REVIEW: Footloose: The Musical at Workshop Theatre by Jerry Crouch

“Tonight I gotta cut loose! Footloose! Kick off your Sunday shoes!”

Last night, cowboy boots, Stetson hats, fringed skirts and plaid shirts were whirling and jumping to the beat of Kenny Loggins' signature hymn to youth's freedom and self-expression in Workshop Theatre’s production of Footloose: The Musical on the Cottingham theatre stage. Workshop's latest musical offering brings energetic, pitch perfect vocals and high energy choreography to this vibrant ‘80s musical. This production captures the spirit of the original 1984 film with singularly strong performances from the cast, bringing depth and resonance to those fondly remembered, colorful movie characterizations.

The blockbuster film, Footloose, was a smash hit bringing in over $80 million dollars worldwide. It told the story of a small Midwestern cowtown of Bomont, introducing flashy teenage characters wanting to rock ‘n’ roll against the town's ultra conservative minister and his pedantic flock. And it featured a breakout music video for its youthful audience. It made Kevin Bacon a huge movie star in this coming-of-age drama with a young Sarah Jessica Parker as BFF Rusty in a supporting role long before her Sex and the City diva stardom.

As the star-crossed teen lovers Ren and Ariel are the charming AydanWunderlich and powerhouse vocalist, Hayle Barry, both hitting emotional high notes on their steamy duet “Almost Paradise” complete with a balcony staircase to boot. Wunderlich as the restless new kid in town also scores big time with his opening solo “I Can't Stand Still” and his Bible thumping soliloquy at the eleventh-hour town meeting turns the tide of graduation prom events. 

“Holding Out for a Hero” was a harmonic vocal hit with the audience with Ariel Barry and her BFFS: Rusty, Urleen, and Wendy Jo played by Dara Younce, Rye Winecoff and Erin Niland raising the vocal bar higher with each song. Other jukebox hits with the Footloose audience were: “Let’s Hear it for the Boy” performed by Dara Younce and act two opener "Still Rockin'' performed by Will Dowd (doubling as Cowboy Bob). 

The show-stopping song in act two was "Mama Says," led by the charismatic country bohunk, Samuel Cleveland as Willard with his Bomont buddies, Bickle, Garvin and Jeter, played by Isaiah Dickson, Jordan Robinson and Tay Brown with hilariously inspired New Kids on the Block precision staging which demanded a second chorus finale.

Columbia area community theatre stage favorites, Frank Thompson and Lisa Baker play the fundamentalist Reverend Shaw Moore and his dutiful wife, Vi—both of whom have ample opportunities to shine in their character solos. Baker joins Hayle Barry, her daughter, Ariel and the talented Mendy Lewis as Ethel, Ren's mom, in a heartbreaking trio called “Learning To Be Silent” which was the vocal highlight of the evening. Baker's soulful solo, “Can You Find It In Your Heart,” was beautifully delivered in act two which Thompson later reprises for his Footloose conversion.

The bad boys are Dylan Livingston as Chuck, Ariel's demanding but rejected boyfriend, joined by cowpoke ruffians, James Nolan and Tyler Zangla for their song “The Girl Gets Around,” a hoot early-on in the performance. Strong support in various cameo roles throughout the production are provided by Absalom Oliver, Brandi Mimbs, Harrison Ayer, Ann McGaha, Nikki Anderson, Cherelle Turner and Caroline Leonard as the no holds barred character standout Betty Blast.

Vocal and choreographic dynamics are presented by ensemble members: Meghan Sonatore, Hope Anglemyer, Lola Carroll, Hannah Cummings, Abby Mathias, Lexi Narry, Peyton Rabon, Jordan Robinson, Catherine Cieri, Gillian Lease, Dahlila Redner, D’Asia White, and Hannah Williamson.

The Workshop Creative Team works their stage magic under the direction of Julian Deleon with Jordan Harper as his outstanding music director and Katie Hilliger Page as the choreographer, supported behind the scenes by producer Jeni McCaughan, stage manager Amy Husmann, costume designer Andie Nicks, and technical director, Patrick Faulds.

Footloose: The Musical plays May 21-24 & 28-30. 
For tickets, visit the website or call 803-799-6551

REVIEW: Workshop Theatre's CATS

CATS … finds success with a cast that exhibits unflinching commitment to the task at hand (and they seem to be having a rather good time while they’re doing it).

Workshop Theatre of South Carolina opened their production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS last weekend, starting a three-week run of this show which ran for 18 years on Broadway. As the resident community theatre troupe at Columbia College’s Cottingham Theatre, the Workshop presentation is a special collaboration between Workshop and the Columbia College Dance Education and Dance Studies program - creating a unique opportunity for community actors and dance students to work together. 

Based on T.S. Eliots Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, Webber’s CATS has been performed for over 40 years and had a feature film adaptation in 2019. For those reasons, we’ll spare you a synopsis and move right along.  

