Good Times-Weekend guide: ‘Fame,’ a 80s musical unfolds Macau Music Festival

A group of vibrant, energetic young people, rich and poor, converge on the 46th Street to audition for a chance to study at the famous New York High School of Performing Arts (PA). Hoping to make it to the PA, as students tear open a letter from the school, upon learning of their acceptance they begin a joyous dance of celebration.
The 25th Macau Musical Festival kicks off today with the musical ‘Fame’, inspired in the TV show that became popular in the 1980s. It will stage today at 8 pm and tomorrow at 3 and 8 pm, and on Sunday (3 pm) at the Cultural Centre grand auditorium.
From the creative team that brought ‘Chicago’ and ‘Guys and Dolls’, to Macau comes this brand new full-scale production of the acclaimed hit show ‘Fame: The Musical’. “Since its debut in New York, this pop/rock musical, based on the hit motion picture and long-running television series, has been pleasing audiences across the globe, from several sold-out runs in London’s West End to a myriad of successful international tours,” the organiser Cultural Affairs Bureau said.
Set during the last years of New York City’s celebrated High School for the Performing Arts on 46th Street, ‘Fame - The Musical’ is a bittersweet but ultimately inspiring story of a diverse group of students as they commit to four years of gruelling artistic and academic work. With candour, humour and insight, the show explores the issues that confront many young people today: prejudice, identity, self-worth, literacy, sexuality and perseverance.
“Now, New York’s award-winning production company, Barkley Kalpak Associates, Inc., brings a brand new ‘Fame: The Musical’ to the Macau International Music Festival. An extensive casting search culminated in an outstanding company of established and fresh new Broadway talent – the best New York has to offer,” it was said.
The performance will be subtitled in Chinese, Portuguese and English.
In addition, on Sunday, Germany’s the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin will perform at the St. Dominic’s Church. Admission is free, but all tickets have been already distributed.
Also on Sunday, another musical will stage in Macau, at the Mandarin’s House. ‘Rising Sun - a Musical’ is produced jointly by Spring-Time Stage Productions from Hong Kong and Theatre Farmers from Macau and will be on stage until October 15.

More details on: www.icm.gov.mo