Freddy Award winner Alex Bobbyn brings his illustrious high school acting career to a close in Northwestern's spring musical "Footloose."

Bobbyn stars as Ren, the role made famous by Kevin Bacon in the original film.

The play follows several families as they cope with life's changes in an ordinary American city.

Bobbyn sees his character as "a really good guy who wants to be a bad guy," but there's more to him than meets the eye.

"His dad left him at an early age, so he's got that bitterness eating at him from the inside," Bobbyn said.

Christine McDonald, who plays his mother Ethel McCormack, explained Ren's bitterness.

"It is further aggravated when we are forced to move from Chicago to Bomont to live with my sister Lulu Warnicker [played by Sami Wiik] and her conservative husband Wes (played by George Haddad), because I'm having trouble finding a job," McDonald said.

Wes does not approve of Ren and to make matters worse, Ren's creative outlet, dancing, is prohibited in Bomont.

The crusade against dancing was spearheaded by the Rev. Shaw Moore, played by Kurtis Reif.

The Rev. Shaw harbors grief and anger, and blames drinking and rock 'n' roll for causing the accident that ended his son's life.

"I've convinced myself God took him away from me because he was dancing," Reif said. "Shaw is completely obsessed with the past and his son's death."

This affects his relationship with both his wife, Vi, played by Daneen Haas, and his daughter, Ariel, played by Haley Smith.

"I see Vi as such a strong woman," Haas said. "She's always right and yet she's pushed into a corner.

"Vi and Ren's mother, Ethel, become pretty good friends."

Both women have to deal with teenagers who want to assert their independence.

"Our characters are sort of mirrors of each other," McDonald said. "No matter what happens, we're expected to hold on. This is probably one of the most complex roles I've had."

Bobbyn agreed the roles are more complicated than they first appear.

"Playing Ren is demanding but I love a challenge," he said.

Bobbyn, who admires the work of Al Pacino and Marlon Brando, discussed preparing for the role of Ren.

"I find my place by thinking of things that really upset me," Bobbyn said.

Ariel is another complicated character.

"Ariel just wants her dad to notice her," Smith said. "The Rev. Shaw never talks about the accident and he ignores me."

"Ariel would rather disappoint her father rather than not be noticed."

It's no wonder Ariel's boyfriend Chuck Cranston [played by Alec Fixl] is the town delinquent.

"Chuck thinks of the reverend as an authority figure but he doesn't care if the reverend doesn't approve of him," said Fixl, describing his character as "an arrogant dropout" who sells drugs.

"Out of anger and jealousy, he jumps Ren because he's the new boy," Fixl said.

Ariel is attracted to Ren.

"Ariel is a really complex character," Smith said. "She's applying to colleges and she really seems to want more culture and to travel the world.

"She's definitely religious and really smart, too, but she wants to leave Bomont so bad."

And, Ren is not from Bomont.

"Ren is a much better fit for Ariel but the reverend sees him as plotting against him," Reif said. "Ariel is not the son I lost. I'm trying to make sure she lives her life as Bobby would have, so I'm not letting her be her own person."

"Footloose" is a 1998 musical based on the 1984 film.

"It's a time worth revisiting for me personally," Bobbyn said. "Of course I wasn't there, but I've been talking to my parents about it."

Jaedon Muhl worked as a paid intern at the Pines Dinner Theater, Allentown, last summer.

"It's such a fun show," said Muhl, who plays Travis, one of Chuck's friends. "At the Pines, we did a shorter version of 'Footloose' for a smaller cast. This one is the Broadway version.

"This show has great meaning. It's pretty up there. Besides, I'm working with my family [cast and crew]."

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"Footloose" is scheduled to be performed at 7 p.m. March 6, 7 and 8; and 2 p.m. March 9 in the high school auditorium.

Doors open an hour before the shows.

Tickets may be purchased online at nwhsdrama.webs.com or northwesterlehigh.ticketleap.com/footloose.

Adult tickets are $9. Students and senior citizens are $6. Online ticket sales with credit cards begin on Feb. 24, and will end two hours before each show.

Tickets also may be purchased 8-11 a.m. in the high school attendance office, Monday through Friday, beginning Feb. 25.

Depending on availability, tickets will also be sold one hour before each show in the high school gymnasium lobby.