WHITE RIVER – The young, talented and gifted Bafana Nyanda set the stage on fire in the lead role of Ren McCormack in the 1980’s musical Footloose at Uplands College last week.
The college’s production of Footloose was fantastic: vibrant, slick, energetic and professional. Tickets to the four shows sold out.
Most people who saw this production used words such as “outstanding,” “phenomenal” and “awesome” to describe it. The cast was bursting with talent and was well rehearsed with coordinated dance moves. The entire cast and crew displayed potent energy and fun and created theatre of the highest standards. Footloose is the well-known story about a young city boy, Ren, who moves to a small town.
He is not prepared for the rigorous local edicts, including a ban on dancing instituted by the local preacher who is determined to exercise control over the town’s youth that he cannot command in his own home. Ren cannot resist breaking the rules.
Uplands’ production is directed by Devin Möller who assembled the young cast who number 60 talented high school pupils. “Theatre is a beautiful window to the truth in our own lives,” he said. “While researching my vision for this production, the bridge kept creeping back to my mind.
Important things happens to this town on the bridge – the accident that killed four teenagers and the moment Ariel and Ren finally find someone who can see them for the way they want to be seen. “Symbolically, there is also a bridge between the teens and adults in the town that needs to be rebuilt. Thankfully they find a way to mend that rift. I loved the chance this musical gave me to reflect on the ‘bridges’ in our own lives.” Most of the people who experienced the show could not stop talking about it.
“The production and performances were truly amazing. Bafana Nyanda in the lead role of Ren is a star in the making,” added attendee Peter Doble.
