Fame Stars Announced

Keith Jack joins cast of Fame the Musical

Keith Jack is to fly, high, as Nick Piazza in the 30th anniversary tour of Fame the Musical, coming to the Edinburgh King’s in October 2018 after opening in Manchester in June.

The show will also feature Mica Paris as Miss Sherman and Jorgie Porter, who is best known as Hollyoaks‘ Theresa McQueen, making her professional stage debut as Iris Kelly. It is produced by Selladoor Productions.

Theresa McQueen, Keith Jack and Mica Paris with the some of the Fame ensemble. Pic: Selladoor Productions.

Fame the Musical is based on the award-winning 1980 movie directed by Alan Parker, staring Irene Cara and Eddie Barth. The musical premiered in 1988, having been developed by David de Silva.

It follows the lives of a group of aspiring entertainers at New York’s High School for Performing Arts from their first audition right up to graduation. It has endured partly because of its hit title song, but more because of the issues it covers – prejudice, identity, pride, literacy, sexuality, substance abuse and perseverance.



Having had its London premiere in 1995, the show toured the following year and is a regular both in the West End where it has had seven incarnations and on the touring circuit. The last professional tour to hit Edinburgh was a somewhat re-booted affair in 2014 at the Playhouse (★★★☆☆ Learning to fly).

Dalkieth-born Jack first came to national recognition when he was runner-up on BBC1’s Any Dream Will Do, eventually appearing in the title role of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Playhouse in 2010. For Fame he will be taking on the role of serious acting student, Nick Piazza.

First glimpse

Singer Mica Paris who will be playing the hard-as-nails English teacher Miss Sherman says the movie of Fame was a big favourite: “because it really was the first glimpse of what the beginning process of becoming trained artist entailed!” She will be

Besides a wealth of top 10 hit singles and albums over a 30 year singing career and regular TV appearances, Paris’s recent stage credits include Sylvia in Love Me Tender and Mama Morton in the UK tour of Chicago.

Jorgie Porter is taking on the role of classically trained dancer, Iris Kelly. Besides her turn on Hollyoaks, she was Miss Croft in the remake of Are You Being Served and was a running up in the seventh series of Dancing On Ice on ITV.

Porter says: “I am so excited to be making my stage debut playing Iris Kelly in Fame. The musical is one of my favourite ever films and I can’t wait to open the show in Manchester, my home town. I’ve not had a chance to perform ballet for a long time, it’s what I originally trained in – so I’m looking forward to getting my ballet shoes on!”

Full Cast

The full cast will also include Stephanie Rojas as the tragic Carmen, Jamal Crawford as hip hop dancer Tyrone who has a love-hate relationship with Iris, Simon Anthony as the classically trained musician Schlomo, Molly McGuire as acting student Serena who has a crush on Nick and Albey Brooks as class clown, Joe.

Hayley Johnston will play dancer Mabel,  Louisa Beadel drummer Lambchops and Alexander Zane will be trumpeter Goody. For the teaching staff Katie Warsop will be Miss Bell and Dermot Canavan will play Mr Scheinkopf. The ensemble also includes Cameron Johnson, Rebecca French, Daisy Twells, Tom Mussell, Morgan Jackson and Ryan Kayode.

Direction and choreography will be by Nick Winston with design by Morgan Large, lighting design by Prema Mehta and sound design by Ben Harrison. Mark Crossland will be musical supervisor.

Listings:

Fame – The Musical
King’s Theatre, 2 Leven Street EH3 9LQ.
Monday 22 – Saturday 27 October 2018.
Times: Evenings: 7.30pm; Weds, Sat matinees: 2.30pm.
Tickets and details: www.capitaltheatres.com.

Tour website: http://fameuktour.co.uk/
Twitter: @famemusicaluk

ENDS

Tags: Albey Brooks, Alexander Zane, Dermot Canavan, Fame the Musical, Hayley Johnston, Jamal Crawford, Jorgie Porter, Katie Warsop, Keith Jack, Louisa Beadel, Mica Paris, Molly McGuire, News, Simon Anthony, Stephanie Rojas