Once upon a time, when Len and I lived in our old house, a new family moved in next door.

Along with her parents, older brother and two barky dogs, Lindsay, age 6, soon became a special friend. Both of us loved Eloise; it had been one of her mother’s favorite books, too, so the enthusiasm for the little Plaza Hotel minx ran in the family. Lindsay even began calling me Eloise, which I didn’t mind at all. It was like a secret handshake, a code, a bonding thing. We had fun tickling the ivories, playing with the Paddingtons, and donning elf shoes for a Christmas party.

More than anything, though, Lindsay loved to perform. She attended the Northern Virginia School for Dance and Theatre, and we had the distinct pleasure of watching her tap, pirouette, and jazz step her way through many recitals. She soon became a triple threat — developing her singing and acting talents further at Penn State. Whenever she took the stage, she had that certain sparkle and presence that compelled you to watch her every move. Before we knew it, little Lindsay had grown into a beautiful young woman, who moved to NYC to pursue the next phase of her career.

At some point before she left home, Lindsay and I made a
pact — that one day, when she became famous and opened on Broadway, she would save us front row seats. Though that day still looms somewhere on the horizon, she is making great strides towards realizing her dream.

She’s been in a host of regional productions, including A Chorus Line, Godspell, The Full Monty, 42nd Street, The Sound of Music, and Copacabana. She’s been through all the ups and downs of auditions, call-backs, and near misses, working as a restaurant hostess and in real estate to pay the bills. She’s auditioned for the Broadway production of A Chorus Line, the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes, even American Idol. There have been some disappointments along the way, like when she auditioned for Hairspray — they loved her singing, but told her she was too tall! Still, she continues to hone her craft, move forward, make new inroads — stretching her wings with each new role, tour, or venue.

Last year, *ta da* Lindsay won the lead role of Ariel Moore in the 10th Anniversary National Tour of Footloose! Ever since December, she and her fellow actors have been traveling all over the country with their rambunctious, toe-tapping, highly energized production based on the 1984 movie. Variety raved about its “genuine artistry and innovation,” while the L.A. Movie Gazette calls it, “One of the most extraordinary musicals ever to come out of Hollywood. Footloose blends fantastical situations with important issues and balances them perfectly.”

Well, Footloose is playing several venues in Virginia, the closest of which is at the Paramount Theatre in Charlottesville. I just purchased tickets to attend that performance in April; it’ll be the first time we’ll be seeing Lindsay in several years. We can’t wait!

Thought I’d pass along this link to the Footloose Tour website, which contains the master schedule of all performances. They’ll be zigzagging their way through states like California, Florida, Arizona, North Carolina, Minnesota, Texas, Missouri, Washington, and Pennsylvania.

So, if you’re looking to break out of the winter blues, or need something to look forward to this spring, go see Footloose. Lindsay might very well be performing at a venue near you!!

This just in: While Lindsay was recently performing in California, some of the writers, including Kenny Loggins, came to the show. Paramount is doing a remake of the movie, and has signed Zac Ephron for the role of Ren!! No word on the female lead, yet, but hello, big Hollywood producer people: What about Lindsay?!

Isn’t it nice to know that if you work hard, dreams can come true? Remember this name: Lindsay Luppino. And stay tuned. This rising star is shooting for the moon!

**Check out Lindsay’s website for her full resume and more photos!