Eagle eyed fans may have noticed that when Fame U.K. Reunion Mastermind and Producer Sue Hinds went up on stage at the end of the Monday concert, she was presented with a present by Valerie Landsburg. That present was a book detailing Sue's journey from pre teen fan to the leader of the Reunion. The cast and those of us involved in the journey wrote messages for Sue. Here's what mine said:
It’s amazing how when we meet people we never know how they
will impact our lives, sometimes without even knowing it...
After being friends on Facebook and in the “Fame” online
community I first met Sue in person at the 2015 Reunion in Italy, well that is
when I thought I first met her!
The Italian Reunion was an amazing experience which had a
huge emotional impact on me. No matter how much I’d dreamed I’d never expected
to attend another “Fame” show after the 1983 concert I’d been to, so this was
like a miracle to me.
Having arrived on a Friday afternoon, Michael and I went out
to explore the little town but at that time everything was closed and there
wasn’t a single person to be seen. After a little while we met three women
coming towards us and I instantly recognised two of them being Sue and Penny.
(Sue’s friend Anne was the third). As they approached Sue stated “I recognise
that face”.
We spent the next day and a half, as a small group of mainly
British people sharing the wonderful experience of sitting in on rehearsals,
attending the concert and the after show party. During the rehearsals Sue took
the opportunity to go up on stage and experience being a Kid from Fame and sang
and danced along to the finale of the theme song. I was happy to stay in my
seat and watch.
At the end of the
events Sue mentioned how we’d had all these chances to get photos with the cast
and autographs but had left it until the after show party where we were
competing with all the other fans trying to do the same. Still we hadn’t been thinking logically, just
savouring every moment of this amazing journey.
As I travelled home tired and emotional from this wonderful
experience of meeting the cast and the other fans I knew that this couldn’t be
the end. I didn’t know how or when but I knew that we had to have a similar experience
in the U.K. and I also knew that I had to be involved in it. Although at the time that also seemed pretty
impossible.
Flash forward two years and again I found myself in the
small Italian town of Salsomaggiore Terme for another Fame Reunion. This time
things felt bigger and a couple of events were quickly arranged for the fans to
meet up and interact. On the spur of the moment and fuelled by the emotional
connection, we felt, a few of us even danced in the streets.
I discovered Sue’s friendship with Valerie Landsburg, which
I’d previously not been aware about. I recalled the time in 2001 when I’d met
Valerie in London with a small group of fans at Starbucks in Leicester Square.
I asked Sue if she’d been there and to my surprise I discovered that not only
was she there but she had actually organised it all. Neither of us remembered
the other from the event and we hadn’t really spoken. My excuse was that I was
concentrating on Valerie as this was my first time meeting a Fame cast member.
However it was a truly magical experience and I now realise that I have Sue to
thank for creating an experience I would treasure forever. At that time I had
no idea that the best was still to come and that Sue would be behind that too!
At the after show party I was already on a high but when Sue
told me she was planning a U.K. Reunion the excitement levels went into
overload and I let her know that I’d love to be involved. Returning home from
this Reunion I was even more hopeful that something would finally happen in the
U.K.
A few weeks later Sue and I spent pretty much a whole day
messaging back and forth with ideas for a reunion and I realised that she was
not only serious about the Reunion but had quietly been working away on this
idea and planning it for quite some time. She already had the cast in agreement
to be involved.
From there it’s been a yearlong nonstop emotional
rollercoaster of a ride. At times totally exhilarating and at times totally
draining but through it all Sue has remained strong and determined, taking each
hurdle in her stride.
So here we are on the other side of the road. OMG words fail
me now.... but tears are flowing...
We owe a huge thanks to Sue who has Dared to Dream and made
the Impossible become a reality. Not only making my dreams come true, again,
but also the dreams of hundreds of U.K. Fame fans.
We are eternally grateful.
Thank you and keep on Daring to Dream,
Much Love,
Mark x
