“9,000 8th Graders” documentary to air

The new documentary that captures the excitement is to air on:

Central Coast:

KSBW Channel 8 – Saturday May 16, 7 p.m.
Central Coast ABC – Saturday May 23, 6:30 p.m.
Estrella TV – Saturday May 23, 9 a.m.

Bay Area:

KPIX TV – Saturday, May 16, 7 p.m.
KBCW 44 – Sunday, May 24, 7 p.m.

(Monterey, CA, May 4, 2020) – “Our film focuses on the before: the kids’ anticipation, wonder and excitement of attending a Broadway play,” said Terri DeBono, filmmaker with Mac And Ava Motion Pictures, who produced “9,000 8^th Graders.” “And it shows the after: their understanding and appreciation for our Founding Fathers, a group of young idealistic men who worked diligently, despite their differences, to give us the assurance of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Connecting the musical to the U.S. Constitution will make a difference to them.”

Some 9,000 people from Monterey County–mostly students accompanied by teachers, principals, staff and chaperones as required by California State law—were provided bus transportation along with tickets to the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco by the Dan and Lillian King Foundation.

It was an extraordinary idea that the board member, Marc Del Piero, had: How about giving every 8^th grader in Monterey County the opportunity to go for free to see the historical musical “Hamilton: An American Musical” in San Francisco? After all, the mission of the Dan and Lillian King Foundation is to educate Monterey County’s students on the genesis of the U.S Constitution, and the California State curriculum requires U.S. history in 8^th grade. A perfect match!

Del Piero got the go-ahead and the coordination efforts began, between the Tony Award-winning show’s management, the Monterey County Office of Education, bus transportation companies, and individual schools in a wide mix of communities including Monterey, Pacific Grove, King City, Salinas, Carmel, Spreckels, Greenfield, Pebble Beach and Pajaro.

For over four months starting in August 2019, award-winning Monterey filmmakers Terri DeBono and Steve Rosen of Mac And Ava Motion Pictures visited 13 middle schools, filming the complex preparation with teachers and staff at the Monterey County Office of Education. They interviewed numerous teachers, principals and students; they were in a dozen U.S. history classes; they filmed three bus trips, and waited in line with students at the Orpheum Theatre.

The 54-minute film debuts May 16 on KSBW-TV Channel 8 at 7 p.m.; Central Coast ABC on May 23 at 6:30 p.m.; and Estrella TV on May 23 at 9 a.m. In the Bay Area it airs on KPIX TV on May 16 at 7 p.m., and KBCW 44 on May 24 at 7 p.m. Link to trailer: https://vimeo.com/412488493

Mac And Ava Motion Pictures, founded by Terri DeBono and Steve Rosen in 1987, has produced many award-winning films, including the social issue documentaries “Beyond Barbed Wire,” “Accidental Hero: Room 408,” “My Name is Belle,” and “Boyhood Shadows.”

For more see www.macandava.com or contact Karen Nordstrand, Monterey County Film Commissioner at Karen@FilmMonterey.org or 831-646-0910.