By Ella D’Auria
Thursday, March 12 through Sunday, March 15, the Syosset Association of Creative Thespians (ACT) brought the community back to the 80s for their production of Footloose. After 20 years since the show’s last Syosset staging—and as Director Gene Connor’s final musical production with Syosset ACT—the cast and crew were determined to demonstrate the spirit, energy, and joy that define both Footloose and Syosset theater.
Footloose follows Ren McCormack, a Chicagoan bad-boy type transplanted into the rural town of Beaumont, where dancing is illegal. After a tragic car accident that killed four teens returning from a dance, Reverend Shaw Moore institutes an ordinance to ban the activity indefinitely. However, as Ren witnesses the town’s despair, he encourages the people of Beaumont to “cut loose” from the law and move forward. Mr. Connor said, “Everyone thinks of this as that dance musical, and it’s really about so much more than that. It’s about learning to forgive, it’s about learning to accept—and that’s something we all need in this world today.”
Syosset’s own Ren, Ethen Hong, took on the job of bringing his character’s vibrance and depth to the stage. From his dancing to singing to acting—and some impressive roller-skating skills, too—Ethen produced a character that was both fun to watch and inspiring. “I think the actors are very, very talented. It was my first musical, and it made an impression on me; the production quality was beyond my expectations too,” said audience member Jeff Yun. Similarly, Ethen’s co-star Katie Purdy stepped into the shoes (or boots, rather) of Ariel Moore: the misunderstood daughter of Reverend Moore. Katie brought forth an Ariel that was feminine and fierce. However, Katie also shone in her ability to demonstrate Ariel’s dynamic character—both this get-around type, a bookworm, a forgiving daughter, and an encouraging friend.
Additionally, the show was rich with Texan flair—from the accents to the cowboy hats and fringey boots, the actors took their audience right into Beaumont’s midwestern atmosphere. “The hardest part of the show for me was actually the southern voice. Everyone has to have a pretty rich country accent,” said actor Arvin Huang. But it wasn’t just the actors who brought the culture of the time and place to the stage. Head of Costumes Gabby Montejano said, “We do a lot of time period stuff. It was very hard to make sure everything was still cute and modern. Because the show is in the 80s and in a small town in Texas, all the dresses are loose and conservative in style.” Together, the team was able to turn the stage of the Harvey P. Karp auditorium into a window to Beaumont, Texas.
Besides the culture, something that set the show apart was its familiarity. “Footloose is a jukebox musical, which means it uses preexisting songs within the musical,” said Arvin. Footloose contained several renditions of classic 80s hits, including “I’m Free,” “Holding Out for a Hero,” and “Let’s Hear It for the Boy.” “Compared to a lot of the other plays, Footloose created a more interactive atmosphere because you can sing along and you know the songs,” said audience member Kathleen Cheng. Actress Kiki Powell said, “The songs are really fun to sing. I think the whole show is just really, really fun.
But behind the scenes, at the heart of the production, was Mr. Connor. As his final musical show, not only were these four performances meant to be spectacular, they were sentimental. He said, “Having been a boy who moved from the big city down to Texas—who liked to dance and drove a Volkswagen Beetle and wore red high tops—this [show] always had a really special place in my heart.” Although it’s Connor’s time to “cut loose” after 29 years and 84 shows, he could think of “no better way to end [his] time here at Syosset High School.”
