Becton Theatre cut fancy-free and footloose in their latest spring musical, Footloose!
Set in the 80s, Chicago-native Ren McCormick moves to an unfamiliar town set in the South called “Bomont.” He soon discovers that due to a perilous accident involving four high school students, dancing and rock’n’roll are banned from town limits by the town’s preacher, Reverend Shaw. Footloose follows Ren’s mission of helping the town’s preacher find forgiveness and acceptance while helping his classmates cut loose! Featuring 16 banging musical acts and a tear-jerking script that audiences won’t soon forget, Becton’s rising stars absolutely owned the stage on the weekend of April 25, 2025.
“This show was so different from our last two musicals, Annie Jr. and Seussical The Musical,” Assistant Play Director Ms. Olivia Wilson confesses enthusiastically, “We made a big jump from children’s theater to a show centered around the lives of high school kids. Students were mostly playing their own age, which was pretty fun! They were able to take on more mature roles. We were also able to perform the music of previous generations; my parents were teens in the 80s, so they were even more excited to see the show!”
Averaging over 100 attendees each night, Footloose went into the books as one of Becton’s most successful shows. “We had some great audiences– so engaged and happy to be there!” Ms. Wilson remarks.
The hardworking nature of the cast and crew members behind this production made the show into what it was. The groovy lead role Ren McCormick was played by senior Brandon Orozco, who previously played in the pit orchestra for Seussical The Musical, but decided to branch out into the talent of acting and singing.
“Being able to actually sing out loud to people who would be able to help me improve and having the opportunity to act was very nice,” Orozco shares, “I did feel nervous while performing, but I was able to push it down and understand that since I made the decision to put myself out there, I might as well do the best I can.” He shares that Ren’s love for dancing and expressing himself rang true for Orozco as well, making the portrayal of his character come easily!
Sophomore Kayla Rivera played the rebellious and misunderstood lead role, Ariel Moore. “My experience was very enjoyable and memorable! It was a lot of work and very stressful, but in the end it was a great outcome and we felt like a family,” Rivera earnestly notes.
Having been in 8 previous stage productions, Rivera is no stranger to the stage, recalling excitement when stepping out in front of the crowd, “The audience got me hyped because their cheering was telling me that I was doing something right! It made me want to work harder.”
Rivera was able to swiftly put herself into the shoes of her role because her character was so similar to herself! She resonated with Ariel’s emotions of “wanting to be understood and loved. Waiting to find someone who sees and understands her for who she is, not who she wants to be. She’s also very bubbly and energetic, and loves to dance and enjoy being a teenager.”
Rivera specifies that a certain dedication is needed to star in a musical, especially with the short 2-month rehearsal period, “In the other shows, we had so many runs to learn it. This production showed me that if you actually put your mind to it, then it will come together!”
Playing the grief-stricken Reverend Shaw Moore was freshman Lucas Ricco. “I felt like the set was a very nice place to be. Everyone there was respectful, patient, and kind. It was a welcoming atmosphere,” he recalls, furthering that he resonated with his character’s stubbornness.
As this is Ricco’s third play, he describes the “incredibly nervous, but fun” atmosphere while performing, “After the first twenty or so minutes, I started to feel a bit more calm. And while the shakiness never fully went away, there is a certain point (for me, at least) during the show where you start to feel less scared or afraid of messing up.”
Compared to his previous two productions, Ricco felt that the true passion was present in all his cast members for this show, “Characters around me looked and acted like they really wanted to be there. I could see that they were really giving it their all.” Ricco looks forward to participating in more Becton shows!
In the role of Reverend Moore’s wife Vi Moore was senior Julia Bubendorf. This is her second time being in a Becton stage production, and she had the time of her life with Footloose, “I really did feel like this production was one of our best. You could feel how much fun everyone was having, and the performances were just mind-blowingly amazing. We put in so much effort and it was the most fulfilling experience to see it all come together beautifully with the talented cast we have,” She emphasizes.
Bubendorf feels that embodying her role came easily, “Vi Moore is someone who has a lot of repressed anger and sadness because of her family’s hardships and her husband’s ignorance. I felt that my role’s emotions fueled my musical performances immensely, and I definitely was lost in the moment a few times, especially during my numbers.”
While her previous performance in Annie Jr. held a lot of anxiety, Footloose was a complete turn-around for her, “I really didn’t feel nervous at all aside from opening night. Even then, it dissipated as the night went on. I felt completely in control of my voice and tone and I do think that showed through my performance. I’m very happy with how I did and I’m even more glad that everyone else enjoyed it, too.”
Senior Julie Estrada fulfilled the role of the spunky Rusty! “My experience on the set of Footloose was honestly wonderful. Even though our rehearsal time was limited and the stress was a bit high at certain points, I made countless memories with my cast-mates. The camaraderie among the cast and production team was lovely and I will miss constantly joking around with them during our breaks,” she attests gratefully, sharing,”I felt a myriad of emotions. I was ecstatic that our show came together so successfully in the end, but it was bittersweet because this was the end of my high school theater career.”
Estrada has previously been in four Becton productions, and to kick off her last show, she says that Rusty has been her favorite role to star as! “Our personalities align in many ways,” she furthers on Rusty, “She is a little bit awkward and she doesn’t care what anyone thinks about her.”
