Fame!

Presented by Brilliant Productions in association with
The Hertfordshire Youth Music Theatre

12th – 15th September 2002 - James Theatre Watford

About The Show This hit musical, based upon the legendary film, was given its Watford premiere by Brilliant Productions and the Hertfordshire Youth Music Theatre in September 2002. Starring a cast of professional performers and local talent, together with a massed ensemble of some of the brightest young stars from Hertfordshire,Middlesex, London and beyond, Fame! truly was a fantastic show, which saw prospective audience members queuing for returns.

       The Actors

Nick Piazza - Jeff Nicholson
Serena Katz - Bobbie Chatt
Joe Vegas - Adam Mendlesohn

         

       The Dancers

Carmen Diaz - Abbey Addams
Iris Kelly - Daisy-May Kemp
Tyrone Jackson - Kieron McDonald
Mabel Washington - Tammy Wall

       The Musicians

Schlomo Metzenbaum - David Easter
Grace ‘Lambchops’ Lamb - Irene Moss
Goodman ‘Goody’ King - Matthew Fowler

       The Teachers

Miss Sherman (English) - Alison Newell
Miss Bell (Dance) - Jacqueline Harman
Mr Scheinkopf (Music) - Ian Parrott
Mr Myers (Drama) - Kristian Evans

       The Ensemble

Joelle Kerry (DC), Joanne Bispham (DC), Alice Jackson, Paul Kessel, Darren Opoku-Abrebreseh, Justin St Cere, Alex Grace, Luke Featherston, Hewi Davies, Lyndsey Rosen, Lucy Auger, Eleanor Price, Hannah Miller, Emma Gilbert, Clare Halse, Victoria Jones, Stephen Emery, Alana Simons.

       Dance Chorus

Amy Watts, Lauren Catlow, Hayley Gilbert, Mandy Davies, Ritu Jutla, Felicity Chilver, Edward Mitton, James Collins, Lucy Eccleshall, Rebecca Lowman, Clare Hibbert, Zoe Tomlins, Fay Knight, Heather Bremner, Sara Bispham, Cheryl Rosenthal, Esther Shiells, Frankie Willis, Holly Carter, Erin Dusek, Amali De Silva, Alexa Croffey.

The Band

Musical Director/Keyboards - Rob Cousins

Trumpets - Gavin Mallett and Geoff Lawrence

Reeds - Andy Stewart

Trombone - Richard Hyams

Guitar - Chris Gardiner

Keyboards 2 - Mike Payne

Drums/Percussion - Steve Vintner

Production Team

Producer/Director
Bobbie Chatt
for Brilliant Productions and The Hertfordshire Youth Music Theatre
Musical Director
Rob Cousins
Original Choreography
Jacqui Harman
Abbey Addams
Stage Manager
Sally Wilson
DSM
Michelle Egan
Advisors
Chris Swallow
Janet Swallow
Lighting Design and Operation
Colin Chamberlain
Sound Design and Operation
Stewart Jordan
Musical Assistants
Ben Sherwood, Simon Beck
Original Posters
John Good Holbrook
Graduation Costumes
Myra Chatt
Assisted by Sheila Wilson, Sharon Kerry, Peggie Moss, Janet Halse
Program Design/Production
Barry Kemp
Production Photography
Annie Simons
ASMs
Hanna Johnson, Miriam Leary-Joyce, Jonathan Easter
Chaperones
Sharon Kerry, Tina Tomlins, Karen Thorp, Kelly Hardwidge, Alex Bantin, Peggie Moss
Front of House
Katy Davies
Assisted by Kay Watts, Vanessa Rosen, Rosie Hunter, Kirsty Seidler, Katy Meehan, Chantel Avis, Kimberley Bresnan, Janet Halse, Helen Lawley, Jackie Emery, David Barker
Bar Manager
Paul Philips
Rehearsal Space
Moonglow Studios, The Balmoral Centre

          Act One

Pray/Hard Work - The Company
I Want To Make Magic - Nick
Can’t Keep It Down - Joe and Drama Students
The Rap - Tyrone
Let’s Play A Love Scene - Serena
There She Goes / Fame - Carmen and Company
The Teacher’s Argument - Miss Sherman and Miss Bell
Hard Work (Reprise) - The Company

          Act Two

I Want to Make Magic (Reprise) - Nick and Company
Mabel’s Prayer - Mabel and Dance Students
Think of Meryl Streep - Serena
Dancing on the Sidewalk - Tyrone and Company
These Are My Children - Miss Sherman
In L.A. - Carmen
Let’s Play A Love Scene (Reprise) - Nick and Serena
Bring on Tomorrow - Company
Fame Megamix - Company

Reviews

At the New York High School for the Performing Arts, the holy trinity are dance, acting and music.

The up and down sides of this quest for stardom were played out in the Hertfordshire Youth Music Theatre’s dazzling production of Fame! – The Musical.

