Imagine making the move from a big city to a small town where dancing and rock music have been banned due to a tragic accident years prior. That’s exactly what young sophomore Jack Duda had to do when playing the lead role of Ren McCormack. 

Receiving this role as a sophomore is a huge accomplishment but can be very nerve-wracking. “I went from being a munchkin in the musical [Wizard of Oz] last year to the main guy, I was very surprised, it was pretty crazy,” said Duda.

 It all started at auditions when Jack was given the option to choose between two songs and he chose the harder one. After waiting for a response he got called back to sing more songs for the main character Ren McCormack and the character of Chuck Cranston. Ultimately he became the perfect fit for Ren.

 Luckily, for Jack, he has a very supportive family from a musical background. “My sister Maddie, who I did the musical and play with last year, is just an amazing actor. I learned a lot from her, like how to act and be more professional,” said Duda. Jack’s other sister Annie is in Nashville finishing college and singing. “She’s an incredible singer and she has so much confidence,” said Duda. Surrounded by great role models like this, Jack was able to find a passion for singing and acting.

Ren is a rebellious outsider character going against the grain. Watching a character on stage is easy, but becoming and fully understanding that character is a difficult task. “To get into character I listened to a lot of 80s rock music, and watched scenes from the movie as well,” said Duda.

Even with months of preparation, nervous voices can still sneak their way in. “The last couple weeks before the show I was very stressed out and felt like I wasn’t right or ready for this role. I felt like I wasn’t doing my best,” said Duda.  Jack’s mom, with directorial experience, was able to help him with these negative thoughts. “I remember she told me that you have to be in the role and you have to want it. She snapped me back into it and was very encouraging,” said Duda.

To stand in front of a large crowd at such a young age while singing and acting is a vulnerable task. Stage fright can be different for each night of the show, especially with different audiences. “Knowing my family is in the crowd can make it a little less stressful and give me more confidence,” said Duda. 

After all the late nights and many hours of practice, they finally “got a show.” “The first night there was a lot of adrenaline and everyone was running off of that. It went really well because everyone was excited and we used that energy,” said Duda. Even though a lot of nerves were felt in the air, the feelings of excitement overpowered the rest.

Since three years old, Avery Federico has been drawn to the spotlight. Music has been an enormous part of her life. She’s been an actress for Westmoreland Performing Arts for three years and before that, she participated in Stage Right. Her resume covers about 100 shows, with many more to male the list. Once she found out the musical was Footloose she immediately wanted to audition.

Avery earned the role of Rusty, the leader of the girl’s trio and Ariel Moores’s fun, outspoken best friend. She’s seen as a voice of reason for Ariel and has a huge crush on Willard. This role couldn’t be more perfect for Avery’s personality.

Avery used her prior knowledge of Footloose to help elevate her performance. She had participated in the musical Footloose before with W.P.A and had the role of Ariel. “I took inspiration from the girls I’ve seen play Rusty before and what I saw in the movie,” said Federico. The most helpful part for her to get into character was getting to know the other two girls in the trio. “I didn’t expect to actually become as great of friends with Grace and Sophia as I did, but it really helped since we’re best friends in the show,” said Federico.

While staying true to her character Rusty’s personality, Avery was able to make it her own. Most of Rusty’s costumes were pulled from Avery’s personal closet. “It wasn’t really hard to get into character because Rusty is kind of just like me,” said Federico. 

When it came to the day of the musical, Avery arrived two hours early to prepare. “I make sure to have a lot of cough drops and drink a lot of water so my voice can be the best it can be,” said Federico. She handles her stage fright by over-preparation and reassuring herself that she knows what she’s doing. “I like to talk to people before the show so I can get my mind off of everything for a bit,” said Federico. 

Ultimately, Avery was the perfect person for the character Rusty. She embodied her lively and bubbly personality. “I really like Footloose, it’s one of my favorite shows. It felt amazing performing and Rusty has my favorite track in the show,” said Federico.

The stage crew is a talented group of people who work behind the scenes to bring the musical to life. Junior Autumn Blozowich has been a part of the stage crew since eighth grade. During the musical Footloose, Autumn and Kate Larson were in charge of the lights in the booth. The booth normally only has four people working on soundboards and lights. “The director sometimes comes back and sits with us because it’s the best seat in the house,” said Blozowich. 

Even though Autumn has an amazing seat, she’s still hard at work, changing the colors, brightness, and position of the lights on stage. Audience members don’t always realize how many little details like this go into bringing the musical to life.

It was night two, and the jam-packed crowd was filled with exhilarating energy. No matter if this was your first or 100th time seeing Footloose, it was a guarantee that everyone in the audience could get a good laugh.  

Junior, Bianca Brown, attended the musical on March 15, 2025, with no prior knowledge of Footloose. She went into the musical not knowing what to expect and left with a smile on her face. “My favorite character was Willard, played by Ben Ammett; he was very funny and awkward. He never failed to make everyone giggle,” said Brown. 

 Footloose fans were singing and cheering during the show all throughout the crowd. “Everyone in the crowd seemed really into it. Some people were singing the songs and dancing,” said Brown. For Biannca’s first time experiencing Footloose, the Greater Latrobe Senior High School’s musical put on an impressive performance.