[05/18/23 - 09:02 AM] Lifetime Limited Series "V.C. Andrews' Dawn" Starring Brec Bassinger, Donna Mills, Fran Drescher, Joey McIntyre and Jesse Metcalfe Premieres Saturday, July 8 The network's most recent limited V.C. series, "Flowers in the Attic: The Origin," was seen by 10.6 million total viewers.
[via press release from Lifetime]
LIFETIME LIMITED SERIES "V.C. ANDREWS' DAWN" STARRING BREC BASSINGER, DONNA MILLS, FRAN DRESCHER, JOEY MCINTYRE AND JESSE METCALFE PREMIERES SATURDAY, JULY 8
Based on the Bestselling Author's Dawn Cutler Novels
Four-Part Movie Event Airs Consecutive Saturdays in July
Lifetime reenters the V.C.-Verse with the new limited series V.C. Andrews' Dawn -inspired by the bestselling author's Dawn Cutler series of novels - setting the premiere for Saturday, July 8 at 8/7c with new movies every Saturday evening through July 29. Lifetime is the exclusive television home for movies and series from the library of V.C. Andrews, one of the most popular authors of all time. The network's most recent limited V.C. series, Flowers in the Attic: The Origin, was seen by 10.6 million total viewers (*1) and was ad-supported cable's #1 new scripted series in calendar year 2022 (*2).
Each part of the new four-chapter limited series focuses on one of Andrews' Dawn Cutler novels, including Dawn, Secrets of the Morning, Twilight's Child, and Midnight Whispers, and delves into the dark and twisted histories of the Cutler, Booth and Longchamp families. Brec Bassinger (Stargirl) takes on the title role of Dawn Longchamp and will be joined by Emmy winner Donna Mills (Nope) as Lillian Cutler. Also set to star in the new movie event are Joey McIntyre (New Kids on the Block) as Michael Sutton; Jesse Metcalfe (Desperate Housewives) as Ormand Longchamp; Khobe Clarke (Yellowjackets) as Jimmy Longchamp; and Emmy nominee Fran Drescher as Agnes Morris.
Additional cast includes Jason Cermak as Dawn's father Randolph Cutler; Miranda Frigon as Dawn's mother, Laura Jean Cutler; Megan Best as Dawn's teenage daughter Christie; as well as Elyse Maloway (The Magicians) and Dane Schioler (Prom Pact) as Dawn's siblings Clara Jean and Philip Cutler. In addition, Corey Woods plays Dawn's boarding school roommate, Tricia; and Helena Marie plays Sally Longchamp, Dawn's adoptive mother.
V.C. Andrews' Dawn - Limited Series Descriptions
Part 1: Dawn (Airing Saturday, July 8 at 8/7c)
Dawn follows the story of Dawn Longchamp (Bassinger), who after growing up in humble surroundings with a very hardworking family including her devoted father Ormand (Metcalfe) and older brother Jimmy (Clarke), suddenly has everything she loves ripped away from her. After discovering the shocking truth about the people who raised her, she is thrust into a new family whose dark and twisted secrets change the course of her life forever. As Dawn struggles to fit in, her wicked grandmother Lillian Cutler (Mills) rules her life with an iron fist and inflicts cruel punishments when Dawn does not follow her strict orders. When Dawn finds herself entrenched in the mysteries surrounding the family, it becomes clear that a dark and inescapable curse looms over the Cutlers.
Part 2: Secrets of the Morning (Airing Saturday, July 15 at 8/7c)
After disturbing details of Dawn's (Bassinger) past are revealed, she finally has the upper hand with her grandmother Lilian (Mills) and orchestrates her move to New York City to attend the best performing arts school. While residing in a boarding house run by headmistress and aging actress, Agnes Morris (Drescher), Dawn still dreams about Jimmy and the anguished secrets they share. But when Michael Sutton (McIntyre) arrives---a new teacher and Broadway star, he sets his sights on Dawn. Dawn falls under his seductive spell but when he suddenly disappears, Dawn is once again at the mercy of her grandmother's twisted schemes.
