News

Isiah Thomas teams up with filmmaker Robert Townsend as Executive Producer of “Believe” Documentary

Isiah Thomas teams up with filmmaker Robert Townsend as Executive Producer of “Believe” Documentary

July 7, 2015

Acclaimed filmmaker Robert Townsend (The Five Heartbeats, Hollywood Shuffle) stars, directs, produces and co-wrote script with Michelle Amor and Cheryl L. West for the UP Premiere Movie Playin’ for Love, a romantic comedy about life on and off the basketball court. It’s a story about a successful high school coach who gets a superstar player – and the mom who tries to take over the team. The film also stars Salli Richardson-Whitfield (“Being Mary Jane,” “Eureka”), Jenifer Lewis (Think Like A Man, “Black-ish”), Lawrence Hilton- Jacobs (The Jacksons: An American Dream, Claudine) and Esai Morales (La Bamba, “Criminal Minds”). Playin’ for Love premieres exclusively on UP on Sunday, July 12 at 7 p.m. EDT / 6 p.m. PDT.

Robert Townsend plays Coach Niven Banks, an overly confident high school basketball coach who’s used to calling all the shots. He recruits a basketball player named Justice “The Judge” McCoy (Daniel Yorel Cooper) from another school district to help his team win. When Justice’s mother, Talisa McCoy (Salli Richardson-Whitfield), comes in, she turns his world upside down. She’s smart and knows a thing or two about coaching basketball. And she’s onto the coach’s selfish, arrogant ways and now won’t let him get away with it. When Coach Banks won’t take her seriously, she threatens to pull her son off the team. Reluctantly, the Coach starts using her plays and the team starts to win. Sparks start to fly on and off the court. Playin’ for Love is romantic comedy about making the right plays, on and off the court. Jenifer Lewis stars as Alize Gates, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs stars as Coach Preston Reid, and Esai Morales stars as Principal Jose Marti.

The journey behind making Playin’ for Love is as uplifting as the film itself. The movie was shot on location in Overtown, one of Miami’s roughest neighborhoods. The original idea to film in this community and create a mentorship program for local kids during production was the brainchild of Miami’s former District 5 Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones. Jeff Friday, president of the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), a Miami-based event, helped put the idea into motion. Having been raised in rough neighborhood himself, Townsend loved the idea and took on one of the most challenging projects of his career – going into a rough community to teach 20 kids about making a movie, and then making one. During production in Overtown, Townsend taught his 20 mentors how to make a movie. They also appear in the film.

In addition, Townsend got the community and corporate sponsors involved as he shot the film on a shoestring budget. Commissioner Spence-Jones reached out to NBA superstar Isiah Thomas and he came aboard as one of the executive producers. Soon after, the Miami Heat gave Townsend the American Airlines Arena for basketball tryouts and 5,000 kids from the inner-city showed up. Then, another 3,000 kids came out to audition for speaking parts. Jamba Juice stepped up by partially funding the film and giving away 20,000 free smoothies and breakfast treats during production. NBA superstar Dwyane Wade donated over 500 free sneakers to the cast and volunteers. Conner Sports Flooring gave a new basketball floor to the community center. And finally, recognizing this as a film with morals and values, the American Federation of Teachers gave a donation to help offset costs.

Currently, filmmaker Wills J. Felin is working to finish a documentary film called “Believe” about the entire behind- the-scenes journey of Townsend and the kids making Playin’ for Love in the hood. To check out the trailer and possibly help donate to complete this inspiring documentary, click here: www.believedocumentary.com.

“We’re thrilled to bring our viewers the world television premiere of Robert Townsend’s entertaining, fun family film Playin’ for Love,” said Sophia Kelley, senior vice president of programming, UP. “Under his keen direction, the film presents a range of characters who you can’t help but root for as they struggle to do the right thing and on and off the basketball court. And as impressed as we are by the film, we are also amazed by the story of the making of the film and how Robert and Miami’s Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones changed the lives of a group of kids and brought the community together.”

“As a filmmaker I strive to uplift and inspire people, so I’m thrilled to have Playin’ for Love make its television debut on UP,” said Townsend. “This film is an homage to one of my favorite films ‘Claudine,’ starring James Earl Jones and Diahann Carroll, who received an Academy Award nomination for her role. It also starred a young Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, so I had to have him in this film because ‘Claudine’ changed my life. I saw my life on screen and it made me want to make movies.”

UP presents Playin’ for Love, a Philippians 4:13 production. Starring Robert Townsend, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Jenifer Lewis, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs and Esai Morales. Directed by Robert Townsend. Executive produced by Jeff Friday and Isiah Thomas. Produced by Lydia Nicole and Robert Townsend of Townsend Entertainment.  Co- produced by McGee. Casting by Ed Arenas. Cinematography by John L. Demps Jr. Music by Ben Foy. Wardrobe by Sierra Townsend. Script by Michelle Amor, Robert Townsend and Cheryl L. West.

