Press Contact: Natalie Thomas
June 2026
Brand-new revival of FAME The Musical opens this summer as part of a strictly limited run at Theatre Royal Plymouth from 28 July to 15 August 2026
Conceived and Developed by DAVID DE SILVA
Book by
JOSE FERNANDEZ
Lyrics by
JACQUES LEVY
Music by
STEVE MARGOSHES
Title Song FAME written by Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore
Theatre Royal Plymouth has announced the full cast and creative team for its brand-new production of FAME The Musical, opening this summer for a strictly limited run from 28 July to 15 August 2026.
The actors playing the iconic students were announced via the production’s social media account on Friday, with the actors undertaking the faculty roles announced on Monday. The final casting announcement revealed award-winning West End star Shanay Holmes (Miss Saigon, Sheffield Crucible; Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Apollo Theatre; Thriller Live, Lyric Theatre), taking on the role of Miss Sherman. Shanay is widely known for her critically acclaimed portrayal of Nancy in Oliver! in the West End and is also the co-founder and producer of Musical Con – the world’s biggest musical theatre fan convention (ExCeL London) and West End Musical Productions.
Joining Shanay in the faculty of The High School of Performing Arts are Alasdair Buchan as Mr Sheinkopf (That Bastard Puccini!, World Premiere, Park Theatre, UK, Broadway; The Mousetrap, St. Martins’ Theatre, West End; Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain, Birmingham Stage Company), Waylon Jacobs as Mr Myers (Once On This Island, Drury Lane; Hadestown, Lyric Theatre; Hamilton, Victoria Palace), Rachel Jayne Picar in the Ensemble Teacher/Cover Teacher (Pacific Overtures, Menier Chocolate Factory; The King And I, London Palladium; You’ll Never Walk Alone, West End Unites), and Edwin Ray as Mr Bell and Dance Captain (The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry, Theatre Royal Haymarket; The Book Thief, Prince Of Wales Theatre; The Creakers, Theatre Royal Plymouth & Southbank Centre; Hello Dolly, London Palladium).
The next generation of stars stepping into the spotlight as the students of The High School of Performing Arts, are Joe Boyle as Nick Piazza, Toby De Salis as Goodman “Goody” King, Megan Ellis as Serena Katz, Olivia Foster-Browne as Mabel Washington, James Hastings as Schlomo Metzenbaum, Shoko Ito as Iris Kelly, Amonik Melaco as Tyrone Jackson, Talia Palamathanan as Carmen Diaz, Georgia Leila Stoller as Grace “Lambchops” Lamb,and Harrison Wilde as Joe (Jose) Vegas.
They are joined by Alicia Maynard (Ensemble/cover Mabel Washington), Jago Mottart (Ensemble/Cover Joe (Jose) Vegas), Anu Ogunmefun (Ensemble/Cover Grace “Lambchops” Lamb), Samantha Shuma (Ensemble/Cover Carman Diaz) and Patrick Wilden (Ensemble/cover Tyrone Jackson). With Swings Elise Marnie (also cover Iris Kelly) and Kieron O’Donnell (also cover Schlomo Metzenbaum and Nick Piazza).
The production is directed and choreographed by Associate Artistic Director Tom Jackson Greaves (Whistle Down The Wind, Watermill Theatre; Les Liaisons Dangereuses, National Theatre; The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Theatre Royal Haymarket/Minerva Theatre). Tom is joined by Set And Co-Costume Designer Soutra Gilmour (Waiting For Godot, Broadway; Evita, Palladium, West End; Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, Romeo & Juliet, Jamie Lloyd Co, Drury Lane), Co-Costume Designer Enver Chakartash (Stereophonic, Broadway; Romeo + Juliet (2024 revival), English; A Doll’s House; Is This a Room, Off Broadway), Co-Choreographer Tinovimbanashe Sibanda (Die Walküre, Santa Fe Opera; Ballad Lines, Southwark Playhouse; King Of Pangea, Kings Head Theatre), Musical Supervisor and Musical Director George Francis (Hadestown, West End, Amsterdam; Amélie, West End; Whistle Down the Wind, Watermill), with Orchestrations and Arrangements Matthew Malone (Little Shop of Horrors, Derby Theatre, Northern Stage; A Christmas Carol, Sheffield Crucible; Singin’ in the Rain and Fun Home, Royal Exchange Theatre), Lighting Designer Richard Howell(Othello, The Truth, Dr Semmelweis, West End); Sound Designer Matt Peploe (; A Knights Tale, Manchester Opera House; Kiss Of The Spider Women Musical, Curve Leicester; We Will Rock You, Stuttgart), Casting Director Stuart Burt CDG CSA (, Into The Woods, Bridge, Noël Coward Theatre; & Juliet, West End, Cabaret at The ). Omari Douglas (Cabaret, Playhouse Theatre, Kit Kat Club; Jesus Christ Superstar, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre; It’s a Sin, Channel 4 / HBO Max; Black Doves, Netflix) joins the production as Creative Associate and will be working across the production with Tom Jackson Greaves.
Tom Jackson Greaves, Director and Choreographer, and TRP Associate Artistic Director, said: “FAME is an integral part of our history at Theatre Royal Plymouth, having premiered here 30 years ago. It’s a story of discovery, determination and dreaming, and these beautiful universal themes resonate now more than ever. It also champions the power of performing arts education and how integral it can be in the development of careers, identities and relationships, something that in 2026, we firmly need reminding of.
“With this production we aim to take a bold step in reviving and reigniting the honest and powerful beating heart of where FAME began; set firmly in 1980, we will encapsulate all that audiences fell in love with on stage and screen, whilst showcasing the talent of an outstanding group of performers and creatives that embody the very spirit that this story celebrates. This revival honours its legacy whilst reimagining it for today’s audiences. I couldn’t be more excited to begin.’
FAME The Musical is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International.
The use of additional songs by arrangement with Sony Music Publishing.
FAME The Musical will play a strictly limited run at TRP 28 July – 15 August 2026. Tickets are on sale now: www.theatreroyal.com/whats-on/fame/