>>> IT IS TIME TO RISE UP. NBCS NEWEST INSPIRING DRAMA,
"RISE," PREMIERES TONIGHT.
IT TELLS THE STORY OF A HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA PROGRAM THAT DARES
STUDENTS TO DREAM AND TO RISE TO
THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL, JUST
LIKE THIS HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA
PROGRAM IN MARIPOSA, CALIFORNIA. THE THEATER DEPARTMENT INFORNIA.
THE THEATER DEPARTMENT IN MARIPOSA, CALIFORNIA, IS THE
ONLY ONE IN THEIR COUNTY.
>> ITS TAUGHT ME TO BE A BETTER ACTOR, BETTER INSTINCT ON THEER
ACTOR, BETTER INSTINCT ON THE STAGE.
STAGE.
>> Reporter: SOME STUDENTS TRAVEL TO SCHOOL 90 MINUTES EACH
WAY JUST TO BE A PART OF THE
DRAMA CLUB.
DRAMA CLUB.
>> LEVELS OF PROJECTION --
>> Reporter: ENGLISH TEACHER AND DRAMA TEACH BRIAN HAS RUN THEAND
DRAMA TEACH BRIAN HAS RUN THE SYSTEM 17 YEARS.
>> PEOPLE WANT TO BE IN DRAMA
BECAUSE THEY REALIZE THIS IS A
PLACE TO PLAY.
>> Reporter: THE DRAMA DEPARTMENT IS SELF-SUFFICIENT,
MEANING NO FUNDING FROM THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SCHOOL DISTRICT.
>> WE HAD ABOUT $2,000 IN THE
BUDGET. THATS BEEN BUILT UP AND DEPLETE
DEPLETED BACK AND FORTH.
>> Reporter: DESPITE NEVER HAVING MORE THAN A FEW THOUSAND
DOLLARS TO PUT ON A SHOW, THEY
MANAGE TO PULL OFF FOUR TO SIX
PLAYS A YEAR.
LAST SUMMER, THIS TIGHT KNIT
COMMUNITY SUFFERED AFTER A
WILDFIRE RIPPED THROUGH
MARIPOSA.
MARIPOSA.
MORE THAN 60 HOMES DESTROYED,
THOUSANDS DISPLACED.
>> THE FIRE WAS CLIMBING OVER THE HILL TO WHERE MY OLDERVER
THE HILL TO WHERE MY OLDER SISTER LIVES.
SISTER LIVES.
IT LOOKED LIKE IT WOULD TAKE THE
TOWN.
>> Reporter: STARCHMAN AND HIS DRAMA STUDENTS DECIDED TO DONATE
THE PROFITS TO CHARITIES TO HELP
POOM FAM
POOM FAM FAMILIES REBUILD.
FAMILIES REBUILD. >> JUST BRINGING THE TOWN
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER.
>> Reporter: BRINGING THE TOWN TOGETHER IS WHAT THIS THEATERN
TOGETHER IS WHAT THIS THEATER DEPARTMENT HAS DONE FOR DECK
KATES.
KATES. THERES NO MOVIE THEATER.
WHEN THE SHOW COMES OUT, PEOPLE
SHOW UP.
SHOW UP.
>> WHEN IS THE NEXT PLAY?
IVE DONE THREE.
WHATS THE NEXT ONE?
>> ITS LIKE A SECOND FAMILY. ITS TAUGHT ME A LOT. FAMILY.
ITS TAUGHT ME A LOT. ITS GIVEN ME A LEVEL OF
CONFIDENCE I DIDNT HAVE BEFORE.
>> Reporter: JUST ANOTHER REASON
THAT THE SHOW WILL ALWAYS GO ON.
JOINING US LIVE FROM MAREIPOSAMA
CALIFORNIA, IS THE MARIPOSA HIGH
SCHOOL CLUB, AND THEIR DRAMA
TEACHER, BRIAN STARCHMAN.
HI, GUYS.
HI, GUYS. ALSO WITH ME IN STUDIO IS ONE OF
THE STARS OF NBCS NEW SHOW,
"RISE," DAMON GILLESPIE, WHICH
YOURE GOING TO LOVE.
YOURE GOING TO LOVE IT, I
PROMISE YOU THAT.
[ APPLAUSE ]
SO, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME ASK YOU, BRIAN, YOU MUST BE SOSK
YOU, BRIAN, YOU MUST BE SO EXCITED BECAUSE YOU HAVE YOUR
DRAMA CLUB TOGETHER.
IN HONOR OF THIS NEW SERIES,
"RISE," NBC HAS CREATED IN PROGRAM CALLED THE RISE AMERICA
PROGRAM.
PROGRAM.
THEYRE GRANTING $500,000 TO HIGH SCHOOL THEATERS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY AND YOUR SCHOOL GOT A
$10,000 GRANT.
$10,000 GRANT. [ APPLAUSE ]
YOU GOT THE NEWS LAST WEEK.
