The Oakfields College Faculty of Dance and Musical Theatre’s annual production has become a highlight in many theatregoers’ diaries. This year promises to be no different as they present the musical song-cycle Edges at the Joburg Fringe Theatre from November 17
to 25.
Edges is a contemporary, coming-of-age musical that explores the trials and tribulations of young people moving into adulthood while navigating issues such as individual identity, complicated relationships, societal expectations and unrequited love.
This series of musical vignettes provides a voyeuristic slice-of-life peek into the lives of numerous characters as they dissect and assess various aspects of their lives, ranging from Facebook addictions to skirting around the word ‘love’ in a new relationship.
The creators of Edges, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, are an American song-writing duo whose original songs have been featured on NBC’s series Smash, and most recently in the film La La Land, (for which they won both the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Original Song).
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Most notably, of course, is their work on the original musical Dear Evan Hansen which earned them the Tony Award for Best Original Score.
Edges marked the duo’s debut as songwriters when they were 19-year-old undergraduates in musical theatre and has since been performed in numerous productions worldwide, including South Korea, Australia, China, the Philippines, Denmark and more.
Edges is directed by local actress and head of the Oakfields College Faculty of Dance and Musical Theatre, Jackie Rens. Supporting her as assistant director and choreographer is the multi-talented Weslee Swain Lauder whose work on the musical Saturday Night Fever at the State Theatre earned him a Naledi award nomination for Best Original Choreography.
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Musical director is Dawid Boverhoff who won this year’s Naledi Award for Best Score / Arrangement / Adaptation for the production Altyd in my Drome, which debuted at the Pieter Toerien Studio Theatre.
This production will also feature special guest appearances by local stars Nadia Beukes and Nicholas Nkuna.
Over the past five years, the Oakfields College Faculty of Dance and Musical Theatre has established a solid reputation for setting the bar when it comes to quality student productions.
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Given the exquisite material created by Pasek and Paul, the experience of the creative team and the huge talent of the cast of 25 student performers, this production of Edges is sure to be yet another Oakfields College success.
It is set to take the audience on an emotional journey of mostly poignant, sometimes sombre and often hilarious moments.
Due to the use of occasional strong language and contentious subject matter, some of the material may not be suitable for children under the age of 13.
* Online bookings can be made on the theatre website at www.joburgtheatre.co.za or call 0861 670 670.
* Oakfields College Faculty of Dance
and Musical Theatre's next audition for 2018 is on Saturday, November 25. They have an open day on Saturday, November18. For more information contact Jackie Rens at [email protected].