COEUR d'ALENE - Foot-stomping, hip-shaking, high-energy teen mutiny is exploding on stage at Coeur d'Alene High School.

The CHS theater department is performing "Footloose the Musical" tonight and Saturday and again next weekend.

The musical's theme of youthful rebellion focuses on Ren McCormack, a hip Chicago teen who ends up moving, in the early 1980s, to the small, conservative farming town of Bomont following the breakup of his parents' marriage.

"He's the new kid in a town where dancing is illegal," said senior Nick Pratt, who plays the role of Ren. "He can't believe it. How could something so much fun be so wrong?"

The story is moved along by the rocking rhythms of an Oscar- and Tony-nominated score that includes iconic '80s musical hits like "Let's Hear it for the Boy," "Holding Out for a Hero," and the title song, "Footloose."

Pratt said one of his favorite parts of the show is the performance of "Somebody's Eyes," a number that highlights the town's strict morality laws and shows how they affect newcomer Ren. Police pull the teen's car over because his music's too loud; he loses his job at the hardware store after being unjustly accused of pilfering from the cash register. The lyrics to "Somebody's Eyes," sung by a trio of Bomont teenage girls, are a reminder that the actions of the town's young citizens are always being monitored.

The man who's watching everything is Reverend Moore, Bomont's spiritual leader and the father of Ariel, a high-spirited teenage girl who is dating the local bad-boy when the show opens.

The characters are dressed in vintage '80s style, but the plot themes are universal.

"There are common relationships and experiences," said senior Courtney Biggs, who plays the role of Ariel.

Jared Helm, CHS theater director, said he chose to produce "Footloose" for "its energetic musical numbers, great ensemble roles and most of all, the theme of freeing from the past to create the future."

"I believe many students today need to realize their potential and move past the obstacles to create a better life for tomorrow," Helm said.

The young characters in "Footloose" aren't the only ones experiencing growing pains. The adults, including Reverend Moore, have their own personal demons to conquer.

"Everybody is trying to find a way to break free," Nick Pratt said.

Performances are today, Saturday and Nov. 1-3, at 7 p.m. each day. All shows take place in the Coeur d'Alene High School Fahringer Auditorium, 5330 N. Fourth St.

Tickets are $9 for adults, and $8 for students and seniors. CHS students with ASB cards are $6. Tickets can be purchased online, www.chstheater.org, or by calling (208) 769-2999.