MAMA, CIARA WANTS TO SING

Finally, after some delays and re-shoots, 'Mama, I Want To Sing!' will make its world premiere as the closing night selection at the 13th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival.

Codeblack Entertainment has provided Black Voices with the first look of the trailer.

Presented by BET Networks, the highly-anticipated musical starring R&B superstar Ciara and Emmy Award winner Lynn Whitfield will screen on Sept. 26 in the heart at the AMC Loews 34th Street in New York City.

Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright with Jeff Clanagan, Marvet Britto, Holly Davis Carter, and David Pomier serving as producers of the film, the cast also includes Patti LaBelle, Prophetess Juanita Bynum (in her film debut), Hill Harper, Ben Vereen, Billy Zane, Marvin Winans, Kevin Phillips, Kim Porter, Ross Francis, Shonda Farr, and Mariah Roberson.

This film is based on the hit off-Broadway stage play by Vy Higginsen. It was loosely based on the career of her late sister, R&B vocalist Doris Troy, whose big hit was 1963's 'Just One Look.' The musical ran for eight years at Harlem's Heckscher Theater, making it the longest-running off-Broadway black theater musical in history.

In speaking to Black Voices, Randolph-Wright stated: "I am thrilled that the first screening of 'Mama, I Want To Sing!' will be at the Urbanworld Film Festival. The financial crisis placed the world on hold, especially independent films, but despite setbacks, we kept working on the film. What the audience will see is not yet the finished product, but it was extremely important to all of us to be involved in Urbanworld, because Urbanworld is OUR world!"

Urbanworld Film Festival runs from Sept. 23 through Sept. 27.