By BRUCE DENNILL
Making its long-awaited return to the professional stage for the first time in more than a decade, Hairspray – The Broadway Musical explodes onto the stage at Die Centurion Teater in a bold, high-energy theatrical event packed with larger-than-life characters, iconic musical hits and explosive choreography. Tracy Turnblad is played by Carley Janse Van Vuuren.
What is the central aspect of acting as a craft or job that attracted you to it, or which keeps you passionate about it?
For me , it’s all about the raw emotion and connection. I’ve always loved telling stories through songwriting and performing, but acting lets you step completely into someone else’s shoes and live out their story on stage. That live energy exchange with an audience, where everyone in the room is feeling the exact same moment at the same time, is just an insane feeling.
How were you introduced to theatre (or television or film) as an art form or space in which you could see value and interest, as well as a platform for entertainment?
I started out singing live and doing stage performances, and then getting a taste of TV through Die Kontrak showed me how much fun screen work is. But once I really dove into musical theatre, everything just clicked. It combines music, acting and real human emotion into one huge experience, and I fell in love with how alive the stage feels.
How does acting as a calling sit with people outside of your professional or creative community?
People outside the scene usually only see the fun, flashy side of theatre. Sometimes they don’t fully get how much time and energy goes on behind the scenes. But once they see the crazy rehearsal hours, the vocal training, and the sheer work that goes into building a character, they realize it’s a massive commitment, not just a casual hobby.
Where does acting sit for you as a tool for teaching – from the practical to the profound and emotional?
Theatre is amazing because it shows people things instead of just telling them. On a practical level, a scene can break down a big message way better than a plain speech. And on a deeper level, watching characters deal with real stuff, like love or standing up for what’s right, gives the audience space to feel their own emotions and learn a little empathy.
Interpretation of text or direction – how do you position yourself or your perspectives in a character you’re playing?
I always look for the main thing I can personally relate to in a character, even if our lives look totally different on the surface. For example, with a role like Tracy, being a bigger girl myself means I don’t have to pretend or imagine what that side of her experience feels like; I’ve lived it. It allows me to portray her emotions in a way that feels completely real and true to who I am. Once I find that shared personal connection, it’s way easier to bring the character to life truthfully. When a director gives notes, I take that direction as a guide and adapt, bringing my own energy to the role without losing sight of the story.
Backstage, in the dressing room or on set while a show or shoot is in progress: what do you do to keep yourself busy and/or focused? Have you had any tense or amusing situations in that space?
Since I’m fairly new to the theatrical backstage world, I’m super-excited to experience that whole environment firsthand! Most of my performance background so far has been doing live acoustic music gigs or festivals where things can get pretty fast-paced. When I’m waiting to perform or shoot, I like to keep my energy grounded, running lyrics mentally, doing quick warm-ups, and chatting with people to stay loose without losing focus. I’ve definitely had my fair share of funny, chaotic moments on live music stages, like quick instrument swaps or mic malfunctions right before going live, so I feel like that quick-thinking energy will definitely come in handy for theatre backstage life!
What’s your current dream role?
Getting to play Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray is a total dream! She has so much joy, energy, and determination, and I love how she uses her voice to push for change. Besides Tracy, I would love to play Donna in Mamma Mia! or Jenna in Waitress. Both of those roles have incredible music and complex storylines that would be so much fun to bring to life.