The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has assembled a quartet of Broadway alums to headline its upcoming presentation of Footloose. J. Quinton Johnson (Choir Boy, Hamilton) will star as Ren McCormack, with Isabelle McCalla (The Prom) as Ariel Moore, Michael Park (Dear Evan Hansen) as Reverend Shaw, and Tony nominee Rebecca Luker (Mary Poppins) as Vi.
The production, part of the Center’s Broadway Center Stage series, will run October 9–14 in the Eisenhower Theater. Original director Walter Bobbie will helm the semi-staged concert presentation, featuring choreography by Spencer Liff and musical direction by Sonny Paladino.
The musical, based on the ‘80s Kevin Bacon–led film, premiered at the Kennedy Center in 1998 before going on to play Broadway. Included are the Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins, and Jim Steinman songs heard in the movie, as well as an original score by Tom Snow and Dean Pitchford. “I am thrilled to bring this show back to the place where it all started in this very exciting revised version,” said Vice President of Theater Producing and Programming Jeffrey Finn.
The staging will also feature sets and projections by Paul Tate dePoo III, costumes by David Woolard, lighting by Cory Pattak, and sound design by Jon Weston.
Following Footloose, the new Center Stage season will continue with Next to Normal led by Tony winner Rachel Bay Jones and Bye Bye Birdie.
Luker has been a special guest performer on Playbill Travel’s Broadway on the High Seas cruises. Cabins are now on sale for Broadway in the Great Northwest, Playbill Travel’s first domestic cruise featuring Kate Baldwin, Tedd Firth, Christopher Fitzgerald, Aaron Lazar, and Faith Prince (April 26–May 4, 2020), and for Broadway on the Mediterranean (August 31–September 7, 2020), featuring Audra McDonald, Will Swenson, Gavin Creel, Caissie Levy and Lindsay Mendez, and for Broadway on the Nile (December 27,2020–January 7, 2021), with performers soon to be announced. To book a suite or stateroom, call Playbill Travel at 866-455-6789 or visit PlaybillTravel.com.
