FAME THE MUSICAL Authors & Biographies

Biography of David De Silva

David De Silva (Concept and Development) is known as "Father Fame." He conceived, developed and produced the MGM motion picture Fame. The film received four Academy Award nominations. He was Consulting Producer on the television series which ran for six years on network television and in syndication, received numerous Emmy Awards, and has been seen in sixty-eight countries. Mr. De Silva believes that Fame will have its greatest success in the theatre. Its youth-oriented idealism and "live" performance energy will be an inspiration to young people everywhere.

Biography of José Fernandez

José Fernandez began his theatrical career as an actor. On Broadway, THE ME NOBODY KNOWS, for which he received The Variety Critic’s Poll Nomination for Best Actor, as well as HAIR, TRUCKLOAD and TWO GENTLEMEN of VERONA. José’s turns as a writer includes the Off-Broadway musical, EL BRAVO!, produced by Kenneth Waissman and has co-authored several comedies. In 1984, with David De Silva, he began the task of transforming FAME into a new and timeless musical. Born in Cuba and raised in New York City, he died at 46, but not before he saw FAME in Stockholm, in 1993. Performed in Swedish it was this hit production that launched the global FAME phenomenon. The theater filled with youngsters, many with their parents, Jose carefully observed the reactions, hushed gasps and teary eyes, thunderous applause and joyous laughter. He needed no further evidence; convinced of the impact the show would have on the world.

Biography of Steve Margoshes

Steve Margoshes in collaboration with David De Silva has composed orchestrated and recorded new symphonic works for symphony orchestra under the banner,”SYMPHONIC FAME” (a double CD) and ”SYMPHONIC FAME” for violin and orchestra. These recordings were made with the Budapest Symphony Orchestra with Laszlo Kovacs conducting and Barnabas Kelemen as virtuoso violinist. His newest recording is a CD, “Sawing to New Heights With Steve and Dale,” a new work for saw and piano with Dale Stuckenbruck on saw and Steve on piano.

As orchestrator, Steve's numerous credits include 6 Broadway shows: Elton John and Tim Rice's AIDA, The Who's TOMMY, BIG RIVER, (Tommy Tune's revival of) GREASE!, SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE (The songs of Leiber and Stoller), and Jim Steinman and Roman Polanski's upcoming DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES. Steve won Drama Desk awards for his orchestrations of BIG RIVER and TOMMY.

Biography of Jacques Levy

Jacques Levy has written lyrics with and for many well-known recording artists. He wrote Bob Dylan's album Desire with Dylan, and it became one of Dylan's biggest-selling albums ever, with the single Hurricane" released from it. Levy has written a half dozen albums with Roger McGuinn... for the Byrds, the Thunderbyrd Band, and McGuinn's solo works, including the hit single "Chestnut Mare." His lyrics have also been recorded by Carly Simon, Crystal Gayle, Joe Cocker and Jerry Lee Lewis. A member of the Dramatists Guild, Levy has written a considerable amount for the theatre, including five produced musicals, two of them, Oh, Calcutta! and The Golden Land, presented on the New York stage. Along the way, Levy's work has been honored with three Grammy nominations. He is currently head of the Theatre Program and Director of University Theatre at Colgate University. He lives in Hamilton, NY, with his wife and two children.