The production of Footloose is rapidly approaching and Monday January 12, 2026, marked the first rehearsal for the STA Players. There are eight weeks left for the cast and crews to prepare for the show. Junior, Cole Christianson, has been teaching the STA Players choreography for the opening number in the dance studio. Junior, Avery Patterson, who will play the female lead role of Ariel Moore in Footloose, explained, “Footloose is about an oppressed town of people who are not allowed to dance, and a new kid comes in and tries to give the people of Bomont their freedom back by fighting for the right to dance and self-express.”

A previous Raider Review article titled STA Players is Casting the Spring Musical shared,“…Oscar and Tony-nominated…Footloose celebrates the wisdom of listening to young people while guiding them with a warm heart and open mind.” Footloose will be presented in the Bienes Center for the Arts between March fifth to eighth, and the cast members are filled with excitement as opening night comes closer and closer. STA Players work collaboratively to memorize lines, perfect dance routines, practice harmonies, and pinpoint the stage blocking for the show. Patterson said, “The choreography is kind of difficult, but it’s not the moves. It’s the speed and the fact that we have to sing while we dance, which is a crazy workout! A lot of musical theatre actors build up stamina to perform by running and singing on stairs or even a treadmill.”

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Klassik Wright

Avery Patterson, Kate Turner and Alexis Schmidt learn choreography with the cast of Footloose.

Technical Director, Xander Snell shared, “Technical Theater students are currently working on preparing the new microphones, creating mic lists, sound design, scheduling lighting and design, analyzing the script and creating cues, and more.” The first step for Mr. Snell and Technical Theater is dividing the work load between technicians. On February 19, 2026 the set will arrive and will be placed on the stage of the theater in the Bienes Center. Usually, the Tech class has to build the flooring of the stage piece by piece, but it is already in place from the last show Macbeth. Since the stage for the performance is already in place, this saves Mr. Snell and his students a lot of time. “I think the challenges Technical Theater students will face when preparing for the production are creating dynamic lighting for dance numbers, staying focused, and making our deadlines,” Snell replied. Once the set comes in, the actors and crews can begin to practice in the theater.

Junior, Ethan Schaefer, will be playing the main character, Ren McCormack, and he commented, “I feel pretty excited to be the lead role in Footloose. Ren is the first main character I’ve ever been cast for and I relate to his story quite a bit, so it’s been a lot of fun messing around with his witty remarks and stubborn personality.”

During rehearsals the actors create a lot of special memories together that many of them cherish. “My favorite part of this production is getting to play Ariel as a whole. The character came so easily to me and I’ve really enjoyed it. I also love the people I get to work with so much, and they brighten my day,” Patterson shared. Schaefer expressed “I think the dancing has been my favorite part of Footloose. As much as I enjoy playing Ren, learning to actually ‘cut footloose’ and just have fun with the movements has made the whole production process feel a lot less nerve-wracking, making it even more enjoyable as a result.”

There are many different teams that work together to create an entertaining and exciting show and bring the director, Elizabeth Garrard’s, vision to life on the stage. It is very important that everyone involved in the production of Footloose gets their recognition. This show would not be possible without the Director, Elizabeth Garrard; Technical Director, Xander Snell; Technical Theater students; Choreographer, Maria Virginio; the STA Players and crews; Musical Director, Wanda Drozdovitch; and Assistant Director, Tom Straka. The most important element, however, is the live audience. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.bca-sta.org starting in late February.