Step into Bomont: The Theater Department Prepares for Their Lively Debut of Footloose

Been working so hard, I'm punching my card...

There is no one working more hard than Saint Thomas Aquinas Theater Director Kim Spillman to prepare for the debut of this year's fall musical, Footloose. This will be Spillman's twenty-fourth musical at Saint Thomas Aquinas and throughout her time with the theater department, she has developed experience in producing, designing costumes, and publicity. As Theater Director, Spillman heads everything from auditions, to callbacks, to rehearsals, and finally, opening night.

Thankfully, she has many hands contributing to a seamless production. Mr. Lucas, the stagecraft teacher and technology director in the theater department, helps design and construct the set and organize the lights and sound. He works alongside many students in the stagecraft course at Saint Thomas Aquinas and the musical crew to get these jobs done. Mrs. Boone, a seasoned vocalist and choir director at Saint Thomas Aquinas, has been leading the singing in Saint Thomas Aquinas musicals for many years, and is returning again to help Spillman in Footloose. Spillman also works alongside two non-staff members, Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Best, who come in during rehearsal hours to help with costumes and choreography. The most important group of helpers, however, are the actors and actresses starring in Footloose.

The cast and crew have put hours of time and effort into making Footloose a play to remember. Hailey Selock, a lead cast member says “The preparation for Footloose has been hard at times, as balancing everything can be challenging. However, the effort is worth it. The real reward comes from seeing our hard work pay off during performances. It's a powerful experience that makes all the dedication worthwhile.”

Seeing characterization come out of someone who isn't at all like their character is a really thrilling thing to watch.

Mrs. Spillman

At this point in the musical preparation process, the cast have memorized their lines and have ditched the scripts during rehearsals. According to Spillman, this part in the process is her favorite. She says “Once they have their lines memorized, they really start to own the characters and make fun choices. Getting rid of the scripts on stage, and seeing them make character choices and interact with each other in a way that is realistic and bringing you into a world that isn’t this world, that is my favorite part, just getting lost in the characters, and lost in the story, and being transported to Bomont.”

Speaking of Bomont, the town Footloose in which is set, here’s a sneak peak of what the audience can expect from Spillman and her hardworking cast and crew. Saint Thomas Aquinas’ rendition of Footloose will be set in the 2000’s in a small town called Bomont, Utah. Based on a true story, the cast will depict how a modern town, enveloped in grief and fear, blamed music for their problems. In a quick 90-minute show, country costumes, line dancing, and upbeat rock music will transport the audience to the resurgence of music in Bomont, Utah, and how the characters work together to get to that point. 

Spillman explained how she is very confident that the cast will be fully ready to perform a great show. With being a few weeks out, she feels the cast is exactly where they need to be. Spillman says “The kids are really coming along with their characters, and learning their dances, and their music. The set is looking really good, and I think we will be ready.” The cast, crew, and directing staff are all looking forward to opening night. Spillan says “Opening night is always exciting; there’s always such great energy in the air. The cast and crew are pumped up, they listen to music, they're excited, and the audience is always really excited to be at the first performance.” Before each performance the cast and crew all link arms together and pray right before they take the stage and perform. In their prayers, they take their energy and memories that began in the early days of rehearsal and bring them up to God, knowing that everyone in the theater department worked together to produce a fantastic show. 

From the audition process to opening night, the theater department works as a team to produce a captivating performance. Thanks to the directing skills of Kim Spillman and her colleagues, the cast and crew are able to make the town of Bomont, Utah come to life here at Saint Thomas Aquinas. 

Footloose runs November 7-9, 2024. Reserve your seats today at SeatYourself.

Everybody cut, Everybody cut, Everybody cut footloose!

About the Contributor

Peyton is a senior, class of 2025. Here at Aquinas, she runs track, is a board member of the Key Club, and on the bowling team. She is also a Peer Mentor and a Senior Ambassador. In her free time, she enjoys reading books, listening to music, and hanging out with family and friends.