Footloose musical delights crowds in Mitchelstown

CBS Mitchelstown was buzzing with stetsons, denim, gingham shirts and lots of greasepaint on Thursday, May 5th as Presentation Secondary School students came together with a handful of talented singers from CBS for their production of ‘Everybody Cut Footloose: The Musical’. The students gave Kevin Bacon (star of the 1984 movie version) a run for his money on a stage that was fantastically lit and themed for the musical.

With starring roles from Gabriel Casey and Emma Ryan, the cast and crew have been working hard for the last five months to bring the stage to life. Matinées were held on the Wednesday and Thursday mornings (May 4th and 5th) for local primary school children, with night-time performances on Friday and Saturday nights, May 6th and 7th.

Mary-Kate Clahane, one of the backstage crew, explained how the inspiration for the stage design came from looking at the landscapes of Utah, Iowa and the mid-Western states of the USA where the production is set. The country and western stylisation of the letters over the stage were stained with coffee to give that ‘rust’ look in a technique the artists learned from their teacher.

Well done to everyone involved in staging this tremendous musical.

(Pic: Marian Roche) RIGHT: Some of the cast of Footloose, the musical collaboration between Presentation Secondary School and CBS in Mitchelstown, posing before they took to the stage before their matinee performance.

(Pic: Marian Roche) Musical stars Ciara Murphy, Dearbhla Kearney, Kelly McCarthy and Clodagh O’Brien before performing in the Footloose musical in CBS.

(Pic: Marian Roche) The entire cast and crew of Footloose, the collaborative musical performance by Presentation Secondary School and CBS Mitchelstown.

(Pic: Marian Roche) Musical superstars Maeve Piggott and Clodagh Noonan pictured just before taking to the stage for the Mitchelstown school production of ‘Footloose’.

(Pic: Marian Roche) Some of the backstage crew of Footloose (Back l-r) Ellen Barry Lynes and Goda Bagdzevicivte and (front l-r) brother and sister Amy and Oden Vanderwerff.

(Pic: Presentation Secondary School) Presentation Secondary School teachers Ms. Winnie Fitzgerald (director), Ms. Ciara Murray (musical director) and Ms. Fiona Garvey (choreographer).

(Pic: Marian Roche) Pit choir members Ava Rose Moher and Chloe Finn who provided the all-important musical support for Footloose, held in CBS recently.

Roche) (Pic: Marian Ben Fraser and Gabriel Casey bringing a touch of James Dean style to the halls of CBS.

Marian Roche) (Pic: Stylish members of the cast of Footloose Katie Reidy Price, Emma Ryan and Elle Murphy.