The theater and music programs at the University of Missouri-Rolla will present the musical Footloose this March on the Leach Theatre stage.

Performances will be held at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 2, through Saturday, March 4, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 5, in Leach Theatre of Castleman Hall, 10th and Main streets in Rolla, Mo. Admission is $8 for the general public and $5 for UMR students with a valid student I.D. For ticket information, contact the Leach Theatre Box office at (573) 341-4219.

Footloose, written by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie, is a classic tale of teen rebellion and repression that features a delightful combination of realistic and touching performances.

When teenager Ren and his family move from Chicago to a small rural Texas town, he is in for a real case of culture shock. Though he tries hard to fit in, the streetwise Ren can’t quite believe he is living in a place where rock music and dancing are illegal. A bible-thumping minister is keeping the town dance-free and only Ren has the courage to initiate a battle against him.

Footloose is propelled by the rocking rhythm of its Oscar-nominated score that includes hits from the 1980s like “Let’s Hear It for the Boy,” “Almost Paradise,” “Holding Out For a Hero,” “The Girls Gets Around,” and “I am Free.”

In addition to UMR students, the cast includes several members of the Rolla community. They are: Gail Phelan, Greg Gray, Cindy Beger, Mary Kwantes, Steve Jackson, Dirk Frisbee, Jane Schonberg, Hannah Bagnall, Katie Feakes, Gabrielle Hanson, Jasmine Hanson, Shasta Johnson, D’Larin Mueller, Rachel Nelson, Christina Schonberg, Sarah Weaver and Benjamin Wegner.