A current ripening of Milwaukee theater, in which such "landmark" companies as the Milwaukee Repertory Theater are hiring a production staff with strong Broadway credits, makes it more difficult to appreciate a non-Equity road tour like Fame: The Musical. That's not to say there isn't quite a bit to like about this show, which came to town recently for an eight-performance run.
Fame: The Musical takes its cue from the popular film and television show which share its name. In all three artistic mediums, talented teens hone their professional chops in New York's High School for the Performing Arts. At first, they are young, gawky and either intensely shy or obnoxiously outgoing. But as the years progress, they grow more confident and begin to bond. To the casting director's credit, this group of "kids" look fairly "normal." Thankfully, they are not clones of the handsome youths seen in Abercrombie and Fitch commercials. Some of them even look geeky. But talent does not need to come in an attractive package.
These kids may be unseasoned, but they are definitely not to be dismissed. A couple are truly impressive: Megan Elizabeth Lewis makes a worthy transition from mousy to magnificent in her portrayal of Serena Katz. Her solos demonstrate a mature voice, paired with an engaging personality. Oddly, the script doesn't allow her to fully vent her teenage angst when she discovers that her secret crush, Nick (Joe Carney), may or may not be gay. The entire show keeps Serena and Nick at arm's length, which makes for an unsatisfying ending. Carney adds an element of emotional depth to his character. As Nick, he seems torn between focusing on his craft (acting) or being distracted by his hormones.
Although the entire cast sings well, the show's musical numbers don't leave much of an impression. There isn't a hummable tune in the bunch. Even the show's famous title song is delivered in a strangely low-key way. A lackluster tune begins the sequence, which eventually segues into "Fame." This effect further deflates the inherent energy of the catchy number. Also, in an attempt to "jazz" up this well-known song, a Latin rhythm is introduced, and the cast sings an entire verse in Spanish.
The show's choreography wisely highlights the cast's youthful energy, but production values are mixed. Sets mainly consist of large twin towers, which rotate manually to become classrooms, halls and the grungy neighborhood surrounding the school. Special effects are clearly of the 20th century variety: strobes, black lights and the standard use of scrims in front and back of the set. Costumes, lighting and the pit orchestra are fine.
One last thing: the show's creators weren't shy about dumping the film's or TV's familiar characters for new ones in this musical version. But they failed to update the show's 1974 timeframe. So we are presented with a group of teens who do not use a single cell phone or beeper, which seems unimaginable in this day and age.
