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History of the
"FAME
SCHOOL"
Writer
David De Silva based the FAME story on the La Guardia School of
Performing Arts. On a yearly basis, the "FAME" school in New York
City will receive over 15,000 applications and less than 1,000 will
be admitted. Applicants come from each of the five New York City
boroughs, from every walk of life in an ethnic and cultural mix
that represents the city's diversity.
The audition or portfolio is essential. Those who are accepted
have the main ingredient: talent. Admission is based on the
audition followed by an academic screening test - but talent opens
the door. The pace is grueling, the teachers demanding and the
competition never ending. The tuition is free.
As a part of the school system of New York City, the Fiorello H.
La Guardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts,
provides 2,400 students with lessons in drama, dance, voice and
instrumental music. These teenagers pay their dues through a
rigorous schedule, combining professional level conservatory style
arts training with college preparatory academics in equal
parts.
La Guardia is the first government funded school for the arts in
the United States and is a model for schools in the United Kingdom
such as the Brit School in Croydon and the Liverpool School for the
Performing Arts founded by Paul McCartney. There are "FAME" schools
in cities across the U.S. in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland,
Detroit, Miami, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco and
Washington D.C.
It all began in 1936 when Mayor La Guardia founded the High
School of Music and Art which later merged with the School of
Performing Arts. In 1984, the school moved into its own nine story
building in the Lincoln Center district of Manhattan. The school
was an answer to a twenty year promise from the City's school board
for a state-of-the-art facility. It houses a 1,100 seat concert
hall and a 500 seat theatre.
Famous alumni from the "FAME" school include: Diahann Carroll,
Janis Ian, Eartha Kitt, Shari Lewis, Liza Minnelli, Al Pacino,
Billy Dee Williams, Suzanne Vega, Jerome Robbins, Carroll O'Connor
and Ben Vereen.