Cast and Creatives Announced For FOOTLOOSE At Russell Hill Rogers Theater

This summer, Footloose will play in the Russell Hill Rogers Theater at The Public Theater of San Antonio, the longest-running theatre company in Texas.

This fan-favorite musical is based on the original screenplay for the motion picture, Footloose by Dean Pitchford. The stage adaptation is by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie, with a Tony-nominated score by Tom Snow, and lyrics by Dean Pitchford. The production opens on June 9 and runs through June 25, 2023.

The production is led by Directors Laura Michelle Wolfe Hoadley and Claudia de Vasco, with music direction by Jaime Ramirez, and choreography by Tanesha Payne.

Footloose centers on Ren and his mother after moving from Chicago to a small farming town, making the inevitable adjustment at his new high school. But he's not prepared for the rigorous local edicts, including a ban on dancing instituted by the local preacher. The heartfelt story that emerges pins a father longing for the son he lost against a young man aching for the father who walked out on him.

Director Laura Michelle Wolfe Hoadley adds more about the vision for the production: "This show provides so much more opportunity for exploration than is typically acknowledged. Addressing how the trauma that tears a town apart is actually the thing that makes them all the same, finding creative ways to showcase that people are people at heart, that we are all flawed and yet uniquely invaluable to our community - against a backdrop of immensely fun and touching music - is a dream for any creative team, and I'm thrilled to be embarking on that adventure with this stellar group of individuals."

The cast includes RUSSELL J. SCOTT as Ren McCormack, MEGAN DEYOUNG as Ethel McCormack, E.L. JONES as Reverend Shaw Moore, MICHAEL L. SALINAS as Chuck Cranston, PATRICIA ZAMORA as Vi Moore, JAEDEN RILEY JUAREZ* as Ariel Moore, ASHLEY CLINTON as Rusty, and BEN ROE as Willard Hewitt. Additional cast includes DIVYA BEERAM, ISABELLA GRACE CERVERA, Melissa Barrera GONZALEZ, CRYSTAL M. BRATTON, Cary Farrow IV, BRIAN HODGES, and ERIC B. MOTA.

The creative team includes LAURA MICHELLE WOLFE HOADLEY and Claudia de Vasco as Directors, JAIME RAMIREZ as Music Director, TANESHA PAYNE as Choreographer, PEDRO GUEVARA as Scenic Designer, CARLOS R. NINE as Lighting and Sound Designer, and RACHAEL LORENZETTI as Costume Designer.

Footloose has additional music by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins, and Jim Steinman.

* Member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Run time: Two hours and 30 minutes with one 15-minute intermission.

Show themes: Footloose explores family and community values as a town and its citizens navigate the effects of trauma and the healing power of self-expression and personal freedom.

Events in Celebration of Footloose

• Opening Night - Friday, June 9, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.

• Pay What You Will Night - Saturday, June 10, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.

• Community Engagement Night - Thursday, June 15, 2023 at 7 p.m.

• Pay What You Will Night - Friday, June 16, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.

• Pay What You Will Night - Sunday, June 18, 2023 at 2 p.m.

• AfterWords (Post-show Conversation) - Sunday, June 18, 2023 at 2 p.m.

• Community Engagement Night with ASL - Thursday, June 22, 2023 at 7 p.m.

• ASL Interpreted Performance - Friday, June 23, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.

• ASL Interpreted Performance - Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 2 p.m.

• Relaxed Performance - Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 2 p.m.

  • (For more information on Relaxed Performances, Click Here)

Tickets for Footloose, click here. Tickets for shows are $45 (Standard), $30 (Military/Student/Senior* with valid ID), and $15 (Child Under 12). They are available online at Click Here, by phone at (210) 733-7258. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. The Public Theater of San Antonio is wheelchair accessible. For additional information about group sales, contact Box Office Coordinator, David Piwarski at boxoffice@thepublicsa.org.

Special note regarding the performance run: Footloose is performing for three weekends. For the 2023-24 Season, the theater made adjustments to its performance schedule, offering three weekends of performances rather than four. The theater is starting to explore this new model with the final two productions of the current season, Footloose and Merrily We Roll Along. 2023-24 Season Subscriptions are now available for early savings, visit www.thepublicsa.org/subscriptions for more information.