Footloose the Musical Program Book

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Director's Note

From: The Director, Nathan Purcell

The day has finally arrived – welcome to Pythagoras Academy’s 2024 production of Footloose Youth Edition. Students have been hard at work this year giving feedback and input on costumes, sound design, lights, choreography, and acting. We have created a community that is excited to participate in the arts and can find opportunities to excel both onstage and behind the scenes.

I have fond memories of the musical Footloose from growing up. As a kid who grew up in a small farm town and had lots of energy to waste away in the day, the character of Ren holds a special place in my heart. There are a lot of different themes included in Footloose – religion, families drifting apart, moving to a new town, romance, freedom of expression, and creating a safe and supportive community.

I consider freedom of expression to be the driving theme of the musical because it links all of the other themes together, and also highlights the divisions between characters. Ren has lost his community in Chicago. He has left them behind for a new start in Bomont. Ren is relentlessly authentic, and this begins to inspire the other people in the town. Eventually, even the greatest barriers between people can be broken down and we can start to find the things that make us similar instead of just paying attention to the things that make us different. There is major ‘Jackal to Giraffe’ 5 chairs energy happening here.

This show would be impossible without the support of so many people. To all the parents who have supported their children in the show with costumes, practice at home, and so much more; thank you so much. To the school staff who gave up their time to help create this production, thank you. To Ms. Dhaliwal and Ms. Claman, thank you for your endless support throughout the entire process with painting, directing, and choreography, and just for being wonderful friends. To Mr. Bouchard, Winfred Liu, and Anne Yu, thank you for the opportunity to grow as a teacher and an artist in such a wonderful school.

Finally, thank you to all of the students who have given their time to help create this performance. Theatre is never easy, but tonight all of your hard work will be seen. With that being said, please sit back, relax, and enjoy Pythagoras Academy’s 2024 presentation of Footloose Youth Edition.

Synopsis

Footloose is the story of Ren McCormack, a teenage boy from Chicago. He and his mother move to the small town of Bomont after his father abandons them. Upon arriving, Ren finds himself at odds with most of the town, including the Reverend of Bomont. The Reverend has convinced the town to outlaw dancing, which Ren finds unbelievable. With the help of Ariel (the Reverend’s daughter) and Willard (a country hick who becomes his best friend), Ren convinces the Reverend to let the teenagers dance, and in the process helps the town to heal from a tragedy that affected them all.

FOOTLOOSE CAST LIST

REN – Jason Zhang
ARIEL – Sienna Pang; Understudy: Rebecca Zhang
ETHEL – Halin Kim; Understudy: Winnie Qin
REVEREND SHAW – Charles Chen
CHUCK – Edison Li
VI – Chloe Huang; Understudy: Emma Ma
LULU – Nora Lin
WES – Logan Chung
RUSTY – Emma Rivera-Parilla; Understudy: Zoe Zou
WENDY JO – Paige Zheng; Understudy: Julie Zhang
URLEEN – Christie Wong; Understudy: Vivian Ding
WILLARD – E.J De Guzman
PRINCIPAL – Linda Wang
COP – Amiera Zhao
COACH DUNBAR – Brady Long
LYLE – Jamie Zhang
TRAVIS – Samuel Zhang
BETTY BLAST – Emma Ma; Understudy: Isabella Santillan
ELEANOR DUNBAR – Winnie Qin; Understudy: Sammi Cai
COWGIRL BONNIE – Julie Zhang
COWBOY BOB – Kingsley Choy
COWGIRL JUDE – Zoe Zou
COWGIRL CHEL – Kelsey Gao
COWGIRL LAURA JO – Isabella Santillan
BICKLE – Steven Zhao
JETER – Anthony Nguyen
GARVIN – Nathan Foley-Dinh
DANI – Rebecca Zhang
LINDSAY – Chloe Pan
STEVIE – Vivian Ding
MARTY – Seolin Kim

ENSEMBLE LIST
GRADE 7: Council Members
GRADE 6: Townspeople, Band
GRADE 5: Cowboys/Cowgirls
GRADE 4: Chicago Young Kids
GRADE 3: Bomont Congregation

