Local actors Alyson Perry and Jenna Levendusky find that Ames Community Theater has been a place of comfort and growth for them.

They play Ariel Moore and Betty Blast in ACTORS’ musical production of Footloose, which opens tonight and is completely sold out through its closing night on June 28. The ACTORS community could not be more excited for a sold-out show, which closes its current 70th season.

Footloose is Perry’s first show with the community theater.

“The most important thing I’ve learned is to take risks and put yourself out of your comfort zone because often that’s when you’ll learn the most and get the most out of it,” Perry said.

This is the third season for Levendusky, who’s not only performed but also been assistant director, stage manager and choreographer, as well as an ACTORS board member and marketer.

Both actors noted the appreciation they have for the community theater and the number of connections they have made through the process.

“I love the people. You get to meet so many different kinds of people of so many different ages, and you do different things, and it’s really cool to have so many different experiences in one place,” Perry said.

Director Bryan Willer has been involved with ACTORS for nine years, and Footloose is his fourth directing effort.

“Every show has its different set of challenges, and I think getting an old story to come across fresh can be a unique challenge,” Willer said.

Bringing Footloose to the stage

Based on the 1984 film Footloose, the story is about a big city teenager moving to a small town where rock and roll music and dancing are banned. The ACTORS production takes the approach of the ’80s film and feel, while keeping the themes of the story relevant to today.

“The empowering of voices is a key theme, in the show it’s about teens’ voices and the community not being able to be heard, people’s thoughts and opinions hindering the generational differences,” Willer said.

Before being named its director, Willer didn’t know much about the stage production and was only familiar with the movie on TV.

“What drew this show to me was that I’ve never been in the show, and I’ve never directed the show. I hadn’t seen the full show live,” he said. “I knew the story and plot lines, but being able to have a ‘never seen it before’ kind of approach was fun.”

Commitment to the stage

Being a member of the Ames Community Theater means being a volunteer and giving up time in one’s personal life to contribute to a collaborative creative production.

Willer said volunteer theater can be a challenge, but it’s something everyone has been able to adjust to.

“We are all on everyone’s schedules. Everyone is here, or not here,” he said. “We all have lives outside of doing something fun that we love to do.”

During dress rehearsals, Willer stood in for a missing cast member, so the ensemble could still successfully rehearse. It allows the group to have a stable dress rehearsal.

“It’s keeping everyone engaged and keeping it so they don’t feel like their time is wasted, because it is volunteer, and we’re all giving of our time, so no one wants to feel like they are wasting their time,” Willer said.

As the cast of Footloose prepares for eight upcoming shows during the next three weekends, Willer wants everyone to have a good time and have a song in their head.

“I always love knowing which song they leave with, having stuck in their head,” he said.