A city boy ditches Chicago and heads for the quiet farm town of Elmore City, Okla., where God is good, dancing is banned and life as a teenager couldn’t be harder.

The 1984 film “Footloose” marked Kevin Bacon’s breakthrough performance, and its Kenny Loggins-infused soundtrack sold more than 18 million copies, inspiring nationwide audiences to “cut loose.”

Now, “Footloose” is on Broadway and Iowa native Katie Harvey is echoing the story — in reverse.

After graduating from West Central High School in Stewart, Iowa, Harvey left for New York City to attend the American Musical Dramatic Academy and pursue a career in acting.

“There was nothing else, I didn’t have anything to fall back on. I wanted nothing to prevent me from doing this because this is the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do,” Harvey says. “But I got there and I fell in love with the city. I loved school. I love New York and I’m still there today.”

At least when she’s not touring the country as a cast member in “Footloose.”

In fact, Harvey credits her Iowa roots as the reason for her success.

“I think living in Iowa gave me a benefit because I was raised so well,” she says.

“If I had lived in New York all my life I don’t think I would be the same person that I am, and wanting it so bad.”

After completing two years of professional training at AMDA, Harvey landed a role in an off-Broadway production of “Hair.”

In the summer months, she toured as the singer for a funk/jazz band called Illuminati, playing outdoor concerts and festivals throughout New England.

Soon after, the actress was asked to audition by the casting directors of “Footloose,” who had seen her perform in “Hair.”

“At the audition, when I told them I was from a farm in Iowa they were just laughing hysterically,” Harvey says. “Every audition I’d had was [competitive], but this wasn’t. I walked in and I sang and danced for them, and literally that night they called my agent and said ‘We’re offering her the tour.’ I got to see no competition because they had already had me in mind when they saw me a year before.”

A year has passed since Harvey was chosen to play Wendy Jo, and she couldn’t be happier performing in cities like Seattle, Los Angeles and Boston. But touring does have its drawbacks.

“Touring’s not easy,” Harvey says. “My agent said, ‘you need to pack your bags for a year.’ That’s not something that’s very easy to do. You have to pack up your life.”

Harvey plays Wendy Jo, a friend of Ariel, the daughter of the town preacher, who decides to ban dancing.

“Us three girls are kind of like a Greek chorus,” Harvey says. “We tell the story; we’re like the Little Shop of Horror Girls.

“Wendy Jo is always making stupid comments and she doesn’t seem to be the brightest one, but she likes to have a good time,” Harvey says. “The lines are just absolute comic timing and [they’re] things I would say. There’s no acting needed here.”

Joining Harvey on the touring cast is Joe Machota, who plays Ren McCormack, the rebellious newcomer who challenges the preacher’s no dancing policy and tries to change the town.

Back in 1984 as a 10-year old in the suburbs of Chicago, Machota wanted to see “Footloose” in the movie theater, but he couldn’t.

“My mom wouldn’t let me go to see it, so I rented it when I was older,” he says. “I do remember having the soundtrack though; I played it all the time.”

Playing the lead role since December of ’98, when the show opened in New York, Machota started going to the gym every day in preparation for the role’s high energy demands.

“I have a pretty high energy level and I really think it translates well into Ren McCormack,” Machota said. “It’s a very athletic role. He’s constantly running around, climbing ladders and when he sings, he’s always dancing.”

Although the musical is nearly identical to the film, Machota points out a few differences.

“There’s no camera to come to us, we have to go to the audience,” Machota explains. “It’s a completely different ball game. That’s what I learned from watching the movie – that I couldn’t watch it again because it would just be detrimental.”

Old favorites like the title track, “Let’s Hear It For The Boy,” “Holding Out For a Hero” and “Almost Paradise” remain in the show, but nine new songs were added in order to keep the story moving entirely through music.

“The soundtrack was really the biggest part of the movie,” Machota says. “It really took the movie over the top. I think it lends itself easily to be put on stage.

“It’s a family musical and there aren’t a lot of those out there right now,” Machota said. “It’s something the entire family can do together. One of the big draws of the show is that it’s bringing teenagers into the theater.”

While Machota has yet to meet his film counterpart Kevin Bacon, who did see the show in New York, he hopes to somewhere along the road.

“We have no idea, we never know. But we’re playing big cities so he might turn up,” Machota said.

Machota has played a variety of professional roles, appearing as Joseph in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and on the TV Series “Sex in the City.”

Harvey enjoys working with some of the veteran actors because it allows her to learn more and more about theater.

“Sometimes whether you like it or not, it’s a family and you learn so much from these people,” she said about the cast of “Footloose.”

This week’s performances at the Civic Center will be a unique homecoming for Katie Harvey, who is quite excited to return to Iowa.

“It’s thrilling for me. I’m really excited to be there because that’s where I sat in the audience to watch,” Harvey said. “I would go to the Civic Center to see Broadway shows when I was little. I would admire and just love what I was seeing and know it was something that I needed to do.”

As a kid, Harvey remembers seeing “The Secret Garden,” “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Phantom of the Opera” at the Civic Center, as well as a concert by John Denver.

While a return to Iowa may be tempting for the actress, Harvey anticipates further launching her career in New York.

“Outside your door 24 hours a day is anything you need, day or night,” she said about New York. “I love that the theater community is so small, you wouldn’t expect it but you run into people all the time who are within the business, and they’re more than willing to help you and give their opinion. You can see shows whenever you want; everything is just right in front of you.”

With the lucky breaks she’s scored, Harvey hopes to expand her work to television and possibly solo recording.

“Anything in the business, I’d like to get my feet wet in all of it,” she says.

It’s only been a few years since Harvey left Iowa to chase her dreams of acting. In those short years, she’s accomplished quite a bit for a girl from small town Iowa.

“Everything I’ve done since graduating from high school I’ve really fought to do, and I’ve been very fortunate,” she said. “For all the people that thought maybe I was crazy for moving to New York, it’ll be great for them to see that this is what I’ve done.”