Cappies Review: The Madeira School's 'Footloose'

(Editor's note: The Cappies, "Critics and Awards Program," is a program through which high school theatre and journalism students are trained as critics, attend shows at other schools, write reviews, and publish those reviews.)

By Mia Rickenbach, Chantilly High School

Dancing leads to death. Therefore, dancing is banned.

Years ago in Elmore City, Oklahoma, the Footloose plot actually happened. Dean Pitchford scripted a movie loosely based upon the city’s history in 1984, which has since been recreated as a musical and second film. In these productions, all titled Footloose, the people of Bomont are denied dancing by Reverend Shaw Moore after a devastating accident that killed four teenagers, including his own son. However this law is soon challenged by Chicago inbound Ren McCormack. The Madeira School’s stage was recently host to this musical spectacle.

Because this show contains several scene changes and varied genres of music, ranging from gospel to rock 'n’ roll, it can easily become segmented. However, the cast’s constant focus gave the show a cohesive mood. The cast maintained a high level of energy that was complimented by the vibrant lighting and music. Each character, right down to the minor ensemble members, had clear motivation on stage and visible connection to the events taking place.

The Madeira School, an all-girls school, faced the challenge of casting several male leads, especially the protagonist of the show, Ren. This challenge was met with the extremely talented Gabby Bullard. Though some performers found it difficult to be a triple threat with acting, singing and danceing, Bullard excelled in all three, giving a show-stopping performance. Although all of her songs carried this professionalism, one of the most memorable was “Dancing Is Not a Crime,” a short, rap-style sequence which exhibited her talent as she acted through both vocal and physical performance.

Ren’s first Bomont friend, Willard, was superbly portrayed by Katie Barack. Her singing, dancing, and characterization of Willard were flawless. She embodied the male role primarily with her vocal and physical performance. Vocally, she carried a convincing Southern accent through lines and songs. Many well-executed quirks and interactions with others rounded out her character, making her a true standout in the show.

The show's technical strength was found in the lights, which were incorporated perfectly into the set and choreography. Vibrant hues established each scene’s mood and created excitement during songs. The most notable of these were the simulated stained-glass during church scenes and the colors which changed in synchronous with the choreography for the opening song, “Footloose.”

After scenes of lively singing, dancing, acting, and lighting, the audience looked on a cast bowing together. All of them were hand-in-hand, feeling the exuberance of a concluded performance. The Madeira School had completed a truly memorable show.