Production Team

Director: Nathan Purcell
Assistant Director: Eliana Claman
Choreography Team: Eliana Claman, Nathan Purcell
Musical Directors: Nathan Purcell, Brian Lee
Stage Manager: Zain Khudhur
Costume, Hair & Makeup Team: Yanina Vihovska, Edgar Raygoza, Leah Zeballos, Cherie Tuan, Julie Tempan, Arpan Dhaliwhal, Anna Bourak
Prop Team: Nathan Purcell, Anna Bourak, Dawn Cleveland, Namrata Verma, Julia Malone, Polly Tang, Dipanwita Mondal, Dawna McIver, Una Miljivic, Alice Gallagher, Jean, Cornelius Williams, Deb Wilde
Set Team: Nathan Purcell, Brian Lee, Meelin Charlton, Fatima Shareef, Jason Kwan, Lana Djordan, Dale Cope
Marketing, Design & Publicity Team: Linda Yan, Letian Li, Briana Bolt
Poster design: Nathan Purcell
Cast Photo and program design: Letian Li
Photographer: Linda Yan, Jonathan Woo, Megan Zhao
Videographer & Editing: Letian Li, Daniel Tsai

SONG LIST

ACT ONE

  • Footloose/On Any Sunday (Main Cast and Ensemble)
  • I Can’t Stand Still (Ren)
    Somebody’s Eyes (Rusty, Urleen, Wendy Jo, Ren)
  • Holding out for a Hero (Ariel, Rusty, Urleen, Wendy Jo, Grade 6/7 Ensemble)
  • Heaven Help Me (Reverend Shaw)
  • I’m Free/Heaven Help Me (Rusty, Ariel, Ren, Willard, Urleen, Wendy Jo, Reverend Shaw, Grade 5 Ensemble)

ACT TWO

  • Still Rockin’ (Grade 5 Ensemble)
  • Let’s Hear It For The Boy (Grade 5 Ensemble, Rusty)
  • Can You Find It In Your Heart? (Vi)
  • Mama Says (Willard, Bickle, Jeter, Garvin, Ren)
  • Almost Paradise (Ariel, Ren)
  • Footloose (Finale) (Ariel, Ren, Willard, Bickle, Jeter, Garvin, Rusty, Urleen, Wendy Jo, Grade 5 Ensemble)

Bios

GRADE 7

My name is Charles and I am in grade 7. My role is the Reverend Shaw in the musical Footloose. Some of my hobbies are sports, physics and math. I also enjoy debate. One fun fact is my ability to learn. I have many more hobbies over the years that I have gathered. I would like to say a thank you to all of my friends, family and teachers.

My name is Chloe and I am currently in grade 7. The role I am playing and acting in Footloose is Vi Moore, Ariel’s mother and the wife of Reverend Shaw Moore. She is gentle and calm and is Reverend Moore’s loving, warm, supportive, resilient wife. I love to act and sing, and I like to be quiet. Thank you to Mr. Purcell who allowed me to act in this role. Thank you to my parents for encouraging me to act.

I am Halin Kim. I am from 7B, and I am playing Ethel (Ren’s mother) for Footloose. I am from New Jersey and I speak Korean because my parents are both from Korea. I love cats and dogs. I also enjoy drawing. Thank you to my parents for helping me with my performance, my friends for helping me practice and helping me with my lines and a special thanks to Mr. Purcell for arranging this musical for others to enjoy.

Hey there! I’m Edison, and I’m delighted to be taking on the role of Chuck in the musical Footloose. Being in seventh grade and participating in such a cool production is great! Apart from playing a role in a musical, I have many other interests and hobbies. For one, I’m a skilled fencer, always ready to duel with a foil in hand. Unlike other sports that people do for fun, fencing is my life, my passion, and something I have put much pain and hard work into. Additionally, I have a wild imagination and love to write fictional stories in my free time. And let me tell you, as a (very) energetic young man, I bring that same thing to everything I do, whether it’s performing, writing, or simply enjoying life to the fullest.

