Tag: Fame

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Cast Of 80s Hit Show “Fame” To Reunite For Charity Concert

I know a LOT of folks who would love to attend this – the cast of the hit ’80s show FAME is reuniting for a 35th anniversary concert to benefit The Actors Fund.

Via People:

Stars Debbie Allen, Jesse Borrego, Cynthia Gibb, Erica Gimpel, Billy Hufsey, Carlo Imperato, Valerie Landsburg and P.R. Paul are scheduled to appear at the event, which will take place at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, California, on July 13.

The evening, which marks the first concert in the U.S. by the cast members since 1985, will feature hit songs from the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning drama series — and will benefit The Actors Fund, a national human services organization that focuses on helping individuals in performing arts and entertainment during times of need, crisis or transition.

As many fans know, Gene Anthony Ray, who played “Leroy Johnson,” passed away in 2003 at the age of 41.

People shares several pics of the “kids” today and they look great!

Carlo Imperato

Erica Gimpel – photo: David Zaugh

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TV: 1980s FAME Gets Greenlight For Reboot

The 1980s TV series FAME (based on the hit movie of the same name) has gotten the green light for a reboot over on Lifetime.

From NewNowNext:

Penning the show will be Josh Safran, who was an Executive Producer on Gossip Girl and served as a Showrunner during the season season of Smash.

The plot will remain the same: A group of talented teens face the up and downs of attending the prestigious New York High School of the Performing Arts, all expressed in a smattering of musical and dance numbers.

First airing in 1982, the original series ran for six seasons, starring Debbie Allen. Supporting players during the show’s seven year run included a young Janet Jackson and recent Tony Award-winner, Michael Cerveris.

Nigel Lythgoe (So You Think You Can Dance, American Idol) is also attached as an executive producer.

You’ll recall in 2009 a remake of the series totally flopped.

The original movie was raw, edgy (for it’s time) and was a part of my teenage landscape as a performer. It rang true on so many levels. For many of my generation in the arts, it evoked a visceral reaction.

To this day, I still “get” that ineffable, hard to explain thing that makes us all want to express ourselves in the arts.

Fingers crossed the powers that be find a way to communicate THAT to a new audience.

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From FAME to ER to HARRY’S LAW

Paul McCrane, who created the role of Montgomery in the iconic movie FAME, has been a steadily working actor ever since. Long roles on series like ER, 24, CHAMPS and now HARRY’S LAW, have kept him in demand.

The movie FAME was released my senior year of high school just as I was beginning to fully embrace my passions for theater and creativity, who I was and who I was heading to become. That pretty much sums up the point of FAME. The soundtrack became the soundtrack of my life for the next several years. As I went off to college for four years of a music theatre degree I lived what the kids in FAME did in many ways. Eating, sleeping, breathing my passions. Figuring out who I was and if I was going to be alright with that.

A lot of people don’t know that Paul McCrane also wrote the song “Is It OK If I Call You Mine” which he performed in the movie FAME. He apparently still gets checks from the soundtrack sales to this day.

In the season finale of HARRY’S LAW, he performs the song again, 31 years later.

In some ways, I’m still doing my own song and dance from 31 years ago. When I think about that, I sometimes wonder if I should grow up.

Other times, I realize I already have.