The Theatre Report
Monroe's Strauss Theatre presents: Footloose
Yeah, I just got back from seeing Footloose live at the Strauss theatre in Monroe, LA. I saw it Friday, but tonight was closing night and we wanted to see it again. It was even better this time.
My friend Laura, who drove me, is friends with several ensemble cast members, so even though the theatre was sold out, she was able to wrangle us seats. I expected to be in a really awful seat in the back. No. The way this theatre is set up is like so: there's the stage, then a small walkway, stairs on either side down to the aisles, and then, on the other side of the stairs, a large square that's usually empty except for a light rigging pole. We had chairs in that little square. So we were close enough to touch the actors at times--when Chuck rides his motorcycle onto the stage, you could smell the exhaust--and I HAVE NO sense of smell. We were close enough to get decent photographs without the flash on our cameras--I may post some of them later.
Anyway, the show was utterly amazing, and the encore was even longer than last time--we were dancing and cheering and several of the cast members saw us and laughed. But that wasn't the coolest thing.
After the show, I knew from Friday night's showing I knew the cast would be out in the lobby for a meet-and-greet. I was prepared this time: I was armed with a program, a sharpie, and a camera. I was going to conquer my shyness and GET PICTURES AND AUTOGRAPHS. So Laura drags me through a side door, backstage, and down a corridor so we were walking WITH several of the cast down to the lobby. So I got several autographs and pictures, including the two stars of the show (links below) and the main bad dude--that was funny, he was so sweet in real life, but in the picture he had his "mean face" on and I was trying to look scared but I think I looked like I was about to burst out laughing. And Jonathan Weathersby, who played Ren (the lead) IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOT!!! He was the only one who, during the picture, actually *hugged* me, the others just sorta put an arm around me. He was so sweet! And Matt Wilkins, who played Willard, was hysterical on stage and off--I was laughing so hard it hurt!! Then a few of Laura's friends and I went and ate, and we stopped at a 50's style diner to get ice cream, when Matt Wilkins walked in! He saw us, grinned, walked over, and said, "Weren't you the girls who got a picture with me and you--" he pointed at me "--were almost too scared to say anything?" I nodded. He grinned. "Well, its a small world, huh?" So thus I ended up eating ice cream with one of the supporting actors. He earned major kudos by making a random The Ring reference, but that's another story.
So yeah. I had a fun night.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v62/r ... ormack.jpgMe with Jonathan Weathersby, who played Ren McCormack.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v62/r ... lMoore.jpgMe with Kaitlin Tilbury, who played Ariel Moore.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v62/r ... wMoore.jpgMe with Hunt Neely, who played Reverend Shaw Moore.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v62/r ... Hewitt.jpgMe with Matt Wilkins, who played Willard Hewitt (he was such a sweetheart!!!)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v62/r ... rRusty.jpgMe with Melissa Walker, who played Rusty.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v62/r ... anston.jpgMe with Kyle Lassalle, who played Chuck Cranston. I'm trying to look scared. Why do I look like I'm about to bust out laughing? Oh. Because I was.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v62/r ... iGolds.jpgMe (center) with JoAnn Cooper, who played Ethel McCormack (right) and Kristi Goldsberry, who played Elanor Dunbar (left).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v62/r ... semble.jpgMe with Sam Matherne, who was a cowgirl singer--technically an ensemble part, but she was quite good.
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