The drama about the rise and fall of students at a New York performing arts high school, out Sept. 25, is a new story based on the premise of the original 1980 Alan Parker film and subsequent TV series. A new trailer will be shown today before Hannah Montana: The Movie.

Among the hopefuls are an actress (Kay Panabaker, Nancy Drew) and a pianist (Naturi Naughton, Notorious). Kevin Tancharoen, 24, a choreographer for Britney Spears and the Pussycat Dolls, says his directorial debut is about "hard work and integrity" that goes into pursuing those dreams.

"Not everybody starts out amazing," Tancharoen says. "Fame in 2009 almost seems at arm's length because of reality television and the Internet. You could film yourself for YouTube and make yourself famous. Or take a couple photos of yourself naked."

He says real fame, the kind his characters are seeking, comes from creating something, not just becoming a spectacle for 15 minutes. "When it's real, it lasts," he says.