WERE YOU GUYS SURPRISED?
>> YEAH.
I HAD TO TELL THEM -- HAD TO TELL THEM A COUPLE TIMES OVER
BECAUSE THE FIRST TIME THEY
DIDNT REALIZE IT, I PLAYED THE
TAPE AGAIN.
TAPE AGAIN.
AND THEN, THEY ALL CELEBRATED. >> I LOVE IT.Y ALL CELEBRATED.
>> I LOVE IT. YOU COULDNT EVEN AFFORD THE
ROYALTIES TO GET THE RIGHTS TO
AN EXISTING PLAY.
YOU WERE JUST WRITING THE PLAYS
YOURSELF SO THE DRAMA STUDENTS
COULD ACT THEM OUT.
NOW, ARE YOU GOING TO LICENSE
SOME PLAY?
SOME PLAY?
ARE YOU GOING TO DO DISNEY? ?RE YOU GOING TO DO DISNEY?
?
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?
>> NEXT FALL, WERE GOING TO DO "LION KING.", WERE GOING TO DO
"LION KING." WERE GOING TO RENT THE COSTUMES
AND DO IT RIGHT, DO SOMETHING
FOR THE COMMUNITY.
>> WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH
THE PROCEEDS?
THE PROCEEDS? >> THE PROCEEDS ARE GOING TO
FUND THIS PROGRAM FOR THE REST
OF MY CAREER.
>> THATS AWESOME.
DAMON IS HERE WITH ME.
HE LIVED THE HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA
PROGRAM.
PROGRAM.
NOW, HES ACTING AS A HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA STAR. A HIGH
SCHOOL DRAMA STAR.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO ADD, DAMEN?METHING YOU WANT TO
ADD, DAMEN? >> YES.
>> YES. FIRST OFF, YOU WERE AMAZING AND
WERE SO INSPIRED BY WHAT YOU
HAVE DONE.
HAVE DONE.
BECAUSE OF YOUR MISSION TO GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY, NBC NEWS
ENTERTAINMENT IS GOING TO DOUBLE
THE GRANT YOU RECEIVED AND GIVE
YOU AN ADDITIONAL $10,000.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU. >> I THINK YOULL BE ABLE TO DO
"LION KING" AND "MY FAIR LADY"
AND "WEST SIDE STORY."
WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL OF
IT.
IT.
ENJOY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS HUGE.SO MUCH.
THIS IS HUGE.
IT MAKES ALL OF THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.OF THE DIFFERENCE
IN THE WORLD.
>> GOOD LUCK WITH IT.
GOOD LUCK REBUILDING YOUR COMMUNITY.REBUILDING YOUR
COMMUNITY.
GOOD FOR YOU.
DAMON, I HAVE TO ASK YOU,
BECAUSE I WORK FOR NBC.
THEY GIVE ME THE TV SHOWS IN ADVANCE.E ME THE TV SHOWS IN
ADVANCE.
I WATCHED THE WHOLE PILOT, WITH
MY KIDS, 8, 6, AND 4.
WE ALL LOVED IT.
YOU PLAY A FOOTBALL PLAYER WHO
IS THE TOUGH GUY, THE STAR.
HE HAS A SECRET TALENT FOR
SINGING.
AND THERES A WAR OVER DAMON AND WHO IS GOING TO GET HIM.MON AND
WHO IS GOING TO GET HIM. IS IT GOING TO BE THE FOOTBALL
TEAM OR THE DRAMA CLUB?
YOU LIVED SOME OF THIS.
YOU WERE A HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA
STAR.
STAR.
>> I WAS.
I WENT TO SCHOOL AT A PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL AND MAJORED INORMING
ARTS SCHOOL AND MAJORED IN MUSICAL THEATER.
MUSICAL THEATER. BUT I ALSO PLAYED FOOTBALL
GROWING UP.
GROWING UP.
I KNEW EXACTLY HOW THAT PULL
WAS.
YOU KNOW?
MAKING SURE YOU KEEP YOUR
DIRECTOR HAPPY.
KEEP THE COACH HAPPY.
>> WHEN PEOPLE WATCH THIS SHOW, "RISE," HOW DO YOU THINK THEYRE
GOING TO FEEL?
>> I THINK THEYRE GOING TO
CONNECT WITH IT.
I GUARANTEE YOU WILL CONNECT
WITH AT LEAST TWO CHARACTERS IN
THE SHOW AND PEOPLE WILL GET
INSPIRED TO CONTINUE INTO THE
ARTS.
ARTS.
YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO BELIEVE IN
IT.
>> I LOVED IT.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU, MY HUSBAND, DOUG, WHO IS MUCH LESS GENEROUS
THAN I AM WITH REVIEWS.
HE LOVED IT, TOO.
>> THATS AMAZING.
>> LOOKING FORWARD TO THE REST
OF IT.
OF IT. CONGRATS ON YOUR SUCCESS.