From the director of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and designer of Evita & Sunset Boulevard
Theatre Royal Plymouth in association with West End producers Jamie Wilson Productions (The Devil Wears Prada, Mrs Doubtfire) have announced a new production of Fame The Musical.
Fame will play a limited season in Plymouth from 28 July to 15 August 2026.
The show will be directed and choreographed by Tom Jackson Greaves (The Book Thief, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry) and designed by Soutra Gilmour, the designer of recent Jamie Lloyd successes Evita at the London Palladium and Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre. Gilmour also worked with Jamie Wilson Productions on & Juliet.
Further creatives, and cast, are to be announced.
Fame had its European premiere back in 1995 at Theatre Royal Plymouth, and proceeded to run for over a decade in the West End, and toured extensively.
This new production marks the 30th anniversary of their original production, and promises to bring the show into the 21st century.
Theatre Royal Plymouth and Jamie Wilson Productions recently collaborated on The Devil Wears Prada The Musical, which is now playing in the West End starring Vanessa Williams.
Jamie Wilson Productions recently produced Mrs Doubtfire The Musical in the West End, which is heading out on tour next year.
In 2022, Jamie Wilson forged a deal with the Shaftesbury Theatre in London, to become the venue’s principal producers. Currently playing at the Shaftesbury Theatre is Jamie Wilson’s production of Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical. His productions of Mrs Doubtfire and & Juliet previously played at the venue.
It’s currently unclear whether Fame The Musical would also move to the West End’s Shaftesbury Theatre following its Plymouth run.
Director Tom Jackson Greaves recently directed a hit production of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry at Chichester Festival Theatre, based on the best-selling book. That show is transferring into the West End’s Theatre Royal Haymarket in January starring Mark Addy and Jenna Russell.
More about Fame The Musical
Fame is set in Manhattan, New York in 1980. Amid the relentless noise and chaos of the city lies a sanctuary for young artists: The High School of Performing Arts. FAME follows a group of students from enrolment to graduation, as they come-of-age through their shared passion for music, drama and dance.
The show is a raw and unapologetic journey into the heart of showbiz – where talent and ambition collide with sacrifice and the harsh reality of chasing your dreams.
Fame The Musical was originally conceived and developed by David De Silva with book by Jose Fernandez, Lyrics by Jacques Levy and Music by Steve Margoshes featuring the title song “Fame” written by Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore.
What They Said
James Mackenzie-Blackman, TRP Chief Executive and Artistic Director, said in a statement: “Fame signifies another key milestone for TRP in making our mark as a leading producing theatre. It’s also a pleasure to once again share the ride with Jamie Wilson Productions, who we worked with on the hugely successful The Devil Wears Prada which premiered at TRP and is now still playing to sell-out audiences in the West End. Our production of Fame will pay homage to the iconic show’s original spirit and enduring legacy, while inviting a new generation to fall in love with it as so many of us did before.”
Producer Jamie Wilson said: “Having watched Fame countless times growing up in London and regionally, I’m thrilled to be part of this new production at the wonderful Theatre Royal Plymouth, marking 30 years since the show premiered there. In that time, Fame has entertained and enthralled fans around the world with its incredible music, energy and choreography. This brand-new production will excite a whole new generation of theatregoers and bring so much nostalgia to those who grew up with it.”
Director and Choreographer, and TRP Associate Artistic Director, Tom Jackson Greaves said: “I wore out my VHS copy of Fame the movie as a teenager. Its intoxicating depiction of 1980’s New York and its unique and beautiful inhabitants taught me so much about my identity, my ambition and what felt possible. Ultimately, Fame is a love-letter to the arts. It celebrates all forms, all people, all journeys and to be able to revisit this iconic and beloved story on its 30th anniversary is such a full-circle gift. I look forward to creating our rediscovered and reinvigorated production alongside one of the UK’s most brilliant theatrical talents, designer, Soutra Gilmour.”
Read more about FAME The Musical
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