Debbie Allen, Bebe Neuwirth, Megan Mullally & More Join Fame Film Remake

Debbie Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Kelsey Grammer, Megan Mullally and Bebe Neuwirth will play instructors in the upcoming feature film remake of Fame, according to Variety. Production begins on December 3, with a projected release date of September 25, 2009, directed and choreographed by Kevin Tancharoen.

As with the 1980 original, the remake of Fame follows dancers, singers, actors and artists from auditions to graduation at New York City’s High School of Performing Arts. Allen, who made her movie debut in the original film, has been cast as the school’s principal. Variety noted the academic affiliations of the adult stars: Mullally, an alum of the School of American Ballet, will portray a voice instructor; Grammer, who attended Juilliard, will play an orchestra maestro; Dutton, a graduate of Yale School of Drama, will portray an acting teacher; and Neuwirth, a two-time Tony winner, will play a dance instructor.

As previously announced, the younger cast members of Fame will include Paul McGill A Chorus Line as Kevin, a gay dancer, and Naturi Naughton Hairspray as Denise, a classical pianist. In addition, a cast list on the Internet Movie Database includes Kherington Payne, an alum of TV’s So You Think You Can Dance, as Alice, and Kay Panabaker Lindsey Willows on CBS’s CSI as Jenny.