Community urged to back young performers in Fame the Musical

School staff and pupils are urging the local community to get behind an upcoming production of Fame the Musical as they prepare to bring the high-energy show to the stage.

Chetwynde School’s version of the hit show comes at a challenging time for the performing arts in Barrow, following the closure of The Forum theatre.

Head of Creative Faculty Katherine Parkinson said it means support for talented young people performers is more important than ever.

“These pupils dream of careers on the stage and have been working incredibly hard on this production of Fame the Musical,” she said.

“At a time when opportunities to experience live theatre in Barrow are more limited this is a chance for our community to come together and show that the performing arts still matter here.

“We want, above anything, to see a full audience for them to showcase their amazing talent, reward their dedication and give them the unforgettable experience of performing to a packed audience.”

Tickets for the show on Wednesday 11th March and Thursday 12th March in the school’s theatre are still available but the pupils are all hoping to play to a full house.

Year 11 pupil Gray Sutherland, who plays the central character of Nick Piazza, is in his final Chetwynde production before he progresses to Kendal College to study Performing Arts. 

“It’s full of life and everybody’s so dedicated to the show. We’ve put loads of effort into it and I’m excited about the performance.”

Mia Purcell who is jointly cast in the character of Serena also encouraged people to come along.

“It’s a super entertaining production with great music, catchy songs and really cool dances with jumps and cartwheels.”

Set in a New York High School for the Performing Arts, Fame follows a group of students as they pursue their ambitions while navigating the pressures of training, friendship and growing up. Several principal roles have been double cast, giving even more pupils the opportunity to take to the stage.

The role of Carmen will be performed by Year 10 students Derryn Wearing and Cailtin Bailey. Serena will be played by Amelie Crabtree (Year 8) and Mia Purcell (Year 9), while Schlomo will be portrayed by Damon Schofield (Year 9) and Lily Scaife (Year 10). Miss Sherman will be brought to life by Marla Currie (Year 9) and Hannah Maguire (Year 10).

Pupils said they selected Fame because the show not only includes the opportunity to act and sing but also features vibrant dance numbers and live instruments played on stage, giving young musicians a chance to shine.

The production has been an effort from the whole-school, which is part of South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust. Year 8 pupils have created striking backdrops depicting the New York skyline while Year 11 student Daniel Silk has worked on the technical side of the show, shadowing Governor Chris Parkinson to develop lighting effects and manage sound.

The show is 90 minutes and includes an interval. Tickets are available here: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/FYZD

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