No, it’s not only in your dreams; Debbie Gibson is coming to the small screen.
“Shake Your Love” singer Gibson (pictured above) has been cast in the upcoming TV movie “The Music in Me,” which will premiere on UP early next year.
“E.R.” alum Gloria Reuben has also been cast in the film, which will feature a new original song, “Promises,” written by Gibson.
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“The Music in Me,” which will be directed by John Bradshaw (“Catch a Christmas Star,” “Dance With Me”) and was written by Bryar Freed-Golden (whose credits include previous UP offering “Love Finds You in Sugarcreek”), will star Gibson as Jessica, who traded in her dreams of becoming a professional singer to care for her aging parents and their neighborhood hardware store, and asked to step in as choir director for a failing church as they prepare for their the big centennial celebration. When she arrives, Jessica is shocked to discover that the choir can’t sing and that the Church Deaconess (Reuben, pictured at left) is betting on her to fail. During t
he process, Jessica builds a friendship with church handyman Ben (Antonio Cupo, “Bomb Girls”) and is challenged by choir member and teen runaway Alice, who’ll be played by “Reign” actress Amy Forsyth. Through their friendship and her work with the choir, she rekindles her love of music and finally finishes the song she’s been struggling with for many years – ultimately finding love and the music career she’s always dreamed of pursuing.
Cedric Smith (“Copper,” “Avonlea”), Marcia Bennett (Serendipity, “Happy Town”), Kim Roberts (“The Strain,” “Lucky 7”) and Mike Lobel (“Degrassi: The Next Generation”) also star.
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“‘The Music In Me’ is a terrific story about a woman dusting off a dream, not knowing that this musical journey she embarks on with a broken choir will lead to all sorts of joy in her life,” said Barbara Fisher, svp, original programming, UP. “We are thrilled to have the multi-talented, award-winning, world record-setting Debbie Gibson as the lead, joined by actress/singer/social activist Gloria Reuben, who was once a backup singer for Tina Turner.”
“I am so excited to be a part of this uplifting and inspirational movie! Working on the music from the character’s point of view was an amazing process, and the producers as well as UP network execs guided the process, which brought out new colors musically,” Gibson added. “I’m so impressed by the cast assembled and feel this movie will elevate people’s consciousness while being both heartwarming and entertaining!”
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“The Music in Me” is executive produced by Stanton W. Kamens and Roma Roth in association with UP Entertainment, Reel World Management Productions and Stanton W. Kamens Entertainment, and produced by Roma Roth in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada with the participation of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund (NOHFC).