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May 2007
MAMA, I WANT TO SING! update

MAMA, I WANT TO SING! update
Ciara, Patti LaBelle and Lynn Whitfield will star in CodeBlack Entertainment's "Mama, I Want to Sing!,"

Source: Variety

May 21, 2007

Ciara, Patti LaBelle and Lynn Whitfield will star in CodeBlack Entertainment's "Mama, I Want to Sing!," the feature adaptation of the Off-Broadway gospel musical."Mama" will start production in Baton Rouge, La., next month. It's slated for theatrical release next February under CodeBlack's multi-picture deal with Fox's FoxFaith label.

Codeblack topper Jeff Clanagan will produce with Marvet Britto ("Shadowboxer" and "The Woodsman") and Holly Davis Carter ("The Gospel"). Pic's written and directed by Charles Randolph-Wright ("Preaching to the Choir").

"Mama, I Want to Sing!î tells the story of a preacherís daughter, whorises from the church choir to international pop superstardom. The character is loosely based on Vy Higginsenís sister, Doris Troy, best known for the 1963 pop hit ìJust One Look.î Higginsen and her husband Ken Wydro wrote, produced, directed, financed, and marketed the play, which was originally rejected by every major producer in New York. None believed that the story was worth telling or that an audience could be found for a gospel based production.

By the end of 1984, the play was named by Time Magazine as one of the ìTen Best Theatrical Productions of the Year.î Having played more than 2400 performances over eight consecutive years (1983-1991), the show became the longest running Black off-Broadway musical in the history of American theater touring both domestically and internationally.

 

Deal marks the first feature role for Ciara, a Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter who will play the lead.

 

 

 


 


 

 

 

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