The West Milford High School Theater Arts Program is putting together a production of the 1998 musical “Footloose”, based on the 1984 movie of the same name. The musical ran a total of 709 times on Broadway between 1998 and 2000 and is making its first WMHS appearance in 18 years!
The musical focuses on a teenage boy, Ren McCormack, who moves from Chicago to the small, fictional town of Bomont, Texas where dancing is strictly outlawed. Ren quickly becomes the target of local preacher, Shaw Moore, due to his radical ideas about thrill-seeking, especially when it comes to his daughter Ariel.
Luckily, the audience will not need to hold out for a hero for very long as the cast is stacked with talented students. Senior Emilio McDonald will be playing Ren McCormack, alongside fellow senior Kaitlyn Campbell, who will be playing Ariel. Emilio and Kaitlyn have been involved with WMHS productions for all four of their high school years and, if history has proven anything, this show will flourish under their leads.
The supporting cast also features a long list of seniors and newer talent. Ren’s best friend, Willard Hewitt, will be taken on by sophomore Jake Janis. His mother, Ethel McCormack, is going to be played by senior Annabeth Jones. Rusty, Urleen, and Wendy Jo, who make up Ariel’s dynamic friend group, will be played by senior Bozhena Plotytsya, sophomore Sophie Grizzuti, and junior Gillian Rasp. Local Reverend and Ariel’s father, Shaw Moore, will be brought to life by junior Jess Pritchett. Opposite him playing Ariel’s mother, Vi Moore, will be senior Erin Kane. Several other familiar faces from previous shows will be sprinkled throughout the remaining supporting cast and ensemble.
The cast will be putting on four public performances from March 7 to March 10. Tickets are set to go on sale on February 1 and will likely sell out fast, so don’t miss your chance to kick off your Sunday shoes and join in proving dancing is not a crime!
