Ovation TV to Feature World Television Premiere of Morgan Spurlock’s Class Act

Class Act Premieres as Part of Ovation TV’s Week-long Tribute to Arts Education and Inspiration with “Every Big Artist Starts Small”

LOS ANGELES – July 21, 2009  Just in time for “back to school,” Ovation TV is paying tribute to the inspiration and education that creates the next generation of artists with its week-long programming event “Every Big Artist Starts Small.”  The event kicks off with the World Premiere of Class Act on Saturday, August 29, at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Class Act is a fascinating documentary from executive producer Morgan Spurlock, who has captivated viewers with his thought-provoking documentary film Super Size Me and TV series 30 Days. This documentary tells the inspirational story of eccentric public school drama teacher, Jay W. Jensen, who taught for over 50 years and became known as the “teacher to the Stars” by teaching such accomplished individuals as actor Andy Garcia, director Brett Ratner, songwriter Desmond Child, music executive José Behar, Broadway producer Adam Epstein, sportscaster Roy Firestone and countless others. 

Filmmakers, Heather Winters and Sara Sackner, are Jensen alumni and go back to school to find the drama program has vanished, not only at their Miami Beach alma mater, but nationwide.  Class Act  interweaves Jensen’s personal story with the national story of arts education on life-support and delivers an eye-opening look at how the loss of music, dance, theatre and art in America’s classrooms impacts the future of the nation’s children.

"We are enthusiastic and active supporters of arts education, which is why we are very pleased to be able to provide the world television premiere of Class Act," said Kris Slava, Senior Vice President, Programming, Ovation TV.  "We like Class Act because it’s a very entertaining film, but even more so because it delivers a powerful and timely message about the state of arts education in this country.  We want viewers to take notice and even take action.  Jay Jensen was an inspiring example of what a great teacher and the support of the public school system can do for generations of students.  Art is so very important for kids, even when times are tough,  "

Also included in “Every Big Artist Starts Small” will be Playing for Real, a documentary about the Young Concert Artists competition, and a three-part documentary series called Dance School:  Juilliard, which offers a rare look at one of the world’s most prestigious dance schools from the perspective of the senior dance students who are preparing for their final dance performances.

About Ovation TV: Ovation TV is the only multi-platform network devoted to art and contemporary culture. The network creates and curates one-of-a-kind programming about all the art people enjoy most, from the popular to the avant-garde and everything in between. The channel reaches a national audience of 32 million households through carriage on DirecTV (channel 274), Dish Network (channel 157) and on cable and telco systems in major markets across the country. Ovation TV’s programming is also available on video on demand (in both standard and high definition) in the US. Ovation TV’s popular website (http://www.OvationTV.com) is a dynamic experience, featuring information about local and national happenings in the art world, as well as a vibrant community of artists who have downloaded over 60,000 pieces of original art.

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CONTACT:
Patricia Frith
Patricia Frith Marketing (for Ovation TV)
Tel:  +1 818 8760-0480
Email:  pfmarketing@roadrunner.com
Twitter:  Pfrith

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