A Synopsis
Finding Her Voice for Christmas tells the heartwarming story of Joy Jones, a vibrant 15-year-old girl in Northern California, who uncovers a long-buried family secret during the Christmas season. The discovery reignites deep-seated tensions within her family, setting off a series of emotional challenges that test the bonds between her parents, estranged relatives, and herself. With the support of her Aunt Jocelyn, Joy sets out on a journey of forgiveness and healing, learning that the true meaning of faith, family, and love can be found even in the midst of hardship. Finding Her Voice for Christmas is a faith-based film that celebrates faith, family, love and the power of redemption, wrapped in the spirit of Christmas.
How It All Began
During the pandemic, we were preparing to present the third part of our stage play trilogy, “If These Walls Could Talk: A Family Affair,” when we received the news that theaters were shut down due to COVID-19 restrictions. We found ourselves at a crossroads, unsure of how to proceed. That’s when I took some time to pray—yes, pray—for direction and clarity on the next steps. I was not expecting the answer to come in the form of a new script, Finding Her Voice, which I wrote by God’s grace in just three days!
We pulled together a dedicated cast, rehearsed, filmed, and edited the play, eventually releasing it on Broadway on Demand, where it streamed for three months: August, September, and October of 2021 (images below, first row). The feedback was encouraging and positive, and people began asking if there was a plan to perform the production live. Once again, I prayed for direction and never expected the answer to come in the form of a new screenplay.
Over the next few years, I read countless articles, took various masterclasses, studied the works of some of the best screenwriters in the industry, and completed the script for Finding Her Voice for Christmas. With the script now finished, I had the opportunity to send it to a friend who’s an executive for a well-known studio in Hollywood. Their “readers” rated my “first-ever” screenplay as fair—I’ll take it! They also compared our script to the successful holiday film, “This Christmas,” released in (2007), offering their industry feedback and an invitation to submit the script again once I made the recommended changes! Talk about encouragement!
In 2023, we performed “Finding Her Voice,” the stage play version, live at the Lesher Center for the Arts (images below, second row). A packed audience received The production well, and it received excellent reviews. Now, nearly four years later, I’m thrilled to take the next step and bring Finding Her Voice for Christmas to life on screen for all to see!
