Community Corner

'Let It Shine' on the Square

Scenes for the Disney Channel Original Movie "Let It Shine," including its final dramatic musical number, were filmed on Marietta Square and in the Strand this week.

Disney was on Marietta Square Thursday shooting scenes for the movie Let It Shine.

Filming was done throughout the week near the Glover Park fountain and in front and inside the .

"It’s (the Strand) a beautiful classic theater that speaks to the richness of our story, and we wanted an intimate space for our final dramatic musical, and the Strand Theatre was perfect for that vision," director Paul Hoen said.

Find out what's happening in Mariettawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Disney Channel Original Movie Let It Shine is a modern day teenage Cyrano de Bergerac set in the world of gospel music and hip-hop.

The film crew rented out the Strand Theatre, where they spent last week preparing an interior set and this week filming scenes inside with several hundred teenagers.

Find out what's happening in Mariettawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"The City of Marietta is always fantastic for film companies to work with, and the Strand specifically could not have been nicer or more accommodating," Hoen said.

Disney rented the parking lot of to use as their base camp.

The scene shot Thursday was a summer night scene and had teenagers dancing and clapping to loud music on the square.

"Lovely people and a lovely location!" Hoen said of Marietta and the Strand. "It’s a nice button on our movie."

The movie is scheduled to premiere in summer 2012 on Disney Channel.

Its soundtrack will include 12 original songs by acclaimed music producers/
songwriters/performers such as Rock Mafia (Selena Gomez and The Scene Love
You Like a Love Song), Grammy-winner Toby Gad (Beyoncé If I Were A Boy and
Fergie Big Girls Don't Cry) and David Banner (Dance the Night Away featuring
Denim from Footloose and Get Like Me featuring Chris Brown and Yung Joc).

The story follows 16-year-old Cyrus DeBarge, an aspiring musician who has
a gift for rhyme yet lacks the self-confidence to take the stage and, through his rap song, tell his longtime crush Roxanne Andrews how he feels about her.

After he and his flighty best friend, Kris McDuffy enter a songwriting contest, Kris is mistakenly named the winner for a song Cyrus wrote. Fearful of being thrust into the spotlight, Cyrus panics and allows Kris to take credit for his heartfelt lyrics and soon he's standing by as Roxanne begins to fall for Kris.

Starring are Tyler James Williams (Everybody Hates Chris) as Cyrus DeBarge, Coco Jones (Radio Disney N.B.T.) as Roxanne Andrews, Trevor Jackson (Cold Case) as Kris McDuffy, Brandon Mychal Smith (So Random!) as Lord of Da Bling, Nicole Sullivan (MADtv) as Lyla, Courtney B. Vance as Jacob DeBarg and Dawnn Lewis (A Different World) as Cyrus’ mother Gail.

Let It Shine is directed by two-time DGA award winner Paul Hoen (Camp Rock
2: The Final Jam and JONAS) and was written by Don D. Scott (Barbershop) and Eric Daniel.

The movie is choreographed by Danny Teeson (American Idol) and associate Brandon Shaw (So You Think You Can Dance). Songwriters include: Antonina Armato, David Banner, Andy Dodd, In-Q, J-Doe, Toby Gad, Adam Hicks, Tim James, Steven Jones, Jay L'Oreal, Rock Mafia, Justin Mobley, Tocarra Phillips, Lindy Robbins, Thomas Armato Sturges, Dapo Torimiro, Anna Vasilenko, Jon Vella, Lambert "Stereo" Waldrip and Adam Watts.

Let It Shine is a production of G Wave Productions, LLC.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here