Center Stage

BB.5

(out of 5)

Silly rip-off of Fame that is not helped by bad acting from the leads, an idiotic script or the few uninspired dance scenes.  Amanda Schull plays a naive but excitable young lady who decides to audition for the American Ballet Academy and somehow gets in on her charm (hmmm…). Her school year starts and she finds herself in a complex world of hard-driving teachers, insensitive men and fellow students who would do anything to be better than everybody else. Basically, she goes to high school again except we see more leotards. Does anyone care? Not really.  Donna Murphy is excellent as the ballet teacher who seems strict but has a large heart for her students.

USA, 2000

Directed by Nicholas Hytner

Screenplay by Carol Heikkinen

Cinematography by Geoffrey Simpson

Produced by Laurence Mark

Music by George Fenton

Production Design by David Gropman

Costume Design by Ruth Myers

Film Editing by Tariq Anwar

Cast Tags:  Aaron Severini, Adam Hendrickson, Aesha Ash, Alina Faye, Amanda Schull, Angela Piccinni, Ashley L. Anderson, Barbara Caruso, Brenda Denmark, Carlo Alban, Carrie Lee Riggins, Chris Davis, Chrissy Schultz, Christine Dunham, Craig Hall, Davena Gross, David Schneider, Deanna McBrearty, Debra Monk, Donna Murphy, Dustin Brauneck, Eion Bailey, Ekaterina Chtchelkanova, Eleena Melamed, Elena Diner, Elizabeth Ford, Elizabeth Gaither, Elizabeth Hubbard, Ellen Bar, Elvis Crespo, Emilie Schlegel, Endalyn Taylor-Shellman, Erin Baiano, Ethan Stiefel, Gillian Murphy, Giselle Daly, Giselle Tcherniak, Ilia Kulik, Jack Hayes, Jamie Bonelli, Jamie Wolf, Janie Taylor, Jared Angle, Jason Fowler, Jeff Hayenga, Jennifer Balcerzak, Jessica Kusak, Jim Borstelmann, Joann Hunter, John Michael Schert, Jonathan Porretta, Jonathan Stafford, Julie Kent, Julio Augustin, Justin Morris, Karen Shallo, Kari Thompson, Keri Lee, Kirk Peterson, Kristin Sloan, Kurt Froman, Kyle Froman, Laura Hicks, Laura Paulus, Liam de Burca, Lisa LeGuillou, Lisa Nafegar, Lisa Shriver, Lovette George, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Martine Ciccone, Maryann Plunkett, Matt Pitcher, Megan Pepin, Melissa Cabrera, Michael O’Donnell, Micki Paley, Mimi Quillin, Nancy Hess, Nancy McDoniel, Natalia Haigler, Nicole Epstein, Nina Goldman, Oksana Konobeyeva, Olga Merediz, Pascale Van Kipnis, Patrick Howell, Peter Gallagher, Priscilla Lopez, Randy Pearlstein, Rebecca Krohn, Riolama Lorenzo, Robert Montano, Robert Wersinger, Rocker Verastique, Ryan Kelly, Ryan Lawrence, Ryan Stewart, Sandra Brown, Sandy Hamilton, Sant’Gria Bello, Sascha Radetsky, Scott Taylor, Sean Martin Hingston, Sean Stewart, Shakiem Evans, Shannon Hammonds, Stephanie Lyons, Stephanie Michels, Stephen Hanna, Stephen Stout, Susan May Pratt, Tamara Barden, Victor Anthony, Victoria Born, Violetta Klimczewska, Warren Carlyle, Zoe Saldana