Ren McCormack

Grew up… in Chicago, raised by his mother. He’s a city kid, with a quick mouth and a firm grasp on popular culture.

Living… in the tiny town of Bomont, Georgia. It’s a tight-knit and pious community, which — much to Ren’s horror — has outlawed dancing and rock music. After moving there to live with his aunt and uncle, Ren decides he must convince the town to change its laws if he wants to have any fun.

Profession… student and hell-raiser. Ren is determined to shake this little town up. His classmates see him as trouble, but he has academic concerns as well. He protests when they ban the teaching of Slaughterhouse Five, saying, “It’s a classic…in any town.”

Interests… music and dance. Ren loves rock and roll, and likes nothing better than to spend the night dancing to the latest hits. Too bad the entire town is a no-fun zone.

Relationship Status… crushing on Ariel. She seems to have a rebellious spirit, just like him…but she has a boyfriend. To top it off, her father’s the reverend in charge of putting all the dancing and music bans into place. He definitely wouldn’t approve of a guy like Ren.

Challenge… waking up this sleepy town and changing its antiquated laws. Senior prom isn’t far away, and Ren’s going to make sure they have a proper prom, with dancing and good music. But even his fellow teenagers aren’t sure if they want to make such a radical change. Ren’s going to have to convince them that rock and roll isn’t at odds with their conservative religious beliefs.

Personality… funny, stubborn, and rebellious. Ren’s a smart guy with a smart mouth, and that gets him into trouble. But he genuinely cares about changing the town — not simply for his own benefit, but for the benefit of everyone in Bomont. Dancing and music are a part of life for Ren, and he wants to share that with the people around him. He says, “See, this is our time to dance. It is our way of celebrating life. It's the way it was in the beginning. It's the way it's always been. It's the way it should be now.”