Part 3: Twilight's Child (Saturday, July 22 at 8/7c)
After being reunited with Jimmy, Dawn is finally free and blissfully happy as Mrs. Longchamp, a wife and mother to her beautiful baby girl, Christie . When Dawn becomes the rightful owner of Cutler's Cove Hotel, she's able to turn the business around but can't seem to escape her grandmother presence and can feel her vengeance from the grave. When Dawn discovers that her brother Philip is still obsessed with her and her spiteful sister Clara's rage explodes into violence, threatening Dawn's dream once again.
Part 4: Midnight Whispers (Saturday, July 29 at 8/7c)
Though Dawn's daughter Christie (Best) has grown up in a loving home, Christie can feel the dark presence over her and soon is engulfed by a tragic family death. As she looks for solace, she is further shocked to discover her Uncle Philip's secrets. Fleeing to New York City, she finds her real father and turns to Jimmy's stepbrother Gavin, who flees with her to The Meadows, the plantation where Christie was born... .but The Meadows is blighted by its own dark secrets. Will Christie finally unlock her families' troubled past and escape the curse that has haunted them for decades?
The V.C. Andrews' Dawn limited series is executive produced by Merideth Finn, Michele Weiss, Timothy Johnson and Stacy Mandelberg, with Oliver De Caigny as supervising producer and Navid Soofi serving as producer. Finn and Weiss also executive produced Lifetime's 2014 Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind. Associate producers include Thomas Stanford, Grant O'Kane, Tim Spence and Darren Robson. Linda-Lisa Hayter directs the first two movies Dawn and Secrets of the Morning, and Jacquie Gould directs Twilight's Child and Midnight Whispers. Gregory Small and Richard Blaney serve as screenwriters for the first three movies and Alison Bingeman serves as screenwriter for the fourth movie Midnight Whispers.
Andrew Neiderman has carried the V.C. Andrews franchise for the past 35 years, making him one of the most prolific ghostwriters in history. V.C. Andrews is one of the longest, consistently published book franchises in American publishing history with more than 40 years of novels, 107 million copies sold worldwide, and a cult following. V.C. Andrews's novels have been adapted into over 19 films, 18 by A+E alone, with more in development. Neiderman was recently nominated for the prestigious Mystery Writers of America's 2023 Edgar Allen Poe Award nominations for his work The Woman Beyond the Attic: The V.C. Andrews Story.
Dawn, the first book in V.C. Andrews' original Cutler series, is available for purchase in trade paperback, eBook and audiobook formats wherever books are sold. Also, Gallery Books recently released the newest V.C. Andrews novels, Eden's Children in October 2022 (the 1st book in The Eden Series) and Little Paula in February 2023.
On July 8, preceding the premiere of V.C. Andrews' Dawn, Lifetime will present special encore airings of Flowers in the Attic and the four-part limited series Flowers in the Attic: The Origin, starting at 11am/10c. Beginning on June 1, 18 previous V.C. Andrews movies and limited series will be available on MyLifetime.com, the Lifetime App and on demand. In addition, Lifetime Movie Club currently features titles from Lifetime's full V.C. Andrews movie/series library. Available titles include Flowers in the Attic, Petals on the Wind, If There Be Thorns, Seeds of Yesterday, My Sweet Audrina, Heaven, Dark Angel, Fallen Hearts, Gates of Paradise, Web of Dreams, Ruby, Pearl in the Mist, All That Glitters and Hidden Jewel. The Lifetime limited series, Flowers in the Attic: The Origin, will be available starting June 2.
*1 - Source: Nielsen, Reach (000), L+7/Most Current, Persons 2+, 1 min reach qualifier, 7/9/22-9/24/22, Total Day 6a-6a, includes all telecasts of VC Andrews Flowers in the Attic: The Origin Parts 1-4 on Lifetime across total day including premieres and repeats (22 telecasts total)
*2 - Source: Nielsen Live+SD, (000s), W25-54, W25-64, W18-49, W18+ and W2+; 2022 Full Calendar Year=12/27/21-12/25/22; Among all new scripted ad-supported cable series that premiered on or after 12/27/21; Excludes specials & all SVOD/AVOD series with linear plays
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