The last time the Verona High School Spotlight Players presented a musical was the first weekend in March 2020. “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” would be the last show on the VHS stage until November 2021, when the group performed the neo-futurist play “Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind.” Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the Spotlight Players have remained active, showing their creativity with online one-act plays, radio drama and an original musical, “Broadway Through The Ages,” performed outdoors at the Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center in West Orange. But now the group is back on the VHS stage with singing and dancing.
The Spotlight Players’ spring musical “Footloose” takes the audience on a journey to the town of Bomont, where a courageous transfer student from Chicago stands up to the town council and proves that “dancing is not a crime.” The cast features Nick Canal, Sofia Albanese, Jack McHugh, Leila Brolly, Olivia Egan, Ian Ostermayer, Maddie Suk, Faith Brolly, Emma DePaul, Nick Boake, Julia Komninos, Amanda Visone, Arlen Halliday, Aaron Richards, James Shorten, Sofia Greco, Sophie Beaubouef, Andrew Conte, Sophia Nuñez, Abby Shust, Dylan Frey, Aidan Azarowicz, Luca Tedesco, Abby Miller, Olivia Tedesco, Olivia Fuentes, Fiona Church, Caity Eng, Marguerite Valera, Courtney Cullen, Brielle Marchese, Kaelin Walsh, Nolani Lloyd, Lauren Ryan, Grace McMahan, and Caitlyn Heimerle. The production is under the direction of Steven Munoz with the support of Music Director Paul Salierno, Choreographer Jana Lawson, Stage Manager Steph Zimany and Assistant Director Alyssa Lipensky.
The show runs from Thursday, March 3, to Saturday 5, with performances at 7:30 p.m. and a 2 p.m. matinee on March 5. Tickets can be purchased online.
You can also show your support for the Spotlight Players by purchasing a booster in the playbill. Simply fill out the online form and Venmo payment to @VHS-Spotlight-Players.
