Hello World,
ABC NEWS – Robin Roberts
(ABC/Heidi Gutman)
There will be excellent Easter programming this weekend! Lifetime’s highly anticipated gospel biopic Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia, will premiere Saturday, April 3 at 8:00pm ET/PT. An impressive list of Broadway stars including Tony® nominee Joaquina Kalukango (Slave Play), Jason Dirden (Fences & OWN’s Greenleaf...I loved him as Basie Skanks), Olivia Washington (The Butler) and Rob Demery (Lovecraft Country) join the film which is directed by Tony® Award-winner Kenny Leon and stars Tony Award nominee, SAG and Grammy® Award winning actress Danielle Brooks (Orange is the New Black) as the gospel legend and civil rights trailblazer.
In the movie, Dirden stars as Russell Roberts, the dashing,
music-loving Reverend who falls for Mahalia when they first meet in the late 1940s while Kalukango takes on the role of Mildred, Mahalia’s talented and opinionated, long-time pianist. Washington portrays Estelle, a piano teacher Mahalia meets at church who goes on to become her life-long friend and Demery stars as the influential civil rights leader.
Born in New Orleans, Mahalia Jackson began singing at an early age and went on to become one of the most revered gospel figures in U.S. history, melding her music with the civil rights movement. Her recording of the song Move on Up a Little Higher sold millions of copies, skyrocketing her to international fame and gave her the opportunity to perform at diverse settings including in front of a racially integrated audience at the prestigious Carnegie Hall and at John F. Kennedy’s inaugural ball. An active supporter of the Civil Rights Movement, Jackson sang at numerous rallies, including the March on Washington in 1963 alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in hopes that her music would encourage and inspire racial equality.
Danielle Brooks sings these songs in the movie including Come On Children Let’s Sing, Didn’t It Rain, Elijah Rock, His Eyes On The Sparrow, How I Got Over, I’m Going to Live the Life I Sing About in My Song, I’ve Been Buked, Move On Up A Little Higher, My God Is Real, Precious Lord Take My Hand, Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child. Soundtrack will be available on ABKCO Music & Records.
Below is the trailer…
From Rock’n Robin Productions and Lincoln Square Productions, Mahalia is executive produced by Robin Roberts and Linda Berman. Danielle Brooks and Kenny Leon are co-executive producers. Leon directs from a script written by Bettina Gilois and Todd Kreidler.
Any thoughts?