Over the weekend, The Shows Must Go On made a return to YouTube. I had missed my culture, so needless to say, I was ecstatic with the opportunity.
The first show was Fame – the Musical (35th Anniversary Tour).
I actually first saw Fame back in 1995 with the Original London Cast. Richard Dempsey from The Chronicles of Narnia (1988) was in it, and he was magic.
So this for me was the return of an old favourite that filled me with so much joy of song and dance. I remembered every lyric of every song, but having it subtitled helped me make sense of the story, which I guess I never understood completely.
Obviously different from the original show with a much smaller cast, it was absolutely stellar! Every performer had enough energy, passion, and talent to fill a bigger cast. So much raw energy and I cried at the end, of course. Being older and finally understanding the story, it filled me with more emotion. I hadn’t realised that it was a High School of Performing Arts, which makes Carmen’s story even sadder in the end.
Since then, I have been listening to the original album and so many memories have returned. Since my hearing aids now, I can hear the notes better, and I have much more appreciation for the amazing tunes. Back when I was 10, I wanted to go to PA school myself. I don’t know what exactly killed that dream off, but about two years later, I got into songwriting.
But it’s been so good having this musical back into my life now. As I make a career pivot into tech, I still stand by the “Hard Work” song as that will apply to my new career too because:
I’m alive and I will survive
Show the world that I can take it
When I hit the heights
Put my name in lights
Show the world that I can make it
By doin’ hard work!
Even though I’m not in show business. With the new fire in my belly, I feel like this bunch of kids (but in a tech sense):
The Eagle Eye View 