Musical Theatre Review writer Jonathan Vickers was invited to attend rehearsals for the upcoming UK tour of the multi award-winning musical Fame the Musical.
The show has enjoyed seven West End runs since premiering in the USA in 1988 and continues to be performed all over the world.
Based on the Oscar-winning musical film and hugely successful TV series, Fame the Musical tells the story of a group of young talented hopefuls at the world famous High School for Performing Arts in New York who want to succeed in the performing arts. With so many elements conspiring to break them, it may prove too much for some on their journey to success and stardom. But can a musical that’s nearly 25 years old still resonate with audiences today?
“We’re giving the audience the original Fame, but for a new generation,” reveals Gary Lloyd, the director and choreographer of the production (also behind the long-running tribute show Thriller Live). “The music has all been remixed, the characters are much more believable than I think they have been in the past, and I’ve really tried to tap into the reality TV age we live in now.”
And boy has he done an incredible job. The cast performed the opening song of the show, the demanding number ‘Hard Work”, as well as the performance they put together for BBC1’s The One Show. What we witnessed was not only an impressive display of the cast’s vocal and physical skills, but also a coherent and considered piece of musical theatre; a more realistic interpretation of what life is really like in a performing arts institution.
Performers in rehearsal for Fame the Musical which begins its tour at the New Wimbledon Theatre. Picture: Chris Nash
“My character is very focused, driven and ambitious; he knows what he wants, and when I went to drama school I knew what I wanted out of the training too,” explains Alex Jordan-Mills, who plays Nick Piazza in the production. “In many ways my training was very similar to that of Nick: learn, learn, learn, learn, learn.”
In the modern drama school environment, students are expected to be proficient, if not excellent, at singing, acting, and of course, dancing. Cast member Jodie Steele, who plays the fame hungry Carmen, explains what audiences can expect in this regard: “This production has every style of dance in it: ballet, flamenco, dub-step, house, we’ve got contemporary in there, jazz, acrobatics… it’s going to be an amazing show.”
Alongside Alex Jordan-Mills and Jodie Steele in the cast are Harry Bleumenau, Sarah Harlington, Molly Stewart, Alex Thomas, Sasi Strallen, Joseph Giacone, John Canmore, Alexandra Sarmiento, Ross Lee Fowkes and David Haydn.
Fame the Musical is staged by director/choreographer Gary Lloyd, re-orchestrating the production will be Tom De Keyser. The design concept comes from Diego Pitarch.
* Fame the Musical runs at the New Wimbledon Theatre, London from 20 February–1 March before embarking on a nationwide UK tour.
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