Footlighters' Young Performers Stage Original Show

The Burlington County Footlighters Intern Company takes student innovation to new heights this week with the premiere of One Giant Leap, a completely original show written exclusively by young adults in the company.

The show, created by the company’s 15- to 20-year-old members, follows three story lines set in 1969, focusing on the Space Race, Woodstock and the Vietnam War. It marks the first time in the company’s 11-year history that the script has been entirely organic.

Director Kevin Esmond said the company likes to "raise the bar" with each new production, but admitted to being slightly nervous about writing and staging a totally original work.

"The one giant leap was me ... I was afraid to really take this step," he said. "From the moment we started, it was clear they had a million ideas, not just a couple."

“This year is our biggest challenge yet,” said Haley Gannon, of Westampton, who is participating in her fourth Intern show. “The whole production is made from scratch. You can’t get an experience like this anywhere else, and the result promises to be an unforgettable night of theatre.”

The show incorporates period music, historical tidbits and unique special effects. One Giant Leap, like Intern Company itself, concentrates on both the individual and the group—exploring the larger issues of 1969 and the modern world through comedy and drama, while also highlighting the flaws and triumphs of human nature.

Intern Company hones and nurtures young adults’ theatrical skills and interests by placing the show’s creation and development in their hands. Each summer, with the guidance of experienced staff members, the students design and stage every aspect of the show, including sets, costumes and lighting.

Esmond said the process of creating an entirely original play is "a little bit addictive," and revealed he plans to make this the Intern Company's M.O. from now on.

"They really wrote a really good script," he said. 

Burlington County Footlighters Playhouse is located at 808 Pomona Road, Cinnaminson.