Take a look at the trailer released for Rise, an upcoming drama series set to premiere on Stan on March 14 – the same day it hits NBC in the US.
The series follows dedicated teacher and family man Lou Mazzuchelli (Josh Radnor, from How I Met Your Mother fame) who takes over his school’s theatre department in the hopes of helping his students find a sense of identity and purpose. His decision to tackle 1891 play Spring Awakening as the year’s big production sparks up controversy and galvanises the faculty, the students, and the entire working-class town. Auli’i Cravalho, who broke out voicing the titular character of Disney’s hit film Moana, plays one of the students attempting to traverse the difficulties of teenagehood and high school.
This is an adaptation of the true story book Drama High, written by Michael Sokolove. The character of Lou Mazzuchelli is based on real-life teacher Lou Volpe, who led the drama program at Harry S. Truman High School in Bucks County, Pennsylvania for 45 years until his retirement in 2013.
Rise comes from Jason Katims, writer and executive producer of Friday Night Lights and Parenthood, and Jeffrey Seller, producer of the Broadway hit Hamilton. Rosie Perez, Damon J. Gillespie, Shirley Rumierk, Joe Tippet and Ted Sutherland also star.
