Theater News

J. Quinton Johnson and Isabelle McCalla to Star in Footloose

Walter Bobbie returns to direct a revised version of the stage musical at the Kennedy Center.

Isabelle McCalla and J. Quinton Johnson will costar in the Kennedy Center's Broadway Center Stage production of Footloose.
Isabelle McCalla and J. Quinton Johnson will costar in the Kennedy Center's Broadway Center Stage production of Footloose.
(photos provided by the Kennedy Center)

The Kennedy Center has announced casting for its upcoming Broadway Center Stage production of Footloose, running from October 9-14 in the Eisenhower Theater.

The cast will star J. Quinton Johnson (Hamilton) as Ren McCormack, a teenager who moves from Chicago to Bomont, Texas, alongside Isabelle McCalla (The Prom) as Ariel Moore, the Reverend's rebellious daughter who joins Ren to change that town forever. Also featured will be Michael Park (Dear Evan Hansen) as Reverend Shaw Moore and three-time Tony nominee Rebecca Luker (Mary Poppins) as Vi Moore.

The musical's original Broadway director Walter Bobbie returns to helm this production, with a revised book penned by Bobbie and Academy Award winner Dean Pitchford, based on Pitchford's screenplay for the hit film. Bobbie is joined by choreographer Spencer Liff and music director Sonny Paladino.

Footloose features a score by Tom Snow and Pitchford with additional music by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins, and Jim Steinman. Rounding out the creative team are set and projection designer Paul Tate dePoo III, Tony-nominated costume designer David Woolard, lighting designer Cory Pattak, and sound designer Jon Weston.

Jeffrey Finn, Vice President of Theater Producing and Programming, offered the following statement: "The stage musical of Footloose made its pre-Broadway world premiere at the Kennedy Center in 1998, and I am thrilled to bring this show back to the place where it all started in this very exciting revised version."