By Geoffrey Wertime, Staff Writer
The 60-person cast of Northern Burlington County Regional High School’s spring musical, “Footloose,” faced an unusual challenge for a school play: a focus on dancing.
”Dance made it a challenge in so many ways,” said NBC theater arts director Valerie Gargus.
The school brought in renowned dance instructor Kerina Connor, who served for decades as the artistic director of The National Ballet of New Jersey, to choreograph the show, which is based on the 1984 film of the same name.
The demanding routines at first made it difficult for the students to sing, Ms. Gargus said.
But this new aspect to the school’s spring musical, which begins tonight, Thursday, drew a “whole new crew” of dancers to the production.
”We actually found new talent,” she said. “They discovered they could act and sing as well as dance.”
Dancing was not the only challenge for the school’s faculty. Ms. Gargus said the harder part for the show’s vocal director, David Taylor, was the tone.
”You don’t want to sound like a concert choir” in a show with ‘80s music, she said. “You have to give it that rock feel.”
The driving force behind it is Ren McCormack, who is played by senior Tyler Schneckenberger, 17.
Ren, a high school student, moves to a small town where dancing is not allowed because of the conservative Rev. Shaw Moore, who is played by senior Julian Azan, 18.
”It feels good to be able to be my own age in a play, and show a rebellious attitude that I myself don’t feel like portraying out in the real world,” Tyler said.
An accomplished vocalist, he this year sings with the All-Eastern Choir, and has in the past been the No. 2 tenor in the All-State Choir.
He has also received a free pass to participate in a six-week summer program in Montclair this summer based after the Rising Star Award Program judged him one of the top seven male leads in 2008 for his performance in last year’s musical, “Les Misérables.”
Tyler said he’s “not much of a dancer,” and had to learn it for the part.
”Whenever it comes to dancing and acting, you use your feelings to build your character, and you use your past experiences,” he said.
Julian, who has also been in many of the school’s shows, recently won a number of awards at the State Thespian Festival at Rutgers, including “best actor in a short play.” He said his character has a particularly rich back-story, which helped him get into the role.
”Rev. Moore is a caring father who just wants to do what’s best for his community and best for his family,” he said. “He’s dealing with the loss of his son in a negative way by banning all dancing from the town.
”It was relatable on a lot of levels,” he continued. “He’s a deep, mysterious character, and he’s easily misunderstood.”
Julian, who lauded the “unusually harmonious” cast, also said he doesn’t think he’s much like his character.
”I consider myself pretty simple,” he said.
Ms. Gargus said rehearsals, which began in early January, have gone smoothly.
”The kids are so pumped up, they’re really excited,” she said. “They have it together so well.”
Performances of “Footloose” will be held Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of North Hanover Upper Elementary School, 46 Schoolhouse Road, Wrightstown. Tickets cost between $8 and $12, depending on the seats, and are available at the door or online at www.seatyourself.biz/nburlington.

