Our Daily Show Interview! MCHS Presents: Freaky Friday This Weekend
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ALTON - Marquette Catholic High School’s production of “Freaky Friday” premieres this weekend.
You can check out this year’s musical at MCHS at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, and Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12, 2025. Madison Foreman, the Theatre and Music teacher at MCHS, expressed her pride in her students and her excitement to share the show — and its lesson about connecting across generations — with the Riverbend community.
“They are doing an amazing job,” Foreman said. “That is the big message I’m trying to get across. There’s so much misunderstanding between parents and kids and just adults and teens in general, but they show it in a comedic way in the show.”
There are 30 students involved in the production, including leading stars Heidi, Alyssa, Nick and Jackson.
Heidi plays Ellie, the “grouchy, awkward teenager” who transforms into her mother in the “Freaky Friday” switch. Heidi said she was inspired by the 2003 movie, but she enjoyed putting her own spin on the character and the story, creating a more “grungy” version of the character.
“I kind of took the Lindsey Lohan version as a little bit of inspiration, but you’ve got to make it your own,” she explained. “Ellie is mine now.”
Alyssa plays Ellie’s “workaholic” mother, but she also enjoys embodying Ellie as the show progresses. She shared that she created a new version of the character based on the movie and Heidi’s portrayal.
“I feel like after the switch and everything, I made Ellie a lot more whiney than she was originally because she’s going through it,” Alyssa said. “She’s going through it in this play.”
There are 20 musical numbers in the show, including one where the cast does “choreographed burpees.” Foreman said the cast has had a lot of fun learning the choreography and engaging with the music, which ranges from pop to jazz.
As the students prepare for opening night, they’re also looking to the future. Nick, who plays the mother’s husband, said he hopes to continue performing after high school. He is excited for the next steps in his theater career.
“I would say going to college is going to be a big gateway open for me, especially when it comes to performing arts,” Nick said. “I’m going to be getting into a lot more things, and I’m super excited about it.”
Jackson, who plays Ellie’s boyfriend, added that he has loved participating in theater since he was in middle school. As a freshman, he hopes to continue engaging with the theater program throughout his tenure at MCHS.
“I just really enjoy it,” he said. “I feel like I can be myself around these people. Since I’ve done it since sixth grade, I find comfort in doing it, too.”
You can see Heidi, Alyssa, Nick and Jackson in Marquette’s production of “Freaky Friday” this weekend. Tickets cost $10 and can be purchased online or at the door. Marquette students and children under age 7 can attend for free. To purchase tickets online, click here or visit the official Marquette Theatre webpage for more information.
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