Attendance for the spring musical, Footloose, reflected the excitement surrounding the joint production by the Belmont Hill and Dana Hall theater programs. The Bardwell Auditorium was packed for every performance of Footloose, as it was truly the end of an era. For the past four years, the Belmont Hill theater program has been energized with the acting talents of seniors Christian Dolan, William Galligan, and Brendan Pulsifer. These three did not disappoint, performing the creative choreography and spirited music at the highest level.
Christian Dolan starred as Ren McCormack, the high school senior who moves from Chicago to the small town of Bomont, Nebraska. The town’s preacher, Rev. Shaw Moore, portrayed by Brendan Pulsifer, outlaws modern music and dancing. This upsets his daughter, Ariel, played by Dana Hall senior Brooke Kennedy. Ariel also clashes with her father over her boyfriend, Chuck Cranston, played by Hartman Russell. Ariel and Ren eventually join forces to hold a dance.
The acting and singing made Footloose stand out. Even when Christian Dolan’s microphone went out, the fact that he continued to power through his performance proved the dedication and professionalism that he has brought to the Belmont Hill performing arts scene. Dolan and Kennedy gave a great performance when they sang “Almost Paradise.” The crowd clearly enjoyed the lively choreography in the performance of “Let’s Hear it for the Boy,” featuring Ogugua Uchendu. Dolan and Galligan added humor to the scene, and the crowd loved it. The final number involved the entire cast and was a perfect ending to a fun evening of entertainment. The leads and other members of the cast went all out with their performance of the iconic “Footloose” number.
Footloose was a perfect showcase for the talents of Dolan, Galligan, and Pulsifer. Each one added something special, and their talents will be missed. Footloose combined great choreography, fantastic musical numbers, and first-rate acting.
