By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: July 24, 2012
Broadway Or Bust students are eager to be “on top of the charts” as they prepare to perform Fame! JR at the Eagle Eye Theatre at 7 p.m. from July 27-28.
Conceived and developed by David De Silva, Fame! JR. is set in the early 1980s, during the last years of the “Fame School,” New York City’s celebrated School for the Performing Arts on 46th Street.
The musical, written by David De Silva and Jose Fernandez, follows the bittersweet but inspiring story about a diverse group of students as they commit to four years of grueling artistic and academic work in order to achieve their collective dream of “living forever”,
Their dream of ‘living forever’ is expressed in the title song “Fame” written by Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore.
With insight and humor, the show explores the issues that confront many young people today, including prejudice, identity, self-worth, literacy, and perseverance.
With music by Steve Margoshes and lyrics by Jacques Levy, the characters in Fame! JR. discover it takes much more than talent to achieve their goals: finding their true artistic voice, building up their confidence, learning how to collaborate well and working very, very hard are all part of it.
The Broadway Or Bust students exhibit these same life skills and discipline through the process of staging Fame! JR.
“This is my 8th year at Broadway Or Bust. I love the opportunity to work hard and grow as a performer while having fun,” said Jamie Sweeney.
With 49 students ranging from the ages of 6-18, preparation might seem to be a struggle with only three weeks to organize an entire musical. Luckily for those students, they have the chance to work with teachers willing to embrace that challenge.
This summer, the production team includes new directors Nora Linhart and Hilary Strang, and returning musical directors Melissa Braun and Ali Bachert, and choreographer Amanda Morris.
The students receive exemplary training not only allowing them to put on a musical in three weeks, but also organize a review show part way through the final week.
Also on Broadway Or Bust’s 8th year staff list are long-time participants Emma Wong as assistant and Lyndon Jhuty producing the show.
Fame! JR. will be presented on July 27th-28th at 7pm, at the Eagle Eye Theatre.
Tickets cost $7 for students and children and $15 for adults and can be purchased at the Squamish Academy of Music and The Adventure Centre.