Jalen Rose Leadership Academy’s Inaugural Graduating Class

Jalen Rose Leadership Academy’s Inaugural Graduating Class

Stephen A. Crockett Jr., The Root

Mary’s Court founder provided the Congratulatory Address on Saturday, June 6, 2015 at the Inaugural Graduating Class of 2015 for the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy in Detroit, MI. Other speakers included former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer, Jalen Rose and surprise celebrity guest, Big Sean. One hundred percent of the graduating class will either attend college or a trade or technical school or go into the military.

Child Safe Michigan honors its ‘legends’

Child Safe Michigan honors its ‘legends’

Chuck Bennett, The Detroit News

Mary’s Court founder and NBA legend Isiah Thomas amongst honorees at this year’s Detroit Legends Ball presented by Child Safe Michigan on Saturday, June 6, 2015. . The event Co-Chairs were Susu Sosnick and Christine Tobias. The honored Detroit Legends, who are known in the fields of sports, entertainment and journalism, but more importantly for being strong advocates of children, were Isiah Thomas, Martha Reeves, Jackie Kallen, Thomas Hearns, Dave Bing, Denise Ilitch, and Mitch Albom.

Chuck Bennett is the Fox 2 News Style Ambassador and creator of the Social D. See thesociald.com.

Isiah Thomas Boulevard

“Isiah Thomas Boulevard”

Illinois General Assembly honors Isiah Thomas with a Street Name

May 22, 2015

Chicago, IL. – Today, the State of Illinois’ House of Representatives 99th General Assembly presented House Joint Resolution No. 0039 to the family of NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas in honor of “Isiah Thomas Boulevard,” located at “Westchester Boulevard from Roosevelt Road to Cermak Road” along with “South Wolf Road between Roosevelt Road and West Cermak Road” in Westchester, IL.  The joint resolution was sponsored by Representative Camille Y. Lilly of the Illinois House of Representatives and Senator Kimberly Lightford of the Illinois State Senate.

“I am truly humbled and thankful to the Illinois General Assembly for this honor. As a native son of this great state, I thank my mother for her wisdom, encouragement and resilience with raising her family sometimes against amazing odds,” says Isiah Thomas. “I dedicate this achievement to my mother, my family, and to every child in this country…to let them know that success has no limit – it only requires dedication, and hard work. I am truly thankful to Representative Lilly and Senator Lightford for this honor and their leadership in this great legislative body.”

Other Co-Sponsors of this resolution include Representative La Shawn K. Ford, Representative Emmanuel Chris Welch, Representative Pamela Reaves Harris, Representative Christian L. Mitchell, Representative Sam Yingling, Representative David Reis, Representative Katherine Cloonen, and Senator Michael Connelly (Illinois State Senate).

Mary’s Court Foundation would also like to thank Speaker Michael Madigan and President John Cullerton for their outstanding leadership in the Illinois General Assembly respectively.

To schedule a media opportunity with Isiah Thomas, please contact Andre Anderson Jr. at (202) 527-4914 or Andre.Anderson@deweysquare.com.

For Isaiah Thomas, long road to success ended in Boston

For Isaiah Thomas, long road to success ended in Boston
by Adam Himmelsbach, Boston Globe
 

…[Isaiah] Thomas had been sent to the Celtics…Thomas grabbed sneakers from his locker and drove home in a daze. He ignored the calls and text messages that were flooding in. He didn’t want to uproot his family or leave the warmth of Phoenix for Boston, which was in the midst of an historically brutal winter. He felt like it was South Kent all over again.

Then he noticed a text message from Isiah Thomas, the Hall of Famer, and his outlook began to shift.

“This is gonna change your career,” it said. “They’re one game out of the playoffs. Lead them to the playoffs.”

Celebrity Philanthropy: Isiah Thomas, Founder of Mary’s Court

Celebrity Philanthropy: Isiah Thomas, Founder of Mary’s Court
By Black Gives Back

Mary Thomas, a single mother from Chicago’s West Side, raised nine children on a limited income. She sacrificed a great deal to ensure that not just her children, but all children in the community would have a better life. Her story of service and dedication was profiled in the 1989 movie “A Mother’s Courage: The Mary Thomas Story” starring Alfre Woodard. Today her memory lives on through Mary’s Court, a family foundation created in 2010 by her son, NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas…During NBA All-Star Weekend 2015, Thomas in conjunction with his friends Cure Violence, HELP USA, Joakim Noah-Noah’s Arc Foundation, Pro Hoops and Connor Sports hosted the Peace Games Tournament in Harlem, NY for local youth.
 