CATS, under the direction of Julian Deleon, finds success with a cast that exhibits unflinching commitment to the task at hand (and they seem to be having a rather good time while they’re doing it). This ensemble, which consists of over 35 performers, hits their marks, are constantly engaged in catlike activities, and ultimately offers an energetic performance that feels dutifully rehearsed.  

Actors Bobby L. Rogers (Munkustrap), Katherine Brown (Bombalurina), Carly Siegel (Demeter) and Blythe Long (Jellylorum) hold the audiences’ hands (read: paws) throughout the production as their characters are charged with introducing us to many of the characters or informing the viewers about the history and traditions of the Jellicle Cats. All four performers have truly lovely voices that are fitting for Webber’s vocal score, and they all lead the proceedings with poise and control that makes the audience feel welcome to their secret society.  

Lisa Baker, as Grizabella, does an admirable job in this production. Baker’s performance of “Memory” satisfies fans of the song due to her powerful vocals and purr-fect tone (sorry, we had to) that throws comforting nods to the Betty Buckley performance we’ve heard countless times over the last four decades.  

The performances of Nathan Jackson (Mungojerrie) and Jessica Roth (Rum Tum Tugger) are also winning moments for this production. Jackson’s Mungojerrie feels incredibly familiar to folks who have experienced the original production of this piece. He’s fun, mischievous, and quite comfortable with his dance duties. Roth’s Rum Tum Tugger deviates from the usual characterization that mixes Tom Jones with glam rockers of the 80s and provides audiences with a Janis Joplin-esque rock-n-roller that is delightful when she takes the show over.  

Without a doubt, Choreographer Erin Bailey was responsible for a larger part of the production than is usual with most musical theatre works. Bailey has created a lot of movement for the cast that allows the trained dancers to wow us when they take the spotlight, and for the “movers” in the cast to look their best throughout most of the production. While some moments aren’t as successful as others, there is a lot of varied movement throughout the production and your eyes don’t get tired seeing a large cast execute it.  

To that end, Emily Jordan (Victoria on March 9th), Katherine Brown (Bombalurina) and Jack Thompson (Mistoffilees) gave us professional performances in regard to dance in the production. They lend Bailey’s work the talent that it desires, and they give longtime CATS fans a glimpse into the choreographic focus with which the show originated.  

Music Director Taylor Dively, in his first time navigating the music for a full-length musical, shows promise in that the vocals of CATS are rather good - especially when regarding the soloists. However, the sound design makes the proceedings uncomfortable at times as the sopranos are too high in the mix - which can make certain moments feel like a caterwaul rather than the good blend coming from stage. On March 9, the band was unfortunately not meeting the cast’s performance level, as the show began with wrong notes on the keyboards, destroying the iconic opening melody. These sorts of accidents occurred often throughout the evening, leaving us hoping that the musicians will realize that they are being paid to be there, and should therefore be just as prepared as the cast who is donating their talent. 

Ultimately, despite the efforts of the cast, this production suffers from a design concept that simply does not work. The show has been promoted as “not your mother’s CATS” - and this is truthful advertising. Our mother’s CATS had humans in fully committed feline-wear, and the illusion worked rather well to make such a bizarre concept a Broadway and West End hit. Workshop’s cats have painted noses with headbands or hats that have “cat ears” attached. Our mother’s CATS had fun set pieces that allowed the cast to create a train out of oversized junk pieces laying around the set along with other moments of inventive whimsy. Workshop’s cats had bare bones structures with some castored scaffolding that left us thinking we were watching CATS on a scaled down set of RENT. The show asks for many moments of reveal, surprise, inventiveness and magic that, in this production, were simply absent. We were not tricked into thinking Macavity was in disguise as Old Deuteronomy. We did not believe we had witnessed magic when Mistoffelees motioned for the cast to wheel Old Deuteronomy back on stage when he’s supposed to be miraculously summoned. The same lack-of-illusion applies when Grizabella is wheeled off stage left as she finally ascends to the Heaviside Layer. Where’s the thrilling sleight of hand? The possibility of that felt lost in the first 30 seconds when a crew member, portraying a human in the wrong alley, walked across the stage making it clear the felines were the same scale as he.  

Cast member Harrison Ayer’s bio briefly and aptly reads that Ayer “is a human, acting like a cat dressed like a human.” That’s pretty much what you get with this directorial concept. If it was a big idea that didn’t come to fruition due to the immensity of the project, then it can be forgiven. However, if this production meets the vision of those who created it - then perhaps this CATS shouldn't have been let out of the bag. Doing “different” is welcome, but only when there’s a relatable or inventive perspective that exposes something newly relevant or unexpected about a cherished work.

We always invite patrons to challenge our reactions by taking the time to see the work themselves. Art is entirely subjective, and you may have a very different experience. If you want to see a fully committed cast giving you undeniable energy in tandem with some rather talented dancers that are performing one of the theatre industry’s most successful works, then you should book your tickets to see Workshops’s production of CATS. The show runs through March 23rd at Cottingham Theatre on the campus of Columbia College. You may buy tickets at www.workshoptheatreofsc.com. Also, don’t forget that the theatre is taking donations for animal shelters, so be sure to bring some treats, litter, or toys with you.