Fame the Musical (1999 Original American Cast Recording)
First things first: You won't find "Out Here on My Own" or "Hot Lunch Jam" inFame: The Musical. Unlike the Broadway version of its early-'80s counterpart,Footloose, this not-yet-ready-for-Broadway production doesn't migrate the movie (or its music) to the stage but merely uses the same subject matter as did the film and subsequent TV series--the dance, drama, and music students at New York City's High School of Performing Arts. In fact, the story is set in 1980-1984, right after the film's release, and one of the teachers laments, "We're theFameschool now. Ever since that movie came out." To help establish that distinction,Fame: The Musicalhas an almost entirely new set of songs by Steve Margoshes and Jacques Levy, though rest assured that you will at least get the title tune--twice, with a Latin groove. Reflecting the various backgrounds of its ensemble cast, the score offers samples of rap ("Tyrone's Rap"), soft-rock balladry ("Let's Play a Love Scene"), and gospel ("Mabel's Prayer")--all pleasant and serviceable, but unlikely to grab you the way Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford'smovie soundtrackdid (The story also only hints at the seedy underside of inner-city New York explored in the film.) As graduation nears, one character talks excitedly of the feeling of electricity coursing through her, but no, she doesn't break into "I Sing the Body Electric." That would be a little too much to hope for.--David Horiuchi