Children's Playhouse of Maryland to Present FAME JR., 5/5-20

Children's Playhouse of Maryland, Inc. (CPM), in residence at the Community College of Baltimore County, Essex, will perform FAME Jr. 1 p.m., Saturday and Sunday May 5,-6, 12,-13, 19- 20 and 4 p.m. March 13 in the J Building Lecture Hall (J-137) at CCBC Essex, 7201 Rossville Boulevard. The 4 p.m. show will be sign-language interpreted by students from the CCBC Catonsville Interpreter Preparation Program. Tickets are $10 general admission and $8 for birthday parties or scout troops. Tickets can be ordered in advance through the Box Office, 443-840-ARTS, and are available at the door, space permitting.

This CPM production features 38 student actors from Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County and Harford County. Cast in lead roles are: James Ruth of Dundalk (Nick Piazza), Nicole Smith of Timonium (Serena Katz), Thomas Gardner of Joppa (Joe Vegas), Allison Comotto of Towson (Carmen Diaz) and Tyrell Stanley of Baltimore (Tyrone Jackson). Other featured performers are: Josh Starkey of Aberdeen (Goodman Goody King), Brady Widener of Cockeysville (Mr. Myers), Autumn Simpson of Millersville (Ms. Sherman), Kendal Baklor of Owings Mills (Ms. Bell), Nina Cicero of Street (Iris Kelly), Izzy Gordon of Baltimore (Mabel Washington), Johnathon O'Neal of Baltimore (Mr. Sheinkopf), Matt Demetrides of Baltimore (Schlomo Metzenbaum) and Danielle Harris of Windsor Mill (Grace 'Lambchops' Lamb.

Other cast members in this Children's Playhouse of Maryland production are: Tiffany Flaharty of Abingdon, Erin Sullivan and Nicole Arrison of Bel Air, Emily Wheeler of Cockeysville, Virginia Caldwell of Joppa, Xavier Johnson of Owings Mills, Mary Yankee of Perry Hall, Hannah Ulevich and Maddie Ulevich of Phoenix, Megan Cain, Bree Cooper, Caroline Halligan, Maya Montgomery, Rachel Miller and Zachary Miller of Baltimore, Peter Pferdeort of Edgemere, Gino Cardoni and Hannah Long of Middle River, Amanda Ellifritz of Essex, Josh Schoff of Dundalk, Allison Mudd and Cyerah Zoeller of Parkville, Rhiannon Owen of Nottingham and Paris Storey of Windsor Mill.

Liz Boyer Hunnicutt directs and Julie Parrish is musical director.

FAME Jr. was conceived and developed by David De Silva, with music by Steve Margoshes, lyrics by Jacques Levy and book by Jose Fernandez. The play is a based on the 1980 movie about students in New York City's High School of the Performing Arts. The story follows an incoming freshman class from initial auditions to graduation. It is very high-energy production with strong singing and dancing from the ensemble cast.

The J Building Lecture Hall is a wheelchair-accessible facility. Please request accommodations at the time of ticket purchase. For more information, call the Box Office at 443-840-2787 (ARTS) or the CPM Administrative Office at 443-840-2426. Directions to CCBC Essex can be found on the CCBC Website at www.ccbcmd.edu.