Footloose at ShowKids Invitational Theatre

After recently winning top industry honors for best musical, ShowKids Invitational Theatre (SKIT) is going FOOTLOOSE bringing an all new high-energy production to the stage, based on the 80’s blockbuster movie and musical tour. After earning NJACT’s prestigious “Outstanding Production of a Musical” Perry Award for last season’s production of SHREK, these ShowKids have fired up their dancing feet to work with New York choreographer Ashley Eichbauer Newman. And the SKIT family ties in this awesome production make it even more awe-inspiring.

The award-winning ShowKids are going to rock the house May 2-9, 2015; FOOTLOOSE is being presented on Saturday, May 2^nd at 7:30pm; Sunday, May 3^rd at 2:00pm; Friday, May 8^th at 7:30pm; and Saturday, May 9^th at 7:30pm. All four performances will take place in the Voorhees High School Auditorium, Route 513, Glen Gardner. Tickets are $20 or less, and can be purchased directly at www.showkids.org or by calling the SKIT ticket line at (908) 638-5959.

SKIT is not only Hunterdon’s County’s premier theater company for family entertainment, but the cast and crew of the award-winning company has always been a family affair. The ties that bind the fabulous feet performing in SKIT’s production of FOOTLOOSE are remarkable. The Perry-nominated choreographer of the production, Ashley Eichbauer Newman who is simultaneously choreographing a production of GRAND HOTEL in New York, also took on the role of daughter-in-law to SKIT producer Carolyn Newman last year.   Also four cast members are members of the same family, including a freshman at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. Ian Mehl has been attending rehearsals via FaceTime; until he came home to New Jersey for Spring Break, and was not only able to join his siblings and the rest of the cast at rehearsal, but was miraculously reunited with the man who approved his Air Force ROTC scholarship to attend Embry-Riddle months prior.

Nine months ago, June 3, 2014, the very day Colonel John Eubanks was scheduled to present the Air Force ROTC scholarship to Voorhees graduate Ian Mehl, his daughter was in a near fatal accident which resulted in her being admitted to the ICU, where she would spend the next three weeks fighting for her life. Flashing forward, a recovered Alyssa Eubanks was going to have to withdraw from the 64-kid cast of SKIT’s Workshop group show because her father received military orders to relocate prior to the group’s show dates (THE LITTLE MERMAID in November). Mrs. Newman was impressed with Alyssa’s work ethic in rehearsals, so rather than have the new member miss her opportunity to perform, Newman suggested Alyssa be a late addition to the cast of FOOTLOOSE. As providence would have it, the daughter of Colonel Eubanks is now sharing the stage with Ian Mehl, the remarkable young man who has kept up with rehearsals long distance while maintaining straight A’s in his rigorous Air Force ROTC program over 1,000 miles away. And at one misty-eyed rehearsal in March, the two gentlemen were reunited and finally able to exchange a heartfelt handshake.  

FOOTLOOSE CASTING

Following a “Best Youth Actor” Perry nomination for his hilarious performance as Lord Farquaad in SHREK last season and rave reviews for his emotional portrayal of the Beast in BEAUTY & THE BEAST in February, North Hunterdon senior Andy Kapetanakis, 17, of Bethlehem Township, is starring as Ren McCormick, the newcomer to Bomont who stirs up a small town of teen angst and gets them all up and dancing. Two of SKIT’s critically-acclaimed leading ladies are sharing the role of Ren’s rebellious love interest Ariel Moore. Voorhees senior Hannah Mehl, 18, of Lebanon Township, also earned a “Best Youth Actress” Perry nomination for her performance as Fiona in SHREK as well as rave reviews as the Witch in Voorhees’ production of Into The Woods last spring, and junior Gianna Porfano, 16, of Clinton Township, recently earned standing ovations for each of her commanding performances as Nancy in North Hunterdon’s production of Oliver!  

