SMCS Getting Set for High Energy Production of Footloose
Get ready to cut loose at St. Michael’s College School’s (SMCS) spring musical production of Footloose, as it hits the stage for seven live performances in April!
“This year’s production of Footloose at SMCS is not just a showcase of talent but also a testament to the school’s strong sense of community and collaboration,” says Jamie Oatt, Music Department Head. “The support from parents, teachers, and fellow students has been instrumental in bringing this production to life. Audiences can expect an unforgettable experience filled with laughter, music, and dance.”
The high-energy show, based on the hit 1984 movie and the 1998 Broadway musical, tells the story of Ren McCormack, a city teenager who moves to the small town of Bomont. McCormack is shocked to discover that dancing is banned in Bomont, thanks to the efforts of the strict Reverend Shaw Moore. With the help of his new friends, including the Reverend’s rebellious daughter Ariel, McCormack sets out to challenge the ban and bring dance back to the town.
The SMCS production will feature some of the most well-known songs from the Broadway show, including ‘Footloose,’ ‘Holding Out for a Hero,’ ‘Let’s Hear It for the Boy,’ and ‘Almost Paradise.’
“We have never performed Footloose before,” says Oatt. “We selected this show because we felt we had returning cast members from last year’s spring musical, Newsies, that fit most of the lead roles for this show. We also felt the themes and music would resonate with our students and community.”
The spring musical will feature 24 cast members – 12 boys and 12 girls – consisting of SMCS students and female students from other schools. The production will also include 15 SMCS students supporting the production behind the scenes as part of the stage crew. Jade Trichilio returns as director and choreographer and joins this year’s music director, Brad Harrison ’02.
“Playing Ren McCormack in Footloose has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of my life,” says Jeffery Zhang, Grade 11 student. “It’s a lot of hard work, but every moment spent rehearsing, refining, and perfecting our performance has been worth it. There are truly no words to describe the feeling of stepping on stage, giving it your all, and hearing the audience’s applause—it’s pure magic.”
This production will mark the fifth official musical production that Zhang has performed as an SMCS student and outside of the school.
“I’ve always been a theatre kid, but during my first year at St. Mike’s, I wasn’t involved in the musical or play because of competitive fencing. However, after watching ‘Love and Revolution,’ I was blown away by the quality of our school’s production. I immediately knew that this was what I wanted to pursue throughout my high school years,” says Zhang, who also hopes to pursue a career in musical theatre, music, or fine arts beyond high school.
Grade 11 student, Lucas Umali, made his SMCS theatre debut two years ago in ‘Love and Revolution’. This year, he’s an ensemble cast member and dance captain.
“I love coming back to perform because being in a musical offers experiences both similar yet unique to other co-curriculars at SMCS,” says Umali. “It teaches you teamwork, discipline, courage, and creativity. It means a lot to everyone, and for me it’s a creative outlet, a form of self-expression, a way to make new friends, be comfortable on stage, and the best way to display my passion. Every theatre production at SMCS is truly an unforgettable high school experience.”
With less than a month until showtime, the cast and crew are still rehearsing.
“All of the blocking and choreography and music has been taught, so now we are cleaning up the major moments and trying to build confidence in the cast,” says Oatt. “We are also well into the set build, and most of the major set pieces have been built and are now being painted and prepared. Costumes have mostly been sourced. The pit orchestra has now had two rehearsals, including one with the cast. Our next major rehearsal will be the ‘sitzprobe,’ where the cast and orchestra run through the entire show musically on stage, without blocking and choreography.”
Cast members also recently had the opportunity to present a preview performance for the SMCS community at Club BlueNote on February 28.
“This will be a very fun show for the cast to perform as most of our audience will know the songs from the original 1984 movie, as many were billboard hits. We anticipate we might see the audience dancing in their seats!”
Tickets for Footloose are on sale now at stmichaelstheatre.com.
Performance dates:
Thursday, April 3 – 7:30 p.m. (Preview)
Friday, April 4 – 7:30 p.m. (Opening Night)
Saturday, April 5 – 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 9 – 7:30 p.m.
Friday, April 11 – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 12
1 p.m. (Matinee)
7:30 p.m. (Closing Night)
Box office opens one hour before curtain.
Doors open 30 minutes before curtain.
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