FAME THE MUSICAL Tour to Stop at Harris Center This January

It began as an Academy Award-winning film, then an Emmy-winning TV series and then on to the stage as riveting musical theatre-all conceived and developed by David De Silva. FAME-THE MUSICAL is the monumentally popular tale of young artists studying dance, music and theatre while attending the New York High School of the Performing Arts. For some, the pressures of a life on stage are too much; for others, the struggles are many and the triumphs are savory sweet. After all-as the song sings so exuberantly- "I'm gonna live forever; Baby remember my name!"

The performance of FAME-THE MUSICAL will take place at the Harris Center Friday, January 13, 2017 at 7 pm; Saturday, January 14 at 2 pm & 7 pm and Sunday, January 15 at 2 pm. Tickets are on sale $45-$75; Premium $79. Tickets are available online at www.harriscenter.net or from Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from noon to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time. Parking is included in the price of the ticket. Harris Center is located on the west side of Folsom Lake College campus in Folsom, CA, facing East Bidwell Street.

The show follows the final class of New York City's celebrated High School for the Performing Arts from their admission in 1980 to their graduation in 1984. Having survived the auditions and chosen from some 4,000 that applied, only 97 were admitted. All of the struggles, fears and triumphs are depicted with razor-sharp focus as the young artists navigate the worlds of music, drama and dance. The superb music and dance numbers tell their story and are intertwined with their personal relationships as they strive to grow and develop their talent. They are driven, thankful and competitive as each character seeks to make their own big splash in the glamorous performing arts world of music, dance, and theatre.

FAME's journey from film and TV into theater is a story unto itself. Despite the success of FAME on both the big and small screens, David De Silva's heart was on the stage. Instead of doing something else after Fame, David embarked on a completely new version of the project (with composer Steve Margoshes and lyricist Jacques Levy) that would take him eight years to bring to completion.

"When I conceived and produced the motion picture Fame, I always imagined that it would be the ultimate reality-based stage musical. There's a logical reason for the kids to be performing, because it's part of their daily lives. They don't just burst into song out of the blue," says De Silva.

"My first goal was to create a show that would be relevant and timeless as a musical. Fame - the Musical is a blueprint for the ultimate ensemble. It makes stars; it doesn't need stars to make it happen."

Unlike A Chorus Line and West Side Story, two of the shows that most inspired De Silva's creation, "the show allows every choreographer to put their own stamp on the production. The dancing is a mixture of Broadway, modern, street, and classical. The mixture of styles is as diverse as the characters, who come from different parts of New York City." De Silva's vision-FAME The Musical- reached some sixty million people in over 30 countries, with the last tour of the musical occurring in 2003.

The Harris Center for the Arts at Folsom Lake College brings the community together to share in cultural experiences featuring the work of artists from throughout the region and around the world. Built and operated by the Los Rios Community College District, the $50 million, state-of-the-art regional performing arts center boasts three intimate venues with outstanding acoustics, an art gallery, a recording studio, elegant teaching spaces, plenty of safe parking and all the other amenities of a world-class performing arts venue. Each year the Center hosts over 400 events attracting more than 150,000 annually.

IF YOU GO:

FAME-THE MUSICAL

Friday, January 13, 2017 at 7 pm

Saturday, January 14 at 2 pm & 7 pm

Sunday, January 15 at 2 pm.

At Harris Center for the Arts at Folsom Lake College, 10 College Parkway, Folsom, CA 95630

Ticket Price: $45-$75; Premium $79 at www.HarrisCenter.net