In ShowKids’ tradition, many roles are double cast to give a greater number of talented youth an opportunity to shine on stage, and the teen friends in FOOTLOOSE are no exception. Ariel’s best friend Rusty is played by Julianne Grillo, 16, of Clinton Township and Natalie Mehl, 14, of Lebanon Township. Ren’s new best friend in Bomont, Willard, is portrayed by Francisco Guglielmino, 16, of Califon and Avery Stoker, 16, of Clinton, who together left audiences in stitches as the hilarious tag-team of Lumiere and Cogsworth in SKIT’s recent production of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Urleen is shared by Samantha Brynildsen, 16, of Lebanon Township and Alyssa VanVeldhuisen, 15, of Flemington. And Wendy Jo is played by Sydney Kozakis, 15, of Lebanon and Kirsten Maiwaldt, 15, of Clinton Township. Other teen roles include Quinn Levy, 17, of Glen Gardner as Jeter; Justin Lopez, 14, of Clinton Township as Bickle; Sam Hostler, 13, of Glen Gardner as Travis; Sean Kane, 13, of Bloomsbury as Garvin; and the dastardly Chuck Cranston is shared by George Kapetanakis, 14, of Bethlehem Township and Jared Parker, 15, of Clinton Township.

Ian Mehl is the Reverend Shaw Moore, and playing his stage wife, Vi Moore, is Megan Lako, 17, both of Lebanon Township. Ethel McCormick is played by Katherine Reese, 18, of Clinton Township. John Kozakis, of Lebanon, is Coach Roger Dunbar; and Heather Birmingham, 17, of Clinton is Eleanor Dunbar. Lulu and Wes Warnicker are played by Laura Hostler, 18, of Glen Gardner, and Jeff Mehl of Lebanon Township.

Rounding out the energetic FOOTLOOSE ensemble is: Sara Alicea, 14, of Lebanon Township; Fawn Bartok, 17, of Glen Gardner; Moira Brennan, 17, of Lebanon; Aliza Campbell, 12, of Pohatcong; Gianna Castaldo, 16, of Flemington; Allisa Conover, 13, of East Amwell Township; Madeline Coronato, 16, of Bethlehem Township; Dale Dabour of Stewartsville; Pam Dean of Clinton Township; Alyssa Eubanks, 11, of Clinton; Kaylyn Feeley, 14, of Clinton Township; Ashley Gallagher, 16, of Stewartsville; Mia Parker, 10, of Clinton Township; Marilena Parker, 14, of Clinton Township; Grace Postiglione, 15, and Lisa Postiglione of Stewartsville; Amy Schroeder, 14, of Bethlehem Township; Stacy Tanzler, 15, of Bethlehem Township; Harley Varga, 14, of Pittstown; Kaitlyn Verhoest, 11, of Tewksbury Township; Brooke Wachenheim, 14, of Clinton; and Paige Whitmore, 16, of Lebanon Township as Irene.  

In September, SKIT had its best showing at New Jersey’s annual industry awards, winning Perry’s in four of the ten categories for which SKIT’s production of SHREK THE MUSICAL was nominated:

• Outstanding Production of a Musical – ShowKids Invitational Theatre (Carolyn Newman and Diane Lehnert, Producers)


• Outstanding Sound Design – Tom Newman and Fritz Doddy


• Outstanding Scenic Design – Barry deVersterre, Margaret Villegas and Amy Whitmore


• Outstanding Costume Design – Lois Steeves and Cindy Pellis

This program is made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, through the funds administered by the Hunterdon County Cultural & Heritage Commission.

SKIT is a non-profit, family community theatre group. Founded in 1986 to offer the children of Hunterdon County an opportunity to experience the joys of theatre and give the community professional quality children’s theatre productions, SKIT has since blossomed into an organization that also provides families the opportunity to share quality time while providing an unending amount of wonderful memories. And, to quote Carol Newman, “That ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ moment of that special night winning the prestigious Perry Award with everyone thrilled beyond belief will be a memory that we will carry in our hearts forever!

“Every SKIT production is truly a labor of love, from the parents who worked tirelessly to volunteer their talents, to the Committee Heads (most of whose children have long graduated from SKIT), to every actor who performed on stage.” says Carolyn B. Newman, SKIT’s director and producer since the company’s inception in 1986. “A win in any category is a win for all of SKIT, but ‘Outstanding Production’ is truly a testament to what we can accomplish together. And we can’t wait to cut loose with FOOTLOOSE!”