Students get ‘Footloose’ for PVHS production

ANDOVER – The final scene in “Footloose” is meant to depict a party.
During the Pymatuning Valley High School theater department’s production of the show, it falls upon the shoulders of Isaac Varela, as Ren McCormack, to get the celebration started in the perfect manner.
Varela delivered in spades as he ran and jumped onto the stage setting off the music for the performance of the show’s title song “Footloose” on Saturday, March 7.
“The people on my side, we all stare and we wait for him to jump on (stage),” Peyton Karis, who plays Ariel Moore, said. “It’s probably one of my favorite moments in the whole show. It’s so fun to watch.”
The cast anxiously awaits Varela’s grand entrance and feeds off his energy.
“It’s just so much adrenaline,” Nathan Jernigan, who plays Willard Hewitt, said. “It really gets us in the feel of the show. I don’t really know how to explain it, but you just flow with it. You go with the flow.”
Director Taylor Brown drew up the plan to kick off the finale with the Varela’s entrance.
“It sets the whole tone,” Brown said. “I came up with that idea probably about month and a half ago. I told him privately, nobody else knew. I asked what he thought about it. He said it would be awesome.”
Varela was more than willing to carry the energy for the performance of the title song and final dance number.
“She texted me after practice one day, and she goes, ‘I have an idea,’” Varela said. “She tells me about it and I’m like, ‘Absolutely!’ That next week, we figured it out and it was set. From the moment that we put that box down (to finalize the plan), we knew it was going to be amazing, especially with the suit and with the lights. It was going to be really good.”
It isn’t difficult for Varela to deliver in the moment as keeps the audience’s expectations in mind.
“Sometimes, I just think of it as just another run through, ‘I’ve done this a million times,’” Varela said. “Mainly, I just think I have to give the people what they came for. I can’t cut them short of anything that we’ve been working towards. It’s their right to be able to experience it. It’s for the audience. It’s not for us. It’s for the audience. In the end, that’s who we’re working for.”
The PVHS theater department performed “Footloose” on Friday, March 6, Saturday, March 7, and Sunday, March 8.
“Oh my gosh, it’s been so exciting,” Brown said. “Opening Night was just electrifying and tonight, same thing. Big crowd, so much support, and I couldn’t be more proud.”
“A live audience brings everything that (the actors) been giving times 10,” Brown continued. “The energy that they have been feeling these last few performances is just unmatched and great to see. The energy is different when there’s more than just me responding and laughing and clapping, and they really feed off of that. I could just see that little extra spark within them.”
The PVHS cast of “Footloose” included Isaac Varela as Ren McCormack; Claire Jewett as Ethel McCormack; Justin Summer as Rev. Shaw Moore; Loretta Nutter as Vi Moore; Karis Peyton as Ariel Moore; Anna Poole as Lulu Warnicker; Killian Spence as Wes Warnicker; Shelby Hitt as Eleanor Dunbar; McCamey Compan as Rusty; Elizabeth Jernigan as Urleen; Baylee Fogus as Wendy Jo; Mya Huffman as Piper; Mason Spencer as Chuck Cranston; Davon Lowe as Lyle; Donovan Warner as Travis; Isabella Limestoll as Betty Blast; Nathan Jernigan as Willard Hewitt; Maddy Jackson as Coach Roberta Dunbar; Mika Spediel as Principal; and Ashtabula County Sherriff Deputy Joe Cooper as Cop.
“(I’m most proud of) their dedication, their talents, their hard work,” Brown said. “They have been 150 percent the entire rehearsal season, so just to see it come to fruition for them, never to give me less than what I ask of them, is just an amazing accomplishment.”
The actors truly enjoyed performing the show.
“I think it’s been a lot of fun,” Jernigan said. “Working on this show has been amazing, and what we put on has just been the pinnacle of all of it. As much fun as it looks like we’re having on stage, we’re having even more fun than that.”
The show also kicks off with a performance of “Footloose” and it sets the ball rolling toward the climactic performance of the same song.
“Oh my gosh, how much fun has it been,” Varela said. “The energy was definitely super high today. It’s a trip. Feeling those stage lights, getting to play the character, all of it just combined, it’s just a roller coaster.”
“It’s amazing hearing that first applause after the opener,” Varela continued. “It’s the surge, the feeling, you can just feel it coursing through your veins. They’re laughing where we hoped that they would laugh, they’re cheering where we hope that they would cheer. They’re doing all the things. It’s just so amazing to be able to give the crowd what we’ve been working forward to.”
The actors were happy to ride the wide wave set in motion right from that opening scene.
“It’s so much fun,” Peyton said. “On stage, honestly, once you hit that initial reaction of seeing everyone and you get comfortable, you can just have fun and do whatever you want. Even in the wings, when we’re not on stage, we’re joking around with each other and having fun, and then on stage, with all my friends that I get to perform with, it’s so fun.”
Jernigan embraced his character and the song that really exhibits his personality.
“(My favorite part of the show is) definitely ‘Mama Says,’” Jernigan said. “It’s my song, so it’s kind of centered around me, so that’s my favorite. Other than that, there is no favorite point, everything is high energy and everything is a lot of fun.”
Peyton’s favorite moment is when her character opens up to what she truly wants.
“I love singing ‘Holding Out for a Hero,’ because that’s my favorite song, then when we get on for the finale, it’s just the peak part of the show,” Peyton said. “It’s so fun.”