Tonight on Hallmark Channel, viewers who lived large in the 80s will no doubt recognize the star of the featured original movie, “Summer of Dreams”: Debbie Gibson. An entertainer who has proven herself for more than 25 years, Debbie burst onto the scenes as a teenager, quickly becoming music’s “Original Pop Princess.”
A music prodigy, Debbie exploded on the Billboard Pop Charts at the tender age of 16 with the self-penned, “Only In My Dreams.” She quickly became the youngest artist ever to write, produce and perform a No. 1 hit song, “Foolish Beat,” and entered the Guinness Book of World Records. To date, she is still the youngest female to hold that record.
Gibson has sold more than 16 million albums worldwide, performed for British Royalty and hosted “The American Music Awards,” produced by friend and legend Dick Clark. Tonight, fans who partied through the 80s will no doubt be thinking of their own glory days as they watch Debbie star in Hallmark Channel Original Movie, “Summer of Dreams.” According to Hallmark Channel:
Debbie Taylor is a former 1980s pop star bent on making a comeback and returning to the Billboard charts. As she prepares to once again take the music industry by storm, Debbie’s record label deems her irrelevant and abruptly drops her. Out of money, she leaves the fast lane of New York to move in with her sister in Youngstown, Ohio.
There, Debbie’s life as a diva takes an abrupt turn when she’s asked to substitute for a local high school music teacher. When she reluctantly agrees, Debbie is introduced to a lovable group of teenage misfits preparing to perform at their upcoming prom. While unsuccessfully attempting to connect with the students Debbie meets Noah, the school’s quirky, down-to-earth guidance counselor. Eventually, Debbie wins over the students with a new perspective on music, life and love.
Debbie Gibson, of course, stars as “Debbie Taylor.” The cast also stars Robert Gant (Noah) and Pascale Hutton (Denise), and features Lane Edwards (Tim), Ken Trimblett (Ray), Lauren McNamara (Natalie), Zenia Marshall (Ashley), Mitchell Kummen (Johnny), Eric Gibson (Oliver), Anita Yung (Darryl), Olivia Ryan Stern (Kacey), Marcus Rosner (Liam) and Keenan Tracey (Dylan).
“Summer of Dreams” is produced by CMFN Productions for Hallmark Channel. Executive producers are Shelley Hack and Debbie Gibson; Kim Arnott is producer. Mike Rohl directs from a screenplay written by Neal & Tippi Dobrofsky.
“Summer of Dreams” premieres on Hallmark Channel tonight, Saturday, August 27, at 9/8c.
Image: Courtesy of Hallmark Channel, Used with Permission. Photo: Debbie Gibson. Credit: Copyright 2016 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Bettina Strauss.
Video: YouTube