"Footloose" - DMTC YPT - Chicago Cast

Left: Ren (Mark Lillya) and Willard (Carver Simmons).


Here are some pictures (mostly of Act I - my camera's battery failed early in Act II).

"Footloose" is a difficult show to do, particularly with regard to the singing. The show I saw (Chicago cast only) was variable in quality. I thought follow-through was missing from some of the dancing, as if promising choreographic avenues were terminated prematurely, with the cast looking uncomfortable with some of the execution.

Nevertheless, some of the acting was just sublime. Cody Craven as Reverend Shaw, and Kennedy Wenning as his wife Vi, were both just awesome. If Cody ever starts his own religion I'll be first getting the face tattoo (or whatever Cody's revelation deems necessary). Caitlin Humphreys as Rusty and Kristine Hager as Ethel were also excellent. Kim Casazza provided comic relief with her characterization of Betty. I was pleasantly surprised to see Andrew Lampinen cast as the Bad Boy, Chuck.

Left: Urleen (Nora Unkel), Wendy Jo (Lisa Parente), Ren (Mark Lillya), and Rusty (Caitlin Humphreys).
Left: Ariel (Erica Pieschke), Betty (Kim Casazza), and Ren (Mark Lillya).
Left: Rusty (Caitlin Humphreys), Urleen (Nora Unkel) and Wendy Jo (Lisa Parente).

Left: Reverend Shaw (Cody Craven).
Left: "Let's Make Believe We Are In Love". Irene (Rachel Pinto) and (I think) Emily Hirsch.

Left: Reverend Shaw (Cody Craven).
Left: Ariel (Erica Pieschke), Vi (Kennedy Wenning), and Reverend Shaw (Cody Craven).
Left: In perfect clipped tones, The Principal (Ashley Hickman) disabuses Ren (Mark Lillya) of the notion that dancing is permitted anywhere, anytime, in Bomont.
Left: Urleen (Nora Unkel), Ren (Mark Lillya), Wendy Jo (Lisa Parente), and Rusty (Caitlin Humphreys).


Left: Ariel (Erica Pieschke) and Rusty (Caitlin Humphreys).

Left: Ariel (Erica Pieschke) and Rusty (Caitlin Humphreys).


Left: "Learning To Be Silent". Ethel (Kristine Hager).

Below: "Learning To Be Silent". Vi (Kennedy Wenning).



Left: Cop (Hope Wiedenhoefer) and Ren (Mark Lillya).
Left: Rusty (Caitlin Humphreys) and (I think) Hudson Shively as Cowboy Bob.
Left: Ariel (Erica Pieschke) sings "The Girl Gets Around".
Left: "Somebody's Eyes". Urleen (Nora Unkel), Wendy Jo (Lisa Parente) and Rusty (Caitlin Humphreys).

Left: Vi (Kennedy Wenning), Reverend Shaw (Cody Craven), and Ariel (Erica Pieschke).
Left: "Holding Out For A Hero". On the table, Ariel (Erica Pieschke). Background, Rusty (Caitlin Humphreys), Urleen (Nora Unkel), and Wendy Jo (Lisa Parente).

Left: Chuck (Andrew Lampinen), Ren (Mark Lillya) and Willard (Carver Simmons).