Michael T. Mondak speaks about performing in Footloose 20 years later Part IV

This last part of a series about performing in the musical Footloose in 2004 will, as promised, aim to answer some questions asked in the previous entry.

First, what occurred in the aftermath following the final curtain call on April 3, 2004?

The following afternoon, we had out wrap party at Lenny Labriola's house in Fox Chapel.  I rode there with Michael J. Mainier and Emily DeWald, accompanied by Emily's parents.  My biggest regret from it was that I wore perhaps the ugliest outfit you can imagine, a suit with a denim shirt and a necktie.  The female cast members who boosted my morale the previous four nights received balloons from me.  Dinner happened.  Karaoke happened.

But the final time we were together as a cast came on Monday of finals week where we took a break from cramming for our final exams so we could have a screening of the DVD of our production.  All of the female cast members would receive balloons from me.  We would receive our copies of the DVD prior to our departure for our own hometowns for the summer hiatus.

The next question to be answered is:  Did I perform with any members of the Footloose cast in other productions?

The answer is yes.  Returning with me to perform in Grease in November 2004 were Tansy Fortner, Lenny Labriola, Greg Heid, Caitlin Varley, Lindsey Wright, Jackie Becker, Samantha Leonardi, Courtney Spradley, Douglas Beasock, Dominic DeNardis, Robert Dubs Jr., Gary Ashley, Summer Leigh York, Michael J. Mainier and Bethany Gallagher.  We were joined by newcomers Kyle Bradley, Katie Scott, Ashley Scott, Christine Bower, and Justina Rossi.  And I was joined in April 2005 for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by returnees Gary Ashley, Katie Scott, Dominic DeNardis, Greg Heid, John Locke and Summer Leigh York, and newcomers Sarah Kilpatrick, Greg Gushard, Scott Conklin, Nick Lumley, Corey Nulton, Alex Wilson, and Stacey L. Smith.

And finally, where are my fellow cast members from Footloose now?

As I mentioned in a previous entry, Michael J. Mainier later married Emily DeWald.  John Locke eventually married Emily Kosloff.  Gary Ashley now lives in Winchester, Virginia.  Tansy Fortner is now Tansy Morton.  Heather Lazzini is now Heather Barhorst and now is living in Dayton, Ohio.  Bethany Gallagher is now Bethany Kelly.  Samantha Leonardi is now Samantha Salyards.  Caitlin Varley is now award winning photographer Caitlin Girdwood with friends in high places in the Steel City.  Lindsey Wright later married Kyle Bradley.  Dana Hanzlik is now Dana Dwyer.  Courtney Spradley is now Courtney Lucas.  Stacey Dixon relocated from Meadville to Chicago and eventually to  Happy Valley, and now to Austin.  Dom DeNardis now resides in Pittsburgh.  Melony Murray is now Melony Glos.  In 2016, I had a mini-reunion with her when we both volunteered at that year's U.S. Open golf championship at historic Oakmont Country Club outside of Pittsburgh.  Not much is known as to where Douglas Beasock, Summer Leigh York, Lenny Labriola, Jackie Becker, Rex Crawley, Nathan Oakes, Ann Mattis, Dave Budziszewski and Amy Etzel are now.  And as for me?  I still reside in Hermitage.  And to this day, my fellow cast members from Footloose still call me Jeopardy Mike.