Ren (Asher Rose) can’t stand still and tries to teach Willard (Russell Laing) some dance moves.
Are there any rock & roll fans out there? Well, get ready to join us and kick off your Sunday shoes! CHT will offer a live 90-minute production of the hit musical Footloose for one weekend only from April 4-6. Based on the 1984 film starring Kevin Bacon, Dianne Wiest and John Lithgow, the show will feature a number of talented local teens. Any play about teens also has parents and teachers, so the auditions attracted outstanding adult actors as well.
Footloose follows the young dancer Ren McCormack from Chicago to tiny Bomont, where he and his mother have moved because of financial hardship. Ren soon learns that Bomont isn’t just boring, it’s in the middle of nowhere and has banned all dancing and rock music, especially for teens. Then Ren falls for the preacher’s daughter, Ariel Moore, who is hardly a goody two-shoes (but she does turn out to be a good dancer.) Life of course gets complicated, and then more complicated, as the teens try to convince their elders that dance, and music are far from sinful. They also are determined to hold a senior class prom. Of course, the teens win—but only after fistfights, break-ups and miscommunication between the generations. Several songs from the show, like “Footloose” and “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” are still standard favorites.
The cast may be the largest ever on the Church Hill Theatre stage—more than thirty! So, expect a super high energy level. Ren and his mother Ethel McCormack are played by Asher Rose and Steffi Ricketts. The Moore family (Reverend Shaw, his wife Vi and daughter Ariel) are portrayed by Matt Folker, Heather Joyce-Byers and Alexa Galbraith. High school students are Carly Mourlas, Addyson Crooks, Olivia Coppage, Riley Rosati, Russell Laing, Charlie Thomas, and Natalie Stinchcomb. Adult ensemble parts are played by Christine Wells, Regan King, Maryanne Shoge, Grace Sutherland, Ian Stotts, and Juanita Wieczoreck. Cowboy Bob’s Band members are Schuyler Hemsley, Sydney Hill, Rooney Rosati, Isabella McCauley, Claire Williams, Clover King, Caroline Curran and Marian Jones. Other actors and dancers in the teen ensemble are Ellie Wells, Abigail Bischoff, Ava Khamvongsa, Helen Willard and Gabby Pfeifer.
Becca Van Aken, for many years the lead instructor for the CHT summer youth program Green Room Gang, directs this show. She’s therefore worked with some of the cast since they were first graders! Michael Casey is the Music Director and Maya McGrory is the Choreographer. The others in the production crew are all veterans of CHT main-stage productions who were eager to participate in this show that features a whole new generation of CHT talent.
Footloose will run for three performances only from April 4-6. Friday’s performance is at 7:30 pm and the Saturday & Sunday shows are at 2 pm. Tickets are on sale and going fast, so remember to get your tickets before they’re gone. This fast-paced production would be a great opportunity for young people of all ages to fall in love with live musical theater. Tickets are available on the CHT website at churchhilltheatre.org or by calling the box office at (410) 556-6003.
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