Cedar Crest College is one of the Lehigh Valley institutions of higher learning that has creatively continued staging theater despite the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Cedar Crest’s Performing Arts Department presents the musical, “Fame,” with no audience, but live-streamed online for four shows, 7 p.m. Feb. 25-27 and 2 p.m. Feb. 28, from its Samuels Theatre on the Allentown campus.

“Fame” is based on the 1980 hit movie of the same title. The musical, set in New York City, chronicles the lives of students from their auditions through their attending the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.

The storyline follows several students, among them fame-obsessed Carmen, ambitious actress Serena, wisecracking comedian-bad boy Joe, quiet violinist Schlomo, talented but dyslexic dancer Tyrone, determined actor Nick, overweight dancer Mabel, and Iris, a serious dancer from a poor family.

Roxanne Amico, chair of Performing Arts at Cedar Crest, has gathered a creative team that includes Bill Mutimer, director; Brian M. Foley, music director, and Joanellyn “Joey” Schubert, choreographer.

Mutimer says directing the show has been a challenge but the cast of Cedar Crest students and alumnae and actors from the community, has been holding rehearsals on stage with masks and socially distancing.

The cast includes Mackenzie Lewis (Serena Katz), Max Wetherhold (Nick Piazza), Cindy Lozada (Carmen Diaz), Danny Garcia (Tyrone Jackson), Ashlyn Auriemma (Irish Kelly), Max Hostage (Schlomo Metzenbaum), Rosie Kramer (Grace Lamb), Logan Keim (Goodman King), Emily Badman (Mabel Washington), Katie Graham (Miss Sherman), Sieanna Rahatt (Ms. Bell), Susanna House (Ms. Sheinkopf), JoAnn Wilchek Basist (Ms. Myers), and Becky Anruchek, Todd Croslis; Noel Cruz and Vasilis Motsenigos (Ensemble).

“Fame” premiered in 1988 in Miami. The original producer of “Fame,” David De Silva conceived the premise in 1976, partially inspired by the musical “A Chorus Line.” The book is by José Fernandez, music is by Steve Margoshes and lyrics are by Jacques Levy. It was co-written by Dean Pitchford, who was the original Pippin and wrote the screenplay and co-wrote the score for the movie “Footloose.”

‘Fame” did several regional runs and a national tour before its Off-Broadway run in 2003-2004.

The musical, best-known for the title song, became a multi-platinum, international best-seller for performer Irene Cara, who played a student in the film. The song received an Oscar, Golden Globe, Grammy nomination for Song of the Year, and went to No. 4 on the Billboard 100 chart.

Tickets: cedarcrest.edu/stage, 610-606-4608

State Theatre Acting Camp:

Registration is open for the State Theatre Center for the Arts, Easton, Acting Camp, July 12-23.

The camp, held in the theater, consists of four separate morning sessions for grades 1-3, grades 4-5, grades 6-8 and grades 9-12, and afternoon session for grades 4-12.

The two-week course is designed to be an education-based, fun-filled theater experience. Each child will rotate daily between three classes of acting, music and dance, learning lessons and tips in all phases of theater.

Subjects covered include audition technique, presentation, terminology, character development, scene work, improvisation skills and acting games, choreography, show preparation and musical technique.

The camp, directed by Denise Crawn of Prestige Productions, has instructors experienced in theater arts.

Morning sessions are 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Afternoon sessions are 1:30 - 5 p.m. The last day is a full day for both sessions. There’s a recital July 24.

Register: www.statetheatre.org/acting-camp; 610-252-3132

“Curtain Rises” is a column about the theater, stage shows, the actors in them and the directors and artists who make them happen. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com