The Nashville/Midsouth Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has announced the Midsouth Regional Emmy Award winners. WTCI, the Tennessee Valley’s community PBS station, won in the Documentary/Cultural category for the locally-produced “From the Streets to the Stage: The Journey of Fredrick Davis.”
Emily Compton (writer/director), Shaun Townley (executive producer), John Cotton (editor), Bo Wheeler (camera), Tyler Push (sound), Ann Cater (coordinating producer), and Sergio Plecas (camera) were honored for their work on this project at the 31st Midsouth Emmy Award Gala at the Shermerhorn Symphony Center.
“From the Streets to the Stage” celebrated Fred Davis and his triumph over adversity and was made possible with support from Blood Assurance, EPB Fiber Optics, First Tennessee Foundation, George R. Johnson Family Foundation, Friends of Fredrick Fund, the Hunt-Mingus Memorial Fund, and the Lyndhurst Foundation.
WTCI President and CEO Paul Grove expressed pride in his team, saying “WTCI’s dedicated production staff serves our community every day, telling the stories that make our region unique, educating, engaging, and inspiring a lifetime of learning in all of our neighbors. We are thrilled to have been able to share this uniquely Chattanooga story with PBS stations and communities across the country.”
"This one-hour film was distributed nationally by PBS Plus and the WTCI team followed Fred’s life in Chattanooga, New York, and beyond as his talent, passion, and dedication took him to the national stage.
"This compelling story premiered in 2015 to a full house at the Tivoli Theatre as Chattanooga proclaimed it ‘The Fredrick Davis Celebration of Art and Dance Day.’ Fredrick’s journey exemplified determination, perseverance, and the power of the human spirit and the arts to change lives. His triumph over the challenges of homelessness and poverty was supported by the City of Chattanooga’s Dance Alice program, Ballet Tennessee, the Chattanooga High School Center for the Creative Arts, and the members of the Pilgrim Congregational Church," officials said.
The program is available online at http://www.pbs.org/program/streets-stage-journey-fredrick-davis/ and there will be an encore broadcast on Feb. 24 at 11 [.m. as a part of WTCI’s celebration of Black History Month.