Estrada specifies how this production was more suited towards older audiences compared to the previous Becton productions, “Even though I’ve played a character who is a teenager before, all of the previous shows are primarily comedic or focus the emotion appeal on children. Footloose has a lot of themes that resonate more with the students at Becton and/or the adult viewers with songs such as ‘Holding Out For a Hero,’ ‘Learning To Be Silent,’ and ‘Almost Paradise’ while maintaining comedic relief in songs such as ‘Let’s Hear It For The Boy’ and ‘Mama Says.’” Estrada concludes, “I hope everyone who came to watch the show enjoyed it! This was such a wonderful way to end my high school theater career!”
Playing the cheeky Wendy Jo was junior Sara Pareja! “The cast was great and my experience was wonderful. I enjoyed being with my friends and goofing off during rehearsals, especially when we had our breaks,” she explains.
Pareja says that she’s been in six previous productions and has no plans on stopping. “I felt a little nervous while performing, depending on who I knew was going to the shows. It would go away once I hit the stage, though I was for sure nervous just thinking about performing in front of my family and friends. Though by the end of every show, I was overly excited that it had ended on a good note!”
Pareja enthusiastically shares about her stage presence, “When the audience would laugh at our jokes or applaud, it made me want to perform better and have fun with what I was doing.” With a playful smile, she also admits how she connects with her character’s sass, “I claim I am not, but deep down I know I get sassy sometimes.”
Pareja hopes that more students join Becton Theater, “I think students who love to perform, have lots of personality, and some free time should definitely consider joining Becton Theater. The experience is truly one of a kind.”
Ren’s fiercely devoted mother, Ethel McCormick, was played by junior Savannah Sarden! “Footloose was super fun to be in! The cast and I really connected quickly and the music was one of the best parts,” she notes.
Footloose was Sarden’s sixth show at Becton, and she plans to continue being in all our future productions! “While performing, I felt happy to be there. Performing has always been a freeing experience for me,” she explains, going on to say that the act of performing in front of a crowd no longer makes her nervous. The crowd ramps up her experience, as she inputs, “We had a particularly large audience for this show and it just enhanced the performance. When the audience is having fun, the performers enjoy it just as much.”
Sarden says that portraying Ethel was slightly difficult because of the deep emotional trauma that she displays, but loved her character’s outspoken and energetic side.
Sarden speaks to her fellow castmates, “The cast is what ties the show together. I formed bonds with people I’ve never even spoken to before this production, and friendships that will last even longer than high school.” She is firm in believing that everyone should try theatre at least once in their life!
The stage crew behind Footloose made this show into a seamless, smooth-sailing production for our audience! Stage Manager Ms. Rachel Silverstein explains that our spring production cast and crew was the largest of the year.
Our crew, the backbone of Becton Theatre, worked diligently to ensure the set-pieces were built, painted and eventually placed onto stage during the show. “This was essential as Footloose is based on a film so it switches to different scenes rather frequently, with large set pieces associated with each location. Our largest hurdle was working with the giant moving set pieces leading up to the show, but the team was prepared and the transitions went extremely smoothly!” Ms. Silverstein informed.
The members of stage crew verified Ms. Silverstein’s positive remarks about the show, as junior Yolande Fall expresses, “I liked working with the people backstage to set the scenes and anticipating the strikes. When we did things quickly, efficiently, and nobody got hurt, it led to a feeling of gratification.”
Some members decided to join not only to have fun, but to be next to their castmate friends! Junior Jordan Javier promised to show Jordan Gill, who played Chuck Cranston, that he would be part of the stage crew to support him. Javier adds, “I was also interested in the play, so I joined the stage crew to help out and watch!” This goes to show that you do not have to be an actor to be part of the production — there are many ways to get involved behind the scenes!
Up in the tech-room was Sophomore Justin Cruz, who has been manning the lights since his 8th grade year. He loves being part of the crew because, as he humorously puts it, “I get a whole office booth to myself and a perfect view of the show, where I can see everything!”
The cast and crew are deeply grateful to their teachers, managers, and directors. Rivera thanks each director individually: Mr. Liosi for his care and dedication, Ms. Rock for improving the costume experience, Ms. Fiore for her honest vocal guidance, Ms. Wilson for her comfort and humor, Ms. Silverstein for her support with blocking, singing, and technique, and Ms. Smith for making dance fun and engaging.
Estrada names each director and applauds them for “their relentless efforts to make this show so successful,” and Orozco thanks the theatre department for giving him the opportunity to be part of such a great production!
Ricco displays his appreciation as well, “All of the theatre instructors and managers are incredibly amazing and inspiring. They don’t get the attention they deserve. I couldn’t have done anything I did without them, and I thank all of them so much for the opportunities they gave me.”
Bubendorf extends warmly, “I’m so grateful that every single director really did care about what we were doing and wanted to see all of us thrive. You guys put on a really great show and made due with all of the setbacks we faced, and there were a lot! I will never forget this experience.”
Thank you to freshman Leah Ingram for taking all the photos throughout this productions rehearsals and shows!
Congratulations to the cast, crew and directors of Footloose for a rocking show!
Here is a full list of cast and crew:
Stage Crew:
Nataniel Paredes
Sophia Fatule
Malahni Nieto
Justin Cruz
Alexa Tamayo
Ali Przekupowski
Olivia Harrison
Yolande Fall
Aliana Aparicio
Jordan Javier
Devin Ortiz
Madilyn Horowitz
Cast Members:
Brandon Orozco
Savannah Sarden
Lucas Ryan-Angelo Ricco
Julia Bubendorf
Kayla Rivera
Julie Estrada
Miley Nieves
Sara Pareja
Ben Gonzales
Jordan Gill
Amanda Cantatore
Jhonnan Merello
Miah Hodge
Zadie Nieto
Simon Colorado
Lucas Liosi
Elijah Gueye
Isabella Peck