Hi, My name is Nora, and I’m in grade 7B. In Musical Theater. I play the role of Lulu from Footloose. Lulu had recently invited her sister Ethel to stay with her and her husband, Wes. Lulu and Wes live in a small town called Bomont, Lulu does her best to remain a patient and supportive host. I love to play badminton and I love to draw. A special thank you to Mr. Purcell for giving me the opportunity to act for this role, and my mom for supporting me. 

I am Brady, and I am playing Coach Dunbar in the Footloose Musical. I am a very happy person and I love to do computer stuff such as coding and gaming. I am Chinese and so are my parents. I was born in New York, and I moved to Beijing. When I was 7 years old, I moved to Shenzhen. After that, when I was 12 years old, I moved to Vancouver. I want to thank my parents for supporting me.

Hello, my name is Sienna Pang and I’m a grade 7 student. I am thrilled to have the role in this performance as Ariel (a main cast role that requires great acting and confidence). Some interesting facts about my life are that I am a unique mix of Thai, Caucasian and Chinese. I love acting and have been in our school productions since grade 1. Some things that I love are anime (Japanese comics and shows) and Korean fashion. I also work part time at my moms clothing store. I love helping my mom model the outfits and helping take the photos.  Overall, I am very happy to be part of this production and I want to give a special thanks to my parents for always supporting me with my acting, my friends for always helping me practice and learn and Mr. Purcell for teaching and giving me an opportunity to show and improve my skills.

Hello, I’m Emma M! In the show, Footloose, I am Betty Blast and I run my own burger business! I am currently in 7th grade at Pythagoras Academy. A unique thing about me is that I enjoy swimming. Also, I’ll be competing in the 2023 Fast Swim competition in Watermania from December 14-17. I am grateful for the opportunity to portray Betty Blast in the Footloose production, and I appreciate Mr. Purcell, the teachers, staff members, parents, and students. 

Hello my full name is Winnie Qin, I am in grade seven and I am playing the role of Eleanor Dunbar, Coach Dunbar’s wife. I have a cute and energetic small dog named Beer (Bebe) at home. I am very grateful to have been picked for this role. Thank you to my family and teachers for supporting me through auditions and rehearsals. 

Hi, I’m Emma Rivera! I’m in 7B and I am playing Rusty in the school musical, Footloose. I am from Puerto Rico and I love dogs! In fact, I have two at home! I have a goldendoodle and a little frenchie with floppy ears. I am a big sister and I enjoy doing crochet in my free time. I just want to say thank you to Mr. Purcell, for giving me this amazing opportunity as this is my last year here. I also want to say thank you to my mom, for supporting me and helping me improve my singing and dancing. Thanks to all of my friends, for making this the best performance I have had.

Hello everyone, my name is Jamie. I am currently in seventh grade, and I am very excited to participate in the musical this year. My role is Lyle. I am looking forward to a great musical experience and would like to thank all of the parents, teachers, and classmates in this project.

GRADE 6

My name is EJ, and I’m in 6th grade. I play the role of Williard Hewitt and he’s a country bumpkin and he has a very big heart. A fun fact about me is that I am a really big football fan of the L.A Chargers. I want to thank my parents for encouraging me to join the Musical Theatre program and my brother for inspiring me also.

Hello my name is Anthony. I am a music lover and I love listening to IU, Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift. I am playing the role of Jeter which is part of the Boys who are here to support Ren and Willard! I would like to thank Mr. Purcell for giving me the opportunity to join this performance as this is my first year of doing the Performance.

Hello, my name is Linda, and my role is Principal Clark in Footloose. I am right now in grade six, and I am ambidextrous, which means that I can write with two hands, and even eat with two hands! Thank you Mr. Purcell for giving me a chance to participate in this musical theatre called Footloose. 

Hi! My name is Christie. I am currently in grade 6 at Pythagoras Academy. I play Urleen in Footloose. One fact about me is that I am left-handed. I would like to say thank you to Mr. Purcell for encouraging me and spending time doing rehearsals.

Hello! My name is Jason Zhang. I am playing the male lead character named Ren in the Musical Theatre show called Footloose. I am currently in grade 6Mc and a fun fact about myself is that I am in Grade 6 and I am already 12 years old, I was born in 2011. Thank you Mr. Purcell for supporting me in rehearsals and thank you Ms. Claman for taking the time during class to help me memorize lines and songs.

