Here’s today’s dispatch from the crossroads of faith, media and culture.

Weekend viewing option. UP TV debuts its newest original film The Dempsey Sisters tomorrow night (11/2) @ 7:00 PM ET with encores at 9:00 PM and 11:00 PM ET. The family drama, which stars Cymphonique Miller, Denyce Lawton, Teairra Mari, MC Lyte, Valarie Pettiford, Antwon Tanner, Lynn Whitfield, Clifton Powell, Taj En’Phiniti and Dom Santana is about one family’s quest to obtain musical stardom.

Barbara Fisher, UP’s Senior VP of Original Programming, says “The Dempsey Sisters is a special story about three sisters who decide to put the family band back together when several of the siblings fall on hard times…Through their love of music, the Dempseys come together and find the uplifting inspiration to face life’s hardships.”

Synopsis (from the UP press release): Petite, take-charge, 27-year-old Deena Dempsey (Denyce Lawton) has been working unenthusiastically as a personal assistant for sophisticated, multi-millionaire socialite Olivia Norman (Lynn Whitfield).  Recognizing that Deena’s heart just isn’t in the job, Olivia decides it’s time to push the little birdie out of the nest and lets her go.  Understandably upset, Deena turns for comfort to her middle sister Sheena (Teairra Mari), an endlessly practical, 25-year old massage therapist, and younger sister Tina (Cymphonique Miller), a free-spirited 22-year old trying to find her way in life.  With time on her hands, Deena reevaluates her life and eventually decides to revisit a cherished childhood dream.  The Dempsey Sisters performed together as a singing group when they were kids, but disbanded when a record deal never materialized.  When their big brother, Thad (Antwon Tanner), a charming, fit 29-year old, brings home his new wife, Ava (TAJ En’Phiniti), who has some surprising talents, and announces plans to focus on music management full-time, the stars seem to align for the sisters – or do they.  While their parents Theo (Clifton Powell) and Elizabeth (Valarie Pettiford) want to see their children succeed, not everyone is on board with the reunion plan.  It’s going to take practice, commitment, money for studio time and savvy marketing to start.  But if Theo can talk his way through music label assistant Andre (Dom Santana) to the major exec Taylor Powell (MC Lyte), then maybe the Dempsey family really can all live their dreams.

The Dempsey Sisters is produced by Eric Tomosunas’ Swirl Films. Roger Melvin (Sugar Mommas, Love Will Keep Us Together) directs from a screenplay by Siddeeqah Powell (Somebody’s Child, Love Will Find A Way).

Note: I’ll post a review of this film tomorrow morning.

Encourage one another and build each other up – 1 Thessalonians 5:11