Actress and Grammy winner LeToya Luckett leads an ensemble cast in “For Richer or Poorer,” the first of GMC network’s new four-part inspirational drama series, premiering Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.
The show is the first in the series of marital issue-themed plays for the family entertainment network. Luckett is joined by Rockmond Dunbar, Angell Conwell, Clifton Powell and gospel music icon Karen Clark Sheard, who is making her television acting debut.
“For Richer or Poorer” is based on an original screenplay written by Cas Sigers Beedles (“A Cross to Bear”, “If You Really Love Me”) and directed by Roger Melvin (“The Love You Save,” “If You Really Love Me”).
Married and affluent couple Kya and Aubrey Wilson are cruising along in a happy marriage until Aubrey suddenly loses his six-figure job after a company audit reveals his boss was embezzling funds. Pretty much living up to every penny they bring in, the couple’s marriage is strained by enforced belt-tightening and resulting recriminations that come when the financial rug is pulled out from under a couple.
“For Richer or Poorer’s” story of a marriage tested by financial hardship is one I think many of our viewers will be able to relate to in the current economic climate,” Leslie Chesloff, GMC’s executive vice president of programming, said in a news release announcing the new series.
“Many families are losing jobs and homes—or worried about the possibility of losing jobs andhomes—and are being forced to downsize. This story explores how a couple chooses to respond to this difficultsituation. With wedding season kicking off, we thought it was the perfect time to explore this and other marital challenges and triumphs with this four-part gospel stage play series.”
“For Richer or Poorer” will be followed by: “From This Day Forward” in May, “In Sