Fame The Musical

Inspired by the Academy Award winning motion picture and the hugely successful TV series of the same name, Fame The Musical follows the lives of a group of students attending New York's High School for the Performing Arts. It's the Fame school with the famous motto: Fame costs and right here is where you start paying.

The show charts the success and the struggle, the enthusiasm and the talent of the pupils from differing backgrounds and cultures, from auditions, through four years of hard work to graduation. Romances and friendships develop as the story makes a social statement especially relevant to today's youth. No-one can fail to be dazzled by the dynamic dance routines, unforgettable songs and the explosive vitality of the 30 strong cast drawn from Britain's finest young talent.

Starring How You You Solve A Problem Like Maria? finalist Abi Finley and 2006 winners of Strictly Dance Fever, Hollie and Darrien! (Cast subject to change)

Fame the Musical - 2007 Tour Dates:

Nottingham - Royal Centre - 12 to 20 January 2007
Glasgow - Kings Theatre - 22 to 27 January 2007
Southampton - Mayflower Theatre - 29 January to 3 February 2007
Milton Keynes - Milton Keynes Theatre - 5 to 10 February 2007
Bradford - Alhambra Theatre - 12 to 17 February 2007
Bristol - Hippodrome Theatre - 19 to 24 February 2007
Brighton - Theatre Royal - 26 February to 3 March 2007
Dartford - Orchard Theatre - 5 to 10 March 2007
Edinburgh - Playhouse Theatre - 12 to 17 March 2007
Break Week - 19 to 24 March 2007
Cardiff - New Theatre - 26 to 31 March 2007
Manchester - Opera House - 2 to 7 April 2007
Plymouth - Theatre Royal - 9 to 14 April 2007
Weymouth - Pavilion Theatre - 16 to 21 April 2007
High Wycombe - Swan Theatre - 23 to 28 April 2007
Hull - New Theatre - 30 April to 5 May 2007
To Be Announced - 7 to 12 May 2007
To Be Announced - 14 to 19 May 2007
Birmingham - Hippodrome Theatre - 21 to 26 May 2007
Northampton - Derngate Theatre - 28 May to 2 June 2007
Leeds - Grand Theatre - 4 to 9 June 2007
Truro - Hall For Cornwall - 11 to 16 June 2007
Liverpool - Empire Theatre - 18 to 23 June
Killarney - INEC Gleneagles Hotel Theatre - 26 to 30 June 2007
Southend - Cliffs Pavilion - 2 to 7 July 2007
Rhyl - Pavilion Theatre - 9 to 14 July 2007
Newcastle - Theatre Royal - 16 to 28 July 2007
Aberdeen - His Majesty's Theatre - 30 July to 4 August 2007

The 2007 tour cast of Fame the Musical features Abigail Finley in the lead role of aspiring actress Serena Katz. Abi was a runner up on the recent hit BBC1 show How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? and is a graduate of prestigious Central School of Speech and Drama. Joining Abi are Hollie Robertson and Darrien Wright, winners of 2006 season of Strictly Dance Fever, also on BBC1. Since winning the competition both have also performed in Footloose in London's West End. All casting subject to change.

The producer of Fame the Musical, Adam Spiegel, says: "The demand for the musical Fame seems to be higher than ever. I'm really looking forward to visiting the various cities we have on the schedule as there's no feeling like watching a thousand people up on their feet and singing along to the title song! It's also a pleasure to welcome Abi, Hollie and Darrien to the show and I know they can't wait to hit the road with the rest of the company straight after Christmas."

The 30 or so young performers in this production of Fame the Musical owe their current employment to the infatuation of one man with his favourite centre of learning, the New York High School for the Performing Arts. Since those days the 'Fame School' has not only gone on to a more secure future in the Lincoln Center, it has also become an inspiration to drama students and their teachers all over the world.

Fame! I'm gonna live forever.
I'm gonna learn how to fly high!
I feel it coming together.
People will see me and cry.
Fame! I'm gonna make it to Heaven.
Light up the sky like a flame.
Fame! I'm gonna live forever.
Baby, remember my name!
(Fame from Fame The Musical, lyrics by Dean Pitchford)

Twenty years ago, David de Silva realised a long-held ambition to immortalise the distinctive stage academy in the MGM feature film Fame. Though he had no direct professional association with the place, de Silva was fascinated by everything about it, particularly the energy and the joie de vivre which it seemed to embody. But what about the British drama schools? What are they like?

The Sylvia Young Theatre School: "When I set up the full-time school, the theatre schools were all dance-based. There wasn't a school offering all-round training and education. We are primarily drama-based, but also teach singing and dancing - what's the use of singing or dancing if you can't act to put it over to an audience? We like pupils to develop naturally. We prepare them for work in the business, but we don't over-prepare them." Sylvia Young

Mountview: "Starting from a firm belief that theatre is an essential part of society, our courses are structured to give actors a thorough grounding in all aspects of the craft of acting - in plays, musical theatre and television." Jane Hogg

Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts: "We look for all sorts of things in potential students, because every one of our students is totally different from the others... It's not a large school, we have only 120 students and run only one course, so each one gets individual attention and the chance to do exams. Bringing the three disciplines of dance, drama and singing together in one person in just three years is a very difficult task, and the more students there are the harder that task is. It's a huge advantage to us that we have a limited intake each year and we are very selective." Sue Passmore

Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts: "Are we really the same kind of school as our New York namesake? Well, sort of. Of course, it's not exactly comparable. They are a high school and we are a higher educational institute. But, like them, our course is vocational. Students will be studying for degrees in performing arts here. So, yes, I think there is a connection there and the initial idea for the school was inspired by Fame." Katie Sketty

Arts Educational Schools: "Unlike those schools which specialise exclusively in theatre training, the Arts Educational Schools are much more general educational establishments. Drama represents only a fifth of school activity. But we do offer a range of vocationally based courses in the performing arts and we have provided a solid grounding for some of the best-known of contemporary performers" Brenda Grey