One of the most popular stage musicals based on a movie is opening at the Vero Beach Theatre Guild. It’s “Footloose the Musical,” and from all the buzz at the theater, tickets are selling fast. The stage musical came out in 1998 and was based on the 1984 movie starring Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer and John Lithgow. The storyline follows Ren, who, after being abandoned by his father, moves with his mother from fast-paced, open-minded Chicago to a small farming town of Bomont. Ren soon discovers that the town is under the thumb of a local preacher, who has banned dancing in order to control the town’s youth. As expected, the preacher’s daughter, Ariel, falls for Ren. In comes Ariel’s boyfriend, Chuck, who spreads false rumors. Of course, the town’s youth rebel and go “footloose” with some great Oscar- and Tony-nominated songs by Tom Snow, Jim Steinman and Dean Pitchford. Odds are, you’re probably humming the theme right now. The show’s storyline also digs a little deeper about a son longing for his father who walked out and a father longing for the son he lost. “Footloose the Musical” performs 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, from July 8-31 at the Vero Beach Theatre Guild, 2020 San Juan Ave. Tickets are $20 to $40. Call 772-562-8300 or visit VeroBeachTheatreGuild.com.
Now, if the idea of dancing sticks with you, consider heading to First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach when it wraps up the Vero Beach International Music Festival. There’s a main stage concert 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 8 featuring Americana, Bluegrass, Brazilian, Celtic, Folk, Jazz, Pop, Rock and more from the Mike Block String Camp. The student concert from the Mike Block String Camp will be held 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 9. The dancing part comes on after the Saturday concert when the festival ends with a Barn Dance with a live band. Performances are free, but a $20 donation is encouraged. Those donations benefit the scholarship fund for the Mike Block String Camp. The First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach is at 520 Royal Palm Blvd. Call 772-562-9088.
Plan now for the space-limited gallery talk “Celebrating the Everyday with Doris Lee,” scheduled for noon Wednesday, July 20 at the Vero Beach Museum of Art. The gallery talk is held by the VBMA education staff and docents. They are scheduled monthly and present an in-depth look at selected artwork from current exhibitions and the permanent collection. They begin at the main entrance and move en masse into the galleries. The next one will explore artist Doris Lee’s “uncomplicated concept of an ideal view of life” as shown in the current exhibition “Simple Pleasures: The Art of Doris Lee” exhibition running through Sept. 18. Admission to the gallery talks is free with paid museum admission, which is $8 general, $7 seniors, and free to children under 17 years of age and museum members. You must register in advance as space is limited. The Vero Beach Museum of Art is at 3001 Riverside Park Dr. Call 772-231-0707 or visit VBMuseum.org.
Riverside Theatre’s Comedy Zone presents headliner Earl David Reed, feature act Jesse Blanco and emcee Joshua Armenteros this weekend, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 8-9. When Reed was called “an urban Don Rickles” by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Rickles joked “this guy works the room like a Las Vegas showgirl.” Reed has been seen on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” HBO, Showtime, FOX’s “Comic Strip Live,” and much more. He’s currently on “The People’s Morning Show” running on 105.7 The X. Blanco has performed along the East Coast and has worked with both Reed and Rob Schneider. As the evening’s emcee, Armenteros is a comedian who draws on the big Cuban family in which he grew up. Tickets to the Comedy Zone are $23. For its free outdoor pre-show “Live in the Loop” concerts, Riverside Theatre is offering something new – reserved table seating under covered tents. While the concerts are free, you can be guaranteed a comfortable seating for $5 a person (no refunds). This weekend’s lineup includes the British Invasion Guys Friday, July 8 and the Melinda Elena Band on Saturday, July 9. Food and drinks available for purchase throughout the evenings. Riverside Theatre is at 3250 Riverside Park Dr., Vero Beach. Call 772-231-6990 or visit RiversideTheatre.com.”
