Emma Russell from Ashgrove Drive, Clonmel was among the hopefuls, singing Memory from Cats for her audition piece.

The show will be presented by Derek Mooney, who was at the auditions to offer words of encouragement to the performers. Leading the search and putting the hopefuls through their paces were actor and director Simon Delaney, stage producer Robert C. Kelly and West End star Jacinta Whyte, who starred in Annie the Musical when she was 12.

Emma was a member of RTE's Cor na nÓg when she was younger and appeared with the group on The Late Late Show. She also appeared in Faith Of Our Fathers and La Boheme and took the lead role in the production of Cinderella by Opera Theatre Company, which toured the country. She has performed in the National Concert Hall on many occasions and was also a member of the musical society in Clane, Co. Kildare, where she was in the cast of Grease and Pocahontas.

Emma is daughter of Breda and Seamus Russell and has two brothers, Adam and James. She sang 'Tomorrow' from the musical Annie at the age of 10 on The Late Late Toy Show. "My interest in performing sort of went from there", she says. 

Emma is studying biological and chemical sciences in UCC and works part time at Marks & Spencer in Clonmel.

Those who are successful at the auditions will be put through to Fame School - an intense workshop phase where performers will be put through their paces, and where it will be decided who will go through to the live TV shows and battle it out over eight weeks on the Helix stage, live in front of the nation.

Joining the panel for live shows will be Erica Gimpel, who starred as Coco Hernandez in the original Fame TV series. Only two performers will be crowned the winners and take their place in the nationwide tour of Fame The Musical.