Theatre for Change to Develop TV Pilot Based On Stories from Dep't of Family & Protective Services

Hollywood television star, Windell Middlebrooks, is partnering with San Antonio's Theatre for Change to develop a television pilot called REGION 8. Inspired by true stories collected from the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) South Texas foster-to-adopt REGION 8, the group will be shopping the pilot to the Los Angeles market in 2014.

Sponsored by Texas Lutheran University and in conjunction with Child Advocates of San Antonio (CASA) - Theatre for Change will also host a staged performance of the pilot in the spring of 2014 in both San Antonio and on TLU's campus. The goal of the live performances will be to help raise awareness about the enormous foster-to-adopt issue in Texas and to recruit new CASA Volunteers, as CASA is currently only able to handle 1/3 of San Antonio's case load. Jose Ruben De Leon, Founder of Teatro Farolito and Farolito Music, has also signed on to compose original music for the live performance.

Theatre for Change Founders Shannon Ivey, Stephen Ivey, Shelly Chance, and TFC Filmmaker, Alyssa Tieman have been collecting film footage, interviews, and data from CASA advocates, foster families, and child protective services for the last 6 months. Shannon Ivey and Windell Middlebrooks are now using the research to write and develop the television series, starting with the pilot episode.

"Theatre for Change's slogan is 'Seek Truth. Create Story. Change the World.' and REGION 8 is doing exactly that. The stories from REGION 8's foster children are among the most heinous, compelling, and powerful that we've ever heard - Windell and I are wholly committed to giving a voice to these little voiceless warriors," says Shannon Ivey

Theatre For Change is a coalition of South Texas dramatic media artists who are committed to linking the stories inherent within theatre, film, and new media to the needs and messages of non-profit organizations. We aim to weld the weakest links in our community by producing, reviewing, and creating works of theatre, film, and new media that encourage awareness, compassion, and a call to action. For more information, visit www.theatreforchange.org/.

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