Big Noise Theatre To Open Season With FOOTLOOSE

Big Noise Theatre will open its 2024-2025 season with FOOTLOOSE (stage adaptation by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie, based off the original screenplay by Dean Pitchford with music by Tom Snow and lyrics by Dean Pitchford, additional music by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins, and Jim Steinman) this September and October in Des Plaines, IL., right outside of Chicago.

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the beloved 1984 Paramount Pictures film, FOOTLOOSE first burst onto the silver screen in 1984 and proved to be one of the year's most successful motion pictures. The soundtrack recording reached #1 on the Billboard charts, and went on to sell over 17 million copies worldwide, generating such Top Forty hits as its title song and "Let's Hear It For The Boy" (both of which received Academy Award nominations), plus "Almost Paradise," "Holding Out For A Hero," and "I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man)." FOOTLOOSE opened on Broadway on October 22, 1998.

The next day, the show broke the box office record for the Richard Rodgers Theatre, where it continued to thrill audiences through July 2000. After the Broadway run, the creators made changes throughout the libretto and updated the story to fit a contemporary setting while still featuring the beloved jukebox hits. FOOTLOOSE celebrates the exhilaration of youth, the wisdom of listening to one another, and the power of forgiveness.

Bringing more insight to the Shaw family dynamic is Rose McReynolds, playing their daughter Ariel Moore. "Being able to sing and dance to such iconic and timeless music has been a dream come true. I've been listening to the Footloose soundtrack almost my whole life, and I remember wishing for the day when I could be a part of the story. Now, being able to have the privilege to bring Footloose to life with such a passionate group of people makes it that much more of a memorable and special experience.

The production will be performed at Prairie Lakes Community Center, located at 515 East Thacker Street Des Plaines, IL 60016. The show opens Friday, September 27th, 2024 at 7:30pm, with performances following on Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30pm and Sunday afternoons at 2:00pm until October 13, 2024.

The production is Directed by Matt Dominguez, with Vocal Direction by Kara Spector, Orchestra Direction by Connor Yoon, and Choreography by Annie Snow. Abby Boegh serves as Associate Choreographer. The production team includes Travis Monroe Neese (Producer), Erin Versosky (Stage Manager), Tristan Skandar Wold (Assistant Stage Manager), David Geinosky (Set Designer), Tom McNelis (Technical Director/Carpenter), Sam Stephen (Lighting Designer), Rich Neumann (Sound Designer), Martha Shuford (Costume Designer), Ray Mindas (Props Designer, Costume Assistant), Roberto Puig (Wig Designer), Erin Sheets (Intimacy and Violence Director), and Brent Walker (Marketing).

The cast features Declan Durr as Ren McCormack and Rose McReynolds as Ariel Moore. They are joined by Jason Stevens as Reverend Shaw Moore, Gretchen Wood Kimmeth as Vi Moore, Samantha Mayer as Ethel McCormack, Adonis Claybourne as Willard Hewitt, Kaylee Hayden as Kara "Rusty" Pizzolo, Matanel Roitman as Chuck Cranston, Mollie Peery as Urleen (Ariel Understudy), Abby DeRosa as Wendy Jo (Rusty Understudy), Cammerron Baits as Lyle (Chuck Understudy), Stephanie Herman as Garvin (Urleen and Wendy Jo Understudy), Henry Lombardo as Bickel (Ren Understudy), Jay Torrens as Travis (Willard Understudy), Ben Paynic as Jeter (Dance Captain), Kyle Kite as Coach Dunbar, Sarah Morton as Eleanor Dunbar (Adult Women Understudy), Mara Currens as Betty Blast, Tony Calkins as Wes Warnicker/Principal Clark/Ensemble, Gayle Starr as Lulu, Kyle Houseman as Ensemble (Reverend Shaw Moore Understudy), and Parker Stancato as Cowboy Bob.

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