Written by: Addie
Edited by: Lia & Matti
Visual by: Rei
From October 9 to 11, students lit up the stage with their dynamic production of Footloose, delivering a performance full of energy, emotion, and rhythm. Following a successful four-show run and record audience turnout, the 125 students involved described the experience as memorable, emotional, and full of growth.
The director of Footloose, Ms. Hillman, reflected on how the students grew together and persevered through difficulties, such as time constraints and the emotional range required for different scenes. “The students have had to work really hard; putting on a musical in that short amount of time is really difficult,” Ms. Hillman expressed. “They’ve had to learn to support each other.”
The play follows Ren McCormack, the main character played by Yuri (12), who has just moved to a small Midwestern town from Chicago. He discovered that dancing was illegal there, and with the help of his friend Willard Hewitt and defiant teen Ariel Moore, he helped loosen up the town.
Ariel Moore was played by Venice, a junior, who further shared, “As the play went on, [the upperclassmen] got really close to the underclassmen through spending time together backstage during lunch and Saturday rehearsals.”
Audience members found the play an exciting experience to watch. The Footloose cast excelled in conveying the play’s messages through their performances. It was a production with an amazing balance of humorous and heartfelt moments.
Overall, the play was an excellent portrayal of the sense of community built in ISM. Ms. Hillman added, “I’d just like to encourage anybody, when we put a show on again, to be brave and come out. You don’t have to be on stage to feel part of the community; there’s a place for everyone.”
ISM looks forward to more upcoming productions, where students can continue to spend time together and foster supportive environments.