Isiah Thomas teams up with filmmaker Robert Townsend as Executive Producer of “Believe” Documentary

Jul 8, 2015 |

Isiah Thomas teams up with filmmaker Robert Townsend as Executive Producer of “Believe” Documentary

July 7, 2015

Acclaimed filmmaker Robert Townsend (The Five Heartbeats, Hollywood Shuffle) stars, directs, produces and co-wrote script with Michelle Amor and Cheryl L. West for the UP Premiere Movie Playin’ for Love, a romantic comedy about life on and off the basketball court. It’s a story about a successful high school coach who gets a superstar player – and the mom who tries to take over the team. The film also stars Salli Richardson-Whitfield (“Being Mary Jane,” “Eureka”), Jenifer Lewis (Think Like A Man, “Black-ish”), Lawrence Hilton- Jacobs (The Jacksons: An American Dream, Claudine) and Esai Morales (La Bamba, “Criminal Minds”). Playin’ for Love premieres exclusively on UP on Sunday, July 12 at 7 p.m. EDT / 6 p.m. PDT.

Robert Townsend plays Coach Niven Banks, an overly confident high school basketball coach who’s used to calling all the shots. He recruits a basketball player named Justice “The Judge” McCoy (Daniel Yorel Cooper) from another school district to help his team win. When Justice’s mother, Talisa McCoy (Salli Richardson-Whitfield), comes in, she turns his world upside down. She’s smart and knows a thing or two about coaching basketball. And she’s onto the coach’s selfish, arrogant ways and now won’t let him get away with it. When Coach Banks won’t take her seriously, she threatens to pull her son off the team. Reluctantly, the Coach starts using her plays and the team starts to win. Sparks start to fly on and off the court. Playin’ for Love is romantic comedy about making the right plays, on and off the court. Jenifer Lewis stars as Alize Gates, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs stars as Coach Preston Reid, and Esai Morales stars as Principal Jose Marti.

The journey behind making Playin’ for Love is as uplifting as the film itself. The movie was shot on location in Overtown, one of Miami’s roughest neighborhoods. The original idea to film in this community and create a mentorship program for local kids during production was the brainchild of Miami’s former District 5 Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones. Jeff Friday, president of the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), a Miami-based event, helped put the idea into motion. Having been raised in rough neighborhood himself, Townsend loved the idea and took on one of the most challenging projects of his career – going into a rough community to teach 20 kids about making a movie, and then making one. During production in Overtown, Townsend taught his 20 mentors how to make a movie. They also appear in the film.

In addition, Townsend got the community and corporate sponsors involved as he shot the film on a shoestring budget. Commissioner Spence-Jones reached out to NBA superstar Isiah Thomas and he came aboard as one of the executive producers. Soon after, the Miami Heat gave Townsend the American Airlines Arena for basketball tryouts and 5,000 kids from the inner-city showed up. Then, another 3,000 kids came out to audition for speaking parts. Jamba Juice stepped up by partially funding the film and giving away 20,000 free smoothies and breakfast treats during production. NBA superstar Dwyane Wade donated over 500 free sneakers to the cast and volunteers. Conner Sports Flooring gave a new basketball floor to the community center. And finally, recognizing this as a film with morals and values, the American Federation of Teachers gave a donation to help offset costs.

Currently, filmmaker Wills J. Felin is working to finish a documentary film called “Believe” about the entire behind- the-scenes journey of Townsend and the kids making Playin’ for Love in the hood. To check out the trailer and possibly help donate to complete this inspiring documentary, click here: www.believedocumentary.com.

“We’re thrilled to bring our viewers the world television premiere of Robert Townsend’s entertaining, fun family film Playin’ for Love,” said Sophia Kelley, senior vice president of programming, UP. “Under his keen direction, the film presents a range of characters who you can’t help but root for as they struggle to do the right thing and on and off the basketball court. And as impressed as we are by the film, we are also amazed by the story of the making of the film and how Robert and Miami’s Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones changed the lives of a group of kids and brought the community together.”

“As a filmmaker I strive to uplift and inspire people, so I’m thrilled to have Playin’ for Love make its television debut on UP,” said Townsend. “This film is an homage to one of my favorite films ‘Claudine,’ starring James Earl Jones and Diahann Carroll, who received an Academy Award nomination for her role. It also starred a young Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, so I had to have him in this film because ‘Claudine’ changed my life. I saw my life on screen and it made me want to make movies.”

UP presents Playin’ for Love, a Philippians 4:13 production. Starring Robert Townsend, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Jenifer Lewis, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs and Esai Morales. Directed by Robert Townsend. Executive produced by Jeff Friday and Isiah Thomas. Produced by Lydia Nicole and Robert Townsend of Townsend Entertainment.  Co- produced by McGee. Casting by Ed Arenas. Cinematography by John L. Demps Jr. Music by Ben Foy. Wardrobe by Sierra Townsend. Script by Michelle Amor, Robert Townsend and Cheryl L. West.