Hello my name is Amiera. I participate in the Footloose Musical as a cop. I attend 6th grade at Pythagoras Academy and I’m the only girl in my family! I really enjoy participating in Footloose because it bonds me with my friends and boosts my confidence. I really appreciate Mr. Purcell and my family supporting me and encouraging me through the process of the show.

Hello, my name is Steven. I am playing Bickle in the musical theatre show Footloose. I am grade 6 in Ms.Mc’s and I have hyper mobility in 6 places. That means I can move my hypermobility joints past the regular limit. Thank you Mr. Purcell for supporting me and taking his extra time to practice in rehearsals.

Hello, I am Paige Zheng from 6M. My role in Footloose is Wendy Jo. I am interested in  basketball, Art, and Music. I am grateful that my parents encouraged me to join different programs like Footloose and advanced band.  

GRADE 5

Hi, my name is Kingsley and I’m from the 5k class. I will be playing Cowboy Bob in Footloose. I am excited to do this because this is my very first time being in front of many people and even when I was in front of the entire school, it was digital. So I hope you guys enjoy this performance!

Hi my name is Isabella and I’m from Pythagoras Academy. I will be Cowgirl Laura Jo and an understudy for Betty Blast in a musical called Footloose. I am very excited to perform for you. I really love singing and dancing. I’ve been in a musical before and it was really fun, I enjoyed being part of it as the ensemble. I’m really excited for this performance and I hope you enjoy it. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Vivian and I’m from 5K. I will be playing Stevie and the understudy of Urleen in Footloose. I am excited because I really enjoy these practices and I love singing, but it’s a challenge too. But thanks to the support of Mr. Purcell and my parents, I feel ready to show everyone what we have learned!

Hi, my name is Nathan and I’m from 5K. I will be playing the character Garvin. I’m excited because this is the first musical I’ve done. I like the practices as well . It’s pretty fun.I look forward to showing you what I have got during the musical. Lastly, I hope you like the musical.

Hello, My name is Seolin and I am from Pythagoras Academy in grade 5K. I am in the musical called “Footloose”, I am the character called “ Marty”, I am one of Ren’s friends from Chicago and I play dialogue in the song called “Footloose”. I am very excited to be in this musical. I love dancing and singing in musicals, I have been in different musicals as well and I have enjoyed all of them so I decided to be  a character as last time I was in an ensemble and would like to take part in this musical. I hope you enjoy this musical and have a great performance and have a nice day!

Hi, my name is Zoe from Pythagoras Academy and I am from grade 5K. I will be playing the role called “Cowgirl Jude” and the understudy for “Rusty” in the upcoming school musical called Footloose. I will be singing many songs and will be saying some dialogue. I am very excited to perform this musical in front of you! In the past I have done other Musicals like Matilda but this is my first time doing a main cast role and I have learned to sing and dance, but at the same time it is challenging. Lucky thanks to the support of Mr. Purcell and Ms. Claman, I feel ready to show everyone our hard work! I hope you will enjoy our musical this year, have a wonderful day! 

Hello my name is Julie and I am from Pythagoras academy and I am in Grade 5K. I am playing the role Cowgirl Bonnie and I am the understudy for Wendy Jo in a musical named Footloose. I am also a part of the background. I have lots of experience in singing, especially Opera. I am also experienced in dancing. I have done 6 Musicals in the past and I hope to do more in the future. I would like to thank all our supporters, teachers, parents and you for supporting this year’s musical. Thank you!! Enjoy the show !!

Hello, my name is Chloe and I am in grade 5P. My role in the musical, “Footloose,” is Lindsay. She lives in Chicago and she’s Wren’s friend. Some things about me are that I like the colour black, playing with stickers and drawing. 

Hello, my name is Kelsey and I am in grade 5P. I am playing Cowgirl Chel in the musical, “Footloose”. I like playing this role because she is crazy and cool. Something about me is that I am very creative. I like crafting, dancing, and singing. I want to thank Mr. Purcell for supporting me in the musical.