Check out the story by cast member Megan Holler and moms can chat to win four free tickets to FOOTLOOSE!

The Magic of "Footloose"
By Megan Holler

“Hufflepuff for the win!”

“Don’t touch me, I’m socially awkward!”

“Everybody thrust!”

“Just be cool about it!”

These are a few things you might hear in GREAT Theatre studios just before a “Footloose “ rehearsal. Everyone dances, laughs or jokes around as more people show up for practice but when the clock strikes six, we get down to work.

I’m Megan Holler, one of 37 cast members in GREAT Theatre’s production of “Footloose,” opening Friday at the Paramount Theatre.

When practice starts, magic happens. The show itself is magical — from the tragically detached relationship between a mourning father and his reckless daughter to the charmingly ironic friendship between a small-town hick and a big city rebel, from an ’80s Chicago dance club to a backwoods hoedown.

But the real magic is what goes on behind the scenes. The script may be the starting point, but the magic of theater comes from the crew who frame the picture, the directors who paint the picture and the cast that brings the picture to life.

From the looks of it, “Footloose” will be one incredible show. Our costumer, Brigid Borka, has pulled together some of the most outrageously accurate ’80s outfits for us to wear. Kevin Bacon idolizers — welcome to a blast from the past!

Working at the technical site where the sets are built with John Loreth and our other set builders was so much fun, and it will be cool to see what props and moving set pieces we will be working with on stage.

Our directors are so experienced, they’re really painting a wonderful picture for us. Kristen Mattick, our music director, has taught us well. She knows every part, from bass to first soprano. I have no idea how she does it!

Stage manager Michelle Carlson is just as awesome, taking videos of our rehearsals for us to review later. Director/choreographer, Andrew Rasmussen, also directed “Rent” in fall 2009. It’s great to have such an experienced, talented man molding the show. Every single person volunteering, directing and creating is so essential to the show, and they all do an amazing job with it.

So you might wonder, why do people do theater? Memorizing 20 songs, 16 scenes and countless dance moves might seem crazy but it’s a passion. Being a part of the GREAT Theatre family is my passion.

Practice is what I’m excited for every day — pushing me to do better, gaining confidence and making memories and friendships that last a lifetime. No one can understand the family at GREAT until they’ve been there. It’s remarkable. Everyone comes from a different walk of life but we all have one thing in common — our passion for putting on an amazing show.

So, what might you hear at the end of rehearsal? Everyone huddled in the middle of the room, hands in, heads together. Silence. And then… “1- 2-3—Team “Footloose!”

Megan Holler, 17, is cast in “Footloose” and is a senior St. Cloud Christian School.