Grammer, Neuwirth play 'Fame' game (VAR, THR)

By Nancy Tartaglione-Vialatte

�Fame� has added a roster of stars to fill out the administrative and teaching roles in the Kevin Tancharoen-directed remake. Megan Mullally, Kelsey Grammer, Charles S. Dutton, Bebe Neuwirth and Debbie Allen have joined the cast of the film which is set to start production on Wednesday.

The $25 million project from MGM and Lakeshore was written by Allison Burnett and Aline Brosh McKenna. The original 1980 musical was set at New York�s High School of the Performing Arts. The new version is scheduled to be released on Sept. 25.

Each of the newly recruited actors boast noteworthy performing arts backgrounds: Mullally graduated from the School of American Ballet; Grammer attended Juilliard; Dutton went to the Yale School of Drama and Neuwirth has won two Tonys. Allen, who played dance teacher Lydia Grant in the original film, will appear in the updated version as Principal Simms.

The casting also marks a reunion for Grammer and Neuwirth who starred together as husband and wife in �Cheers� and later as exes in �Frasier.�

The student cast includes Kristy Flores, Paul Iacono, Paul McGill, Naturi Naughton and Kay Panabaker. Gary Lucchesi and Tom Rosenberg of Lakeshore are producing along with Mark Canton.

"This picture is a celebration, a testament to people pursuing their dreams, so we set out to find talented actors who could both convincingly instruct onscreen and also inspire audiences," MGM Worldwide Motion Picture Group chairman Mary Parent said.