And at the Customs House in South Shields on July 11 and 12, the stage school, which has been going for nine years, will put on perhaps its most ambitious production so far, Fame.

Co-founder Elissa Hudson, from East Boldon, said: "Anybody over a certain age will remember Fame. Back in the 1980s the world went crazy for legwarmers.

"We are going to bring back that excitement to the Customs House."

Set to feature all 60 Starset students, rehearsals for the show have been going on every Sunday morning since January at Chuter Ede Community Centre.

With all this preparation, Elissa is confident all the performers will do themselves proud.

"Anybody who has seen the professional show in London won't be disappointed with this performance."

Though similar to the West End box-office smash, which ran for 10 years in the West End from 1995, Elissa's husband and co-owner of Starset, John, 31, has arranged the music, to give it a more 'live' feel.

"We will have musicians playing rather than backing tracks. I will be playing keyboards and former student Lee Dixon, who's studying in London, will be adding percussion and drums."

Elissa added: "We want to give the cast and audiences something completely different. There are a lot of expectations with this show, but the cast are really living up to them."

One of the students who knows how difficult it will be for them to surpass previous Starset shows is Michael Brabbs, a performance arts student at Northumbria University.

"I didn't think we could top Les Miserables last year, but I think we can with this one. It's a show I've always wanted to do."

The 19-year-old, from Jarrow, who has been at Starset for six years, and who wants to be an actor, will play head-strong character Nick.

He said: "Nick's very determined with his work and wants to further his career, even at the expense of his friendships and possibly romance. However, it all comes right for him at the end."

Claire Whitfield, 17, from South Shields, who plays fiery drummer Lambchop, has been with the group six years, and, unlike most of the students, wants to be a doctor rather than seek a career on the stage.

"The audience can join in at the end and sing and dance because everybody knows the songs," she said.

The sixth former at St Anthony's Girls' School, in Sunderland said: "We did Les Miserables last year, which was quite serious, so this is more lively. It's a big contrast."

"It's going to be fabulous, because we have all set the bar higher. We are all trying to top it."

Rebecca Fenwick, from South Shields, who has spent a decade at Starset, plays naive drama student Serena, who only has eyes for Michael's character Nick.

"It's a really good show and I really wanted to do it. It's enthusiastic and all audiences like it," said the 17-year-old sixth former at St Joseph's RC Comprehensive in Hebburn.

When Rebecca, who wants to be an actress or TV presenter, was asked whether her life at Starset had any parallels to those portrayed in the musical, she replied: "In Fame everybody's struggling to get famous and to be where they want to be.

"It's like that when we are practising for the show too. We get tired and sweaty in rehearsals.

"As it gets towards the final show we have to put hard work in just as they do."

For South Shields resident Amy Butler, the show has added poignancy, as though she's been at Starset for six years, up until a few years ago she got so nervous she'd call in sick rather than go through auditions for lead parts.

Now set to play Mabel, one of the lead roles, the 18-year-old St Joseph's sixth-former said: "There's lots of laughter, high-energy performances and heartbreak."

Amy, who like Mabel aspires to be a professional dancer, added: "All the difficult things about auditions in Fame are just like real life."

"It's nerve-racking, but thrilling at the same time."

Altogether now: 'FAME, I wanna' live forever. I wanna' learn how to fly ...'

* The show has performances on Saturday and Sunday at 2pm and 7.30pm. Tickets cost £10, £8 concessions. Buy more than 10 and pay just the concession price. For box office information, call 454 1234.