I'm ashamed of myself because I did see that. Uh, because actually the Tony nominations came out, um, and we'll maybe talk about that in the next episode and I spotted that play has been nominated um and went I know that name. And suddenly now I'm going oh, it's a Christabel. We did Christabel when we were in school.

Speaker 2 43:19

And Lauren loved it. It was amazing. We were very good yeah.

Speaker 1 43:23

Oh, listen to you, but we were very good.

Speaker 2 43:24

We were very good. We've talked about it on the pod before. We took a line from it. We called it you're raising heaven, Raising up hell. We took a line from it. We called it You're raising.

Speaker 1 43:35

Heaven.

Speaker 2 43:35

Raising up hell. Oh, I've forgotten Raising up a whore and pulling heaven down. That's what it was, and it's a line from the crystal.

Speaker 1 43:44

I think we went the other way, pilling heaven down, raising up a whore.

Speaker 2 43:48

Yeah, that's it. And I was Joan Proctor and you were Alistair. You were, instead of you being Ali, my wife Instead of it. Yeah, that's it, and I was Joan Proctor and you were Alistair. You were, instead of you being Ali, my wife, instead of it being the girl it would be John Proctor and Ali the wife you were Alice, is it not?

Speaker 1 44:02

Abigail? Is the Ali?

Speaker 2 44:05

was sorry, the other boy was Alistair yeah yeah, it was all, it was all, we were all all. Yeah, it was all, it was all, we were all all different genders. Anyway, you should be real.

Speaker 1 44:16

Yeah, I was in it. It was very tiring. You are very tired, shall. We move on to our standing ovations.

Speaker 2 44:21

I love the way somebody, somebody, somebody, I'm not going to say grass. So somebody's eyes Somebody's eyes, somebody's eyes are watching. I love that. I think that's great, really good number as well for three girls to do.

Speaker 1 44:40

That was on my list.

Speaker 2 44:42

And here for the boys.

Speaker 1 44:43

Yeah, they're my two as well. So let's hear it for the boys. Somebody's Eyes and I've already mentioned I love Willard, so I love that character and I love a song. So that's good, already mentioned, I love Willard, so I love that character and I love his song. Yeah, I like heaven help the man who fights his food yeah, and there are some.

Speaker 2 45:02

There are some good, and that's why I think it is a good amdram show the music rocks, the music does rock it is great and there's far more really good numbers than just Fitness.

Speaker 1 45:16

Yes, yeah, do you know what I mean?

Speaker 2 45:18

The very opening and the very end. The lyrics are different.

Speaker 1 45:23

Yeah.

Speaker 2 45:24

But actually you kind of forget about that song.

Speaker 1 45:28

Because even like some of the more subtle, like gentle numbers, like the oh, what's it called the duet between Wren's mother and the Reverend Moor's wife.

Standing Ovations and Final Thoughts

Speaker 2 45:42

Yes, and Ariel as well Is really lovely as well. Yeah, some really nice parts in it. Yeah, yeah, it's good. I mean, it is what it is.

Speaker 1 45:53

It is what it is. It is what it is I. I can understand why it hasn't. It hasn't had as much success in time like in broadway or in the west end. Um, how there's limited like I, I can't remember the last time there was a professional touring production about you know what I mean like.

Speaker 2 46:12

And they're probably that 2017 one yeah that's exactly it.

Speaker 1 46:17

I would have thought it would be Bums on Seats, though, but maybe it's not, maybe it's not. Fame maybe kind of overshadows it a bit, maybe.

Speaker 2 46:28

Maybe, and also it does take a wee while for the story to kick in a little bit For you to kind of really understand all the characters and why, there's this big thing, so maybe it could be just that as well.

Speaker 1 46:42

That's it. But listen, if you love a good old boogie, it's a perfect show for you. Absolutely Shall we do our. What Would Paddy Do for this week, then? So what would you rather do? Or what would Paddy rather do Lead the quirky moves in the Time Warp from Rocky Horror Show, or march with the band in Before the Parade Passes by, with Dolly in, hello Dolly, hello Dolly in Hello Dolly, hello Dolly. You'd rather do before the parade passes by Very good.

Speaker 2 47:23

Yeah, what about you?

Speaker 1 47:25

What would I rather do? Obviously, before the parade passes by like hello, it's Dolly Love it. Yeah, I don't have quite the build for a Rocky Horror Show.

Speaker 2 47:36

Speaking of Paddy, did you hear, really briefly, that she gave praise to the new production of Sunset Boulevard?

Speaker 1 47:42

she did.

Speaker 2 47:43

High praise indeed.

Speaker 1 47:45

On that. Did you hear what happened this week? Oh wait technical so the Wednesday matinee on April the 23rd, the Wednesday matinee on April the 23rd, the Wednesday matinee, there was a technical issue with the sound. First of all, can I just say Nicole Scherzinger does Wednesday matinees.

Speaker 2 48:05

There you go.

Speaker 1 48:06

Interesting. So anyway, the show was cancelled. But to be fair to Nicole Scherzinger, she came out on stage with a megaphone and she sang with one look through the megaphone for the audience. She said I don't know how this is going to sound, but at least it's from the heart. And you know what this is a once in a lifetime kind of performance.

Speaker 2 48:31

She sounded quite good. Did you listen to the video? It was grand. Interesting she bring that up. Yeah, she sounded quite good. Did you listen to the video? Yes, it was grand.

Speaker 1 48:34

Interesting, she'd bring that up.

Speaker 2 48:36

I know, there we go, there we go. Thank you for joining us.

Speaker 1 48:40

We're going to go back, back, back.

Speaker 2 48:43

Way back many centuries ago.

Speaker 1 48:46

We've done, joseph. We can't do it again. Shall we just do it again.

Speaker 2 48:50

Pret pretend, we've never done it before. We'll do it again.

Speaker 1 48:52

Well come back next week and see what we're talking about.

Speaker 2 48:55

Yeah, bye, bye.