JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. — Theater in the Park presents Footloose this weekend.
Layla Abu Saada, plays the leading role of Ariel Moore. She says her favorite part of this production is the story line.
"It's fun to see how this family goes from broken and they're all trying to cope with how they're feeling and Ariel just honestly wants to get away from it and wants to escape and she wants to rebel but she finds this person who brings her to a better light," Abu Saada said. "I just love the story arc and it's so fun."
Abu Saada says she can relate to the loss aspect of the play, because she lost her sibling. She says her passion for theater has given her an outlet to cope with her loss.
The recent Olathe East graduate has been recognized for her passion in theater.
She won this year's Blue Star awards for Ceremony Scholarship, put on by Starlight. It recognizes achievement and excellence in musical theater among area high school students. She also attended the national high school musical theater awards in New York City and performed.
Abu Saada highlights the importance of being able to relate to a production piece.
"I've never been in a town where I'm not allowed to dance, but there are things in life where you are constricted," Abu Saada said. "So finding a way to relate to that and to use those lines and those moments in those shows to say, 'I can take a stand.'"
Associate Artistic Director and Performing Arts specialist and TIP Footloose Director, Guy Gardner says this is a story line he loves because it talks about the young generation making a change.
"It's a story that I love because it's a story of a bunch of young people banning together to make change," Gardner said. "And isn't that what society is? Change is made through groups of people that see a need for it and speak up about it."
Show times are July 28th - July 30th and then August 2nd through the 5th. All show times start at 8:30 p.m. at Shawnee Mission Park.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $6 for children 4-10 and free for kids three and under.
To learn more about Footloose and ticket information, click here.
