It’s showtime this weekend at East Hampton High School. “Footloose,” the dance-centric musical based on the 1984 film of the same name, will be staged in the high school auditorium.
“The show is both nostalgic and has such relevance right now because it’s a show about a town where people can’t dance,” said Katie Schreck, the play’s director, referring to the story’s plot that revolves around a group of teenagers in a small town who use the power of dance to help the town’s residents heal from a tragedy.
At the story’s core is young Ren McCormack, who arrives in a prudish farm town ready to teach its teenage residents some red-hot moves. But a sanctimonious reverend named Shaw Moore, whose son was killed in a car accident after a party, blamed rock ‘n’ roll for the death and consequently outlawed dancing. Thank goodness for his wild, dance-crazy daughter, Ariel, who has eyes for Ren, as well as for the reverend’s wife, Vi, who has had enough of her husband’s misguided morality.
Silas Jones plays Ren. Daniel Piver takes on the reverend, while Nora Conlon plays his daughter and Olivia Armon, his wife. Other notable names in supporting roles include Kieran Conlon, Jadiel Rodriguez, Amaia Astorr, and Dakota Quackenbush, who, as an 11-year-old in 2017, landed the role of Brigitta in the official national tour of “The Sound of Music.”
In addition, Ms. Schreck said that two senior dance captains, Hanna Medler and Anika Petruccelli, have each choreographed a dance number. Anita Boyer is Ms. Schreck’s assistant director and the choreographer. Stephanie Quigley, a teacher at the high school, directs the pit orchestra — made up of high school students and professional musicians — and Melanie Freyre, another teacher in the school, is in charge of the vocal direction.
“It’s just been a real collaboration. We have teachers and staff who have done the set design and the set construction,” said the play’s director. “We have a number of really dedicated and talented students that I’ve been really grateful to have the opportunity to work with. I think everyone’s really excited to get back to theater.”
This is Ms. Schreck’s inaugural run at the helm of the annual high school drama production, following last year’s retirement of Debbie Mansir, who had worked at East Hampton High School for 17 years. Ms. Schreck, an alumna of East Hampton, and a star in several of the high school’s past stage productions, now teaches in the Southampton School District.
“I’m back to working in the community where it all started for me,” she said.
Performances, which are open to the public for the first time since before the pandemic, will be held in the East Hampton High School auditorium tomorrow and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. Admission costs $20, or $10 for students and senior citizens.
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Correction: The print version of this story incorrectly said that admission to the musical was free.