Regional NewsMuny’s Footloose, Directed by Tony Winner Christian Borle, Begins July 18Performances continue at the St. Louis venue through July 24.
By
Andrew Gans
July 18, 2019
Christian Borle
Tarah Lee
The Muny's production of the musical Footloose, based on the film of the same name, begins performances July 18.
Directed by two-time Tony winner Christian Borle (who made his Broadway debut in the 1998 production) with choreography by Jessica Hartman and music direction by Andrew Graham, the staging is scheduled to run at the St. Louis venue through July 24.
Jeremy Kushnier
Joseph Marzullo/WENN
The cast features Jeremy Kushnier (Broadway's original Ren) as Rev. Shaw Moore, Mason Reeves as Ren McCormack, McKenzie Kurtz as Ariel Moore, Heather Ayers as Vi Moore, Darlesia Cearcy as Ethel McCormack, NaTasha Yvette Williams as Lulu Warnicker, Aaron Kaburick as Wes Warnicker, Khailah Johnson as Rusty, Maggie Kuntz as Urleen, Katja Rivera Yanko as Wendy Jo, Andrew Alstat as Chuck Cranston, Eli Mayer as Willard Hewitt, Florrie Bagel as Betty Blast, Rebecca Young as Eleanor Dunbar, Patrick Blindauer as Coach Dunbar, Ben Nordstrom as Cowboy Bob, and Jerry Vogel as Principal Clark.
The ensemble includes Maya Bowles, Francine Espiritu, Abbey Friedmann, Rohit Gopal, Kaylee Guzowski, Kennedy Holmes, Zachary Daniel Jones, Graham Keen, Kelly MacMillan, Lena Owens, Whit Reichert, Antonio Rodriguez, Jonathan Savage, Trevor Michael Schmidt, Gabi Stapula, Christopher Tipps and Zoe Vonder Haar. The company is also joined by the Muny Kid and Teen youth ensemble.
The musical, based on the original screenplay by Dean Pitchford, has a stage adaptation by Walter Bobbie and Dean Pitchford. Music is by Tom Snow with lyrics by Dean Pitchford plus songs by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins, and Jim Steinman and additional lyrics by Loggins.
The limited engagement also has scenic design by Tim Mackabee, costume design by Leon Dobkowski, lighting design by Rob Denton, sound design by John Shivers and David Patridge, video design by Greg Emetaz, and wig design by Kelley Jordan. The production stage manager is Larry Smiglewski, and casting is by Telsey + Company.
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Flip Through 100 Stars for 100 Years of Theatre at the Muny
Flip Through 100 Stars for 100 Years of Theatre at the Muny
From Guys and Dolls to Aida, the Muny has produced hundreds of shows since its founding in 1919.
100 PHOTOS
1926: Irene Dunne in The Muny's 1926 season
1931: Cary Grant in the Muny's 1931 season
June Havoc in the Muny's 1936 season
1938: Richard (Red) Skelton in Gentlemen Unafraid
1940: Vincent Prince in The American Way
1954: Elaine Stritch in Call Me Madam
1957: Barbara Cook in Irene
1957: Paul Lynde in Irene
1959: Bob Hope in Roberta
1961: Edie Adams in Calamity Jane
1961: Jack Gilford and Mary M. Cook in Cinderella
1960: Dan Rowan and Dick Martin in The Red Mill
1962: Margaret Hamilton in Oklahoma!
1964: Andy Devine in Show Boat
1966: Eddie Albert in The Music Man
1966: Betty White in Bells are Ringing
1967: Margot Fonteyn in The Royal Ballet
1967: Rudolf Nureyev in The Royal Ballet
1968: Ethel Merman in Call Me Madam
1968: Arthur Godfrey in Show Boat
1968: Florence Henderson in The Sound of Music
1968: Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Eddie Albert in My Fair Lady
1968: Cab Calloway and Pearl Bailey in Hello, Dolly!
1968: Pearl Bailey in Hello, Dolly!
1968: Vicki Lawrence in Carousel
1969: Ozzie Smith and Harriet Nelson in State Fair
1969: Billy Barty in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
1969: Cyd Charisse in Damn Yankees
1970: Jerry Orbach in Promises, Promises
1971: Betty Grable, Chita Rivera, and Dorothy Lamour in This is Show Business
1971: Jackie Coogan and Mary Wickes in The Music Man
1971: Mary Wickes in The Music Man
1971: Milton Berle and Nancy Andrews in Two by Two
1972: William Daniels in 1776
1972: Ann Miller in Anything Goes
1972: Yvonne DeCarlo in Follies
1973: Debbie Reynolds in Irene
1973: Agnes Moorehead in Gigi
1974: Bernadette Peters and Robert Preston in Mack and Mabel
1974: Bernadette Peters and Robert Preston in Mack and Mabel
1974: Gene Kelly in Take Me Along
1974: Carol Burnett and Rock Hudson in I Do! I Do!
1974: Rock Hudson in I Do! I Do!
1975: Jack Klugman in The Odd Couple
1976: Gale Gordon in Show Boat
1976: Peter Graves in 1776
1976: Yul Brynner in The King and I
1976: Zero Mostel in Fiddler on the Roof
1976: Angela Lansbury in Mame
1976: Patti LuPone and Chaim Topol in The Baker's Wife
1977: Carol Channing in Hello, Dolly!
1977: Debbie Allen in Guys and Dolls
1977: Lauren Bacall in Wonderful Town
1977: Leslie Uggams in Guys and Dolls
1977: Maurice Hines in Guys and Dolls
1977: Shirley Jones and Sarah Jessica Parker in The Sound of Music
1977: H.M. Wynant and Shirley Jones in The Sound of Music
1978: Howard Keel and Jane Powell in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
1978: Janis Paige and Forrest Tucker in Ballroom
1978: Tony Randall in The Music Man
1979: Robert Goulet in Carousel
1979: Donald O'Connor in Sugar
1980: Joe Namath in Li'l Abner
1980: Chita Rivera in Bye Bye Birdie
1981: Richard Harris in Camelot
Robert Morse and Isabelle Farrell in Where's Charley?
1982: George Peppard and Victoria Mallory in The Sound of Music
1983: Martha Raye in Annie
1983: Lynn Redgrave and Michael Kermoyan in The King and I
1983: Gavin MacLeod in High Button Shoes
1983: Joel Grey and Alexis Smith in Pal Joey
1984: Pam Dawber and Jim Dale in The Music Man
1984: Juliette Prowse in Funny Girl
1984: Ann Miller and Mickey Rooney in Sugar Babies
1986: Ben Vereen in Pippin
1986: Morgan Fairchild in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
1987: Tommy Tune and Stephanie Zimbalist in My One and Only
1988: Hal Linden in Man of La Mancha
1988: John Davidson in The Music Man
1989: Tyne Daly in Gypsy
Muny Archive
1988: Jean Stapleton in The Mystery of Edwin Drood
1990: Van Johnson in No, No, Nanette
1993: Davy Jones in Oliver!
1994: Rue McClanahan in Annie
1995: Phyllis Diller in Cinderella
1997: Kaelan Sullivan and Bob Keeshan in The Wizard of Oz
1997: Ozzie Smith in The Wizard of Oz
1998: Cathy Rigby in Peter Pan
1999: Georgia Engel in Meet Me In St. Louis
2012: Christopher Jackson in Dreamgirls
2012: Jennifer Holliday in Dreamgirls
2012: Justin Guarini in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat