When “Fame, The Musical” debuted in the 1990’s, many loyal fans of the movie grumbled because the title track was abbreviated, and all of the songs, including “Out Here On My Own” and “I Sing The Body Electric,” were omitted.
Well, if you want to see the movie, see the movie.
To give credit to Book Writer Jose Fernandez and Lyricist Jacques Levy, they have created an original musical, rather than recycling the film onto a stage (a common and unfortunate trend today on Broadway).
While the book may not reach the intended dramatic tension and the songs are more pop than grit, the final result is an honest reflection of the pains and angst of high school sung in realistic words.
Director/Choreographer Richard Stafford, whose credits include North Shore Music Theatre’s Cats and Swing!, has proven that he can handle large casts with ease and create dancing that is stylish as well as energetic. This is proven in the second number “Hard Work” which has both students and audience members exploding out of their seats.
While there are no weak links in the cast, attention must be given to Eric Anthony whose Tyrone is his own creation instead of a carbon copy the movie or the TV show. The same is said for Lynnette N. Pyram’s Carmen. Her facial expressions alone demonstrate the actor’s maturity and comprehension of the character.
Thank you, Mr. Stafford, for hiring actors to play the music students who can actually play their instruments! It is very frustrating to see actors pretend to play a piano while someone in the pit does it for them.
Inga Ballard as English Teacher Miss Sherman has her own moment as she admits her feelings about her students in the painfully sincere “These Are My Children.”
With clever lighting and excellent use of a mini stairway/hallway, Richard Stafford’s hard work has definitely paid off.
No comments:
Post a Comment