Based on the current West End production, the show, at the James Theatre, Watford, followed a host of hopefuls all aiming for glittering showbusiness careers.

Strutting her way through the school corridors was supersexy Carmen Diaz (played by Abbey Addams), street kid Tyrone Jackson (Kieron McDonald) and privileged prima-donna Iris Kelly (Daisy-May Kemp) with the hilarious Tammy Wall as Mabel Washington, doomed to be the world’s fattest dancer.

The musical zipped along as characters developed amid interwoven stories of teacher-pupil strife, teacher-teacher rows and burgeoning relationships.

A mesmerising dancer, McDonald was superb, brimming with barely concealed rage and battling an inferiority complex.

Director Bobbie Chatt – who was wonderful as young actress Serena Katz – has pitched the show just right and got the best out of her cast. The storyline moved smoothly from comedy to tragedy with the downfall of Carmen and Addams heart-breaking rendition of ‘In LA’.

Pulsing with raw emotion, the production really came into its own in the group numbers, brilliantly choreographed by Addams and Jacqui Harman.

I look forward to more from this company, which could not have got off to a better start.

Jo Stephenson
The Watford Observer

        Previews

Hertfordshire’s own Kids from Fame are limbering up for a high energy production of the hit West End musical in Watford.

Currently playing to audiences all over the UK, Fame – The Musical! follows the lives of students attending the New York High School for the Performing Arts, 20 years after the legendary film was released.

To bring the show to life, a 54 strong cast has been assembled from all over the county and will join young performers from London, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Middlesex.

Fame is being staged at the James Theatre by professional actor Bobbie Chatt, of Estcourt Road, Watford, who runs Brilliant Productions and the newly-formed Hertfordshire Youth Music Theatre.

Bobbie, who toured the country in Les Miserables, felt the show was the idea choice for the group’s first venture. She said: ‘Several of our company are leaving to go to training colleges straight after the last performance. Fame could be their life-story – they are the actors, singers, dancers and musicians of the future.’

She added: ‘I wanted to form the Hertfordshire Youth Music Theatre to unite young talent of the highest calibre. We auditioned more than 120 teenagers only last month for the production and are delighted with our Kids from Fame. Their energy, ability and dedication has impressed us all – they are a credit to their teachers.’

On this occasion the youngsters are joined onstage by established performers and directors, including Bobbie and West End professional Jacqueline Harman, who, together with Abbey Addams, also choreographs.

Among other local favourites are Jeff Nicholson, Matthew Fowler, Daisy-May Kemp, Joanne Bispham and David Easter, while Rob Cousins takes the baton as musical director.

Bobbie said: ‘With a short rehearsal period right in the middle of the school holidays, the pressure has been on to achieve a great amount in a small period of time. Not only do the kids have to dance, act and sing, but many have learned musical instruments especially for the performances. Everyone has worked very hard to produce a fantastic and exciting show, which we’re confident will have audiences dancing in the aisles.’

Watford Observer

Fame – They wanna live forever!

Young people from St Albans are joining a cast of more than 50 to put together a production of musical favourite Fame! which will enjoy a run at the James Theatre in Watford next month.

Rehearsals are currently underway, under the direction of professional musical actress Bobbie Chatt, and the kids were chosen from around 120 young people who auditioned for parts in Hertfordshire Youth Music Theatre’s first foray into putting on a production.

St Albans and Harpenden youngsters who will star include Kieron McDonald, Hewi Davies, Joelle Kerry, Frankie Willis, Edward Mitton and Rebecca Lowman, while Rob Cousins will be in charge of directing music for the show.

The young people will be joined onstage by Bobbie herself, along with a few other professionals who have trodden the boards before, and all the cast have dedicated most of their summer holidays to practising their steps and getting their voices in shape.

Bobbie, who set up both Brilliant Productions and the Hertfordshire Youth Music Theatre said: ‘With a short rehearsal period right in the middle of the school holidays the pressure has been on to achieve a great deal in a small amount of time.’

St Albans Observer

Youth Game for Fame

Herts' new Youth Music Theatre will be staging its debut show in Watford next month. The group, which ran auditions for the show in July, has been formed by Radlett-born professional actress Bobbie Chatt, who also runs Brilliant Productions.

Now its first show Fame – The Musical! is ready for curtain-up at the James Theatre, Watford Grammar School for Boys in Rickmansworth Road from September 12 – 15 at 3pm and 7.45pm.

Bobbie, who recently produced A Slice of Saturday Night at the Maltings Arts Theatre for the St. Albans Operatic Society said: ‘Several of our company are leaving after the show to go to training college after the last performance.’

More than 120 teenagers were auditioned for the show and Bobbie said she was delighted at the standard. She added: ‘With a short rehearsal period right in the middle of the school holidays the pressure has been on to achieve a great deal in a small amount of time.’

Herts Advertiser