Jalen Rose Leadership Academy’s Inaugural Graduating Class

Jun 9, 2015 |

Jalen Rose Leadership Academy’s Inaugural Graduating Class

Stephen A. Crockett Jr., The Root

Mary’s Court founder provided the Congratulatory Address on Saturday, June 6, 2015 at the Inaugural Graduating Class of 2015 for the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy in Detroit, MI. Other speakers included former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer, Jalen Rose and surprise celebrity guest, Big Sean. One hundred percent of the graduating class will either attend college or a trade or technical school or go into the military.

Child Safe Michigan honors its ‘legends’

Jun 9, 2015 |

Child Safe Michigan honors its ‘legends’

Chuck Bennett, The Detroit News

Mary’s Court founder and NBA legend Isiah Thomas amongst honorees at this year’s Detroit Legends Ball presented by Child Safe Michigan on Saturday, June 6, 2015. . The event Co-Chairs were Susu Sosnick and Christine Tobias. The honored Detroit Legends, who are known in the fields of sports, entertainment and journalism, but more importantly for being strong advocates of children, were Isiah Thomas, Martha Reeves, Jackie Kallen, Thomas Hearns, Dave Bing, Denise Ilitch, and Mitch Albom.

Chuck Bennett is the Fox 2 News Style Ambassador and creator of the Social D. See thesociald.com.

Isiah Thomas Boulevard

May 22, 2015 |

“Isiah Thomas Boulevard”

Illinois General Assembly honors Isiah Thomas with a Street Name

May 22, 2015

Chicago, IL. – Today, the State of Illinois’ House of Representatives 99th General Assembly presented House Joint Resolution No. 0039 to the family of NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas in honor of “Isiah Thomas Boulevard,” located at “Westchester Boulevard from Roosevelt Road to Cermak Road” along with “South Wolf Road between Roosevelt Road and West Cermak Road” in Westchester, IL.  The joint resolution was sponsored by Representative Camille Y. Lilly of the Illinois House of Representatives and Senator Kimberly Lightford of the Illinois State Senate.

“I am truly humbled and thankful to the Illinois General Assembly for this honor. As a native son of this great state, I thank my mother for her wisdom, encouragement and resilience with raising her family sometimes against amazing odds,” says Isiah Thomas. “I dedicate this achievement to my mother, my family, and to every child in this country…to let them know that success has no limit – it only requires dedication, and hard work. I am truly thankful to Representative Lilly and Senator Lightford for this honor and their leadership in this great legislative body.”

Other Co-Sponsors of this resolution include Representative La Shawn K. Ford, Representative Emmanuel Chris Welch, Representative Pamela Reaves Harris, Representative Christian L. Mitchell, Representative Sam Yingling, Representative David Reis, Representative Katherine Cloonen, and Senator Michael Connelly (Illinois State Senate).

Mary’s Court Foundation would also like to thank Speaker Michael Madigan and President John Cullerton for their outstanding leadership in the Illinois General Assembly respectively.

To schedule a media opportunity with Isiah Thomas, please contact Andre Anderson Jr. at (202) 527-4914 or Andre.Anderson@deweysquare.com.

For Isaiah Thomas, long road to success ended in Boston

Apr 18, 2015 |

For Isaiah Thomas, long road to success ended in Boston
by Adam Himmelsbach, Boston Globe
 

…[Isaiah] Thomas had been sent to the Celtics…Thomas grabbed sneakers from his locker and drove home in a daze. He ignored the calls and text messages that were flooding in. He didn’t want to uproot his family or leave the warmth of Phoenix for Boston, which was in the midst of an historically brutal winter. He felt like it was South Kent all over again.

Then he noticed a text message from Isiah Thomas, the Hall of Famer, and his outlook began to shift.

“This is gonna change your career,” it said. “They’re one game out of the playoffs. Lead them to the playoffs.”

Celebrity Philanthropy: Isiah Thomas, Founder of Mary’s Court

Apr 7, 2015 |

Celebrity Philanthropy: Isiah Thomas, Founder of Mary’s Court
By Black Gives Back

Mary Thomas, a single mother from Chicago’s West Side, raised nine children on a limited income. She sacrificed a great deal to ensure that not just her children, but all children in the community would have a better life. Her story of service and dedication was profiled in the 1989 movie “A Mother’s Courage: The Mary Thomas Story” starring Alfre Woodard. Today her memory lives on through Mary’s Court, a family foundation created in 2010 by her son, NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas…During NBA All-Star Weekend 2015, Thomas in conjunction with his friends Cure Violence, HELP USA, Joakim Noah-Noah’s Arc Foundation, Pro Hoops and Connor Sports hosted the Peace Games Tournament in Harlem, NY for local youth.