Back three decades for Doncaster school’s musical smash

A total eclipse transformed Trinity Academy students into sassy kids in America as they wound back the years, donned leg-warmers and played on their Rubiks cubes for their latest stage performance.

With a strong cast of pupils drawn from years seven to 10 across the school, the neon-lit annual production was both lively and atmospheric.

The three-night run of Back to the 80s, adapted from a book by Neil Gooding, was set in the William Ocean High School in the States.

Head of performing arts and show director Mel Cutler explained: “It’s a classic tale of girl wants the popular boy in school but the boy turns out to be not very nice, while the nice boy struggles to catch the girl’s eye.”

But there was to be a happy ending: Mel continued: “It all comes right in the end at the Prom where they dance to I’ve Had the Time of My Life.”

The female lead, Tiffany, was played by Jasmine Clarke and the characters of Corey and Michael Feldman were played by Leon Chen and James Baines.

Phillip Gwynn’s character Feargal McFerrin was the school nerd who predicts a future of CDs, personal computers and the worldwide web, only to be ridiculed by other kids.

The action was supported by popular tracks from the era by Kim Wilde, Lionel Ritchie, Bonnie Tyler and Cyndi Lauper.

This was the latest in a series of productions by the academy, that replaced Thorne Grammar School when it opened in 2005.

Trinity specialises in Business and Enterprise, and is part of the Emmanuel Schools Foundation.