Interview With Sparkle Film Producer Debra Martin Chase

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Two-time Emmy nominated motion picture and television producer DEBRA MARTIN CHASE has carved out a unique niche in the entertainment business.  She is the first African woman to have her own producing deal at a major studio.  Her company, Martin Chase Productions, has been affiliated with the Walt Disney Company for over ten years.  She has also just entered into an overall producing deal with ABC.

Chase recently produced SPARKLE, a remake of the 1976 classic musical, for Sony Pictures which will be released on August 17.  It stars Whitney Houston, Jordin Sparks in her movie debut, and Derek Luke, was adapted by Mara Brock Akil and was directed by Salim Akil.  She also recently completed LOVESTRUCK, the first original musical for ABC Family, which stars Jane Seymour, Chelsea Kane and Sara Paxton, was written by Terry Rossio (PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN) and Jaylynn Bailey, was directed by Sanaa Hamri and will air on the network in 2013.  She was also hired by the American Girl company to revive its movie franchise.  The first movie, MCKENNA SHOOTS FOR THE STARS, debuted on NBC in July and was released that same month on DVD by Universal Studios Home Entertainment.  Additionally, she is developing a remake of the classic megahit motion picture DIRTY DANCING for Lionsgate Entertainment with Kenny Ortega directing and choreographing.

Chase's filmography includes three hit movie franchises: THE PRINCESS DIARIES, THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS and THE CHEETAH GIRLS. She has also come to be known for having a keen eye for new talent having produced the first motion pictures of Anne Hathaway, Blake Lively, Chris Pine, America Ferrera, Grey’s Anatomy’s Jesse Williams and Pretty Little Liars’s Lucy Hale.

Chase is the executive producer of the Disney Channel musical LEMONADE MOUTH which debuted as the most watched cable movie of 2011.  She also produced the feature film JUST WRIGHT for Fox Searchlight, winner of the 2011 NAACP Image Award for Best Screenplay, and was the executive producer of the Lifetime Television series, MISSING, which ran for three seasons and starred Vivica A. Fox and Mark Consuelos.  Her additional credits include: BYOU, BYOU 2, the Emmy-winning RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA, the Oscar and Emmy-nominated HANK AARON: CHASING THE DREAM, COURAGE UNDER FIRE and THE PREACHER’S WIFE. 

Chase began her career as an attorney and worked at several major law firms and Fortune 500 corporations in Houston and Manhattan.  She received her J.D. from the Harvard Law School and graduated Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude from Mount Holyoke College.

She serves on the Board of Trustees of Mount Holyoke College, the Board of Directors of the United Friends of Children, the Women at NBCUniversal Advisory Board, the Advisory Board of Columbia College of Chicago and the Producing Mentor Board of USC’s Peter Stark Program.

Join Us Monday, August 6, 2012 At 7pm CST
For A Live Interview Via Twitter @TheBOSSNetwork 
To Learn More About The Upcoming Film Sparkle...

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