ORANGE — For many families, spending time together means movie nights, vacations or cheering each other on at sporting events. For the Piscitello family, it means sharing the stage.
Steve, Alecia and their 16-year-old son, Evan, are performing in Theatre at the Mount’s upcoming production of “Footloose,” described on the theater’s website as a “high-energy musical that celebrates the power of youth, resilience and rock ’n’ roll rebellion.” While each has experience with theater in different ways, this marks the first time the three have appeared together in the same production.
“Footloose” will be performed at the Gardner venue, located at 444 Green St., on Fridays, Aug. 7 and 14, and Saturdays, Aug. 8 and 15, all at 7:30 p.m. There will also be matinee performances on Sundays, Aug. 9 and 16, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $27 and can be purchased at mwcc.universitytickets.com.
The theater’s website explains that the show follows city teen Ren McCormack as he shakes up a small town where dancing is outlawed, proving that “sometimes all it takes is one voice — and one dance — to spark a revolution.”
The opportunity to perform as a family materialized unexpectedly. Evan Piscitello had already been cast as Garvin when the production team realized it needed more adults for the ensemble. The creative team, familiar with his father Steve Piscitello from a previous production of “Youth Frankenstein,” reached out to see if he would be interested in joining the cast. Soon after, they asked about Alecia Piscitello, whose background in music made her another natural fit.
“I was really glad that they had asked,” Evan Piscitello recalled, saying he is excited about sharing the stage with his parents.
Theater has long been woven into the family’s life. Evan Piscitello discovered his love for acting in the seventh grade after landing the role of Charlie Bucket in “Willy Wonka Jr.” Since then, he has continued performing while growing up surrounded by stories of his parents’ own experiences.
Steve Piscitello, who will play Principal Howard Clark, has taught at Winchester School in New Hampshire since 2007. During his time there, he wrote many plays designed to encourage literacy among students. Alecia Piscitello, who will play the principal’s wife, began teaching music at Athol-Royalston Middle School in 2003 before returning to her alma mater, Ralph C. Mahar Regional School, in 2025.
That shared experience has made rehearsals feel less like work and more like an extension of family life.
While Evan Piscitello recalls how the family has focused on encouraging one another throughout the rehearsal process, some of the most memorable moments have come from simple interactions onstage. He has enjoyed building playful backstories with his fellow cast members and laughing together during church scenes. His mother even gets to shoot him the occasional disappointed glare from across the stage.
For Steve Piscitello, one of the highlights has been watching fellow cast members discover that the three performers are actually related.
“When people realize we’re all family, they sort of look in our general direction and go ‘Aww,'” he shared, adding that everyone has been incredibly supportive. “It’s such a nice community there.”
That sense of community is something the Piscitellos say extends well beyond this production. When asked what they would tell other families considering community theater, the family answered without hesitation: “Do it!”
The family has found the theater to be more than memorizing lines or performing for an audience. Steve Piscitello noted that none of them have especially large speaking roles, but being part of the ensemble has allowed them to simply enjoy the experience together without the added pressure of carrying the show.
“We really do just show up to have fun,” he shared. “That’s the best part of being part of an ensemble.”
The production has also helped reinforce Evan Piscitello’s growing passion for theater. While Broadway once seemed like a distant dream, his experiences performing at Theatre at the Mount have changed his perspective.
“I don’t want to do anything without it,” he shared. “I can’t be without theater.”
As much as “Footloose” has been a memorable experience for the Piscitello family, they hope audiences also recognize the welcoming atmosphere that exists behind the curtain.
Steve Piscitello described Theatre at the Mount as more than just a performance venue, calling it a place where friendships continue long after productions end. Cast members stay connected, support each other’s future projects and encourage one another both on and off the stage.
“It’s really a great community home,” he said.
Alecia Piscitello, appearing in her first production at the venue, echoed those feelings. She felt immediately welcomed by fellow performers and appreciated finding her own place within the theater community while still sharing the experience with her husband and son.
“I can still talk to other people and still feel like I belong there,” she said. “It’s wonderful.”
