“Purple Dreams” Follows Students Whose Lives Are Changed by Performing in ‘The Color Purple’”

Bailey Hall Film Series screens the documentary on March 15

Davie, Fla. (March 5, 2018) – "This is what Glee looks like in real life," says one participant in the uplifting documentary Purple Dreams, which will be screened in the Bailey Hall Film Series on Thursday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m. The film's producer, Robin Grey, will engage the audience in a post-screening discussion about the film that is shown as part of the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers.

Struggling with homelessness, low-income neighborhoods, gang-related violence and single-parent households, students broaden their world through a triumphant musical production of The Color Purple that ultimately propels them into a world of opportunity previously beyond their reach.

"This film shows the powerful impact that arts education has on students and how it can inspire them to not only realize their potential but also work to achieve it," said Dr. Dan Barnard, Broward College associate dean of cultural affairs and director of Bailey Hall.

In an interview with IndyWeek following the film's premiere, Purple Dreams director Joanne Hock  said "A lot of the kids that go there wouldn't have access to the arts if they didn't get it for free through school.….What it takes is people that are willing to put a little extra time into the kids. That's what this story's about. It's not about me at all; it's about the teachers in this public school that put the extra time and effort into the kids."

The trailer is available at http://www.baileyhall.org/events/purple-dreams-film-2017/

The Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers is a program of South Arts. Southern Circuit screenings are funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Bailey Hall Film Series concludes with Look and See: A Portrait of Wendell Berry (April 12).

The Bailey Hall Film Series is presented in the Bailey Hall Jazz Club format, offering a more intimate experience in which the audience sits on the stage for an 'up close and personal' interaction with the filmmaker. Ticket holders receive a complimentary beverage to enjoy during the film to add to the casual lounge atmosphere.

Tickets are $10 and student and senior discounts are also available. Tickets are available for purchase by visiting www.baileyhall.org or contacting the Bailey Hall box office at (954) 201-6884. The box office and phone lines are open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and one hour prior to an event. 

The flagship venue of Broward College, Bailey Hall is located on the A. Hugh Adams Central Campus at 3501 Davie Rd. in Davie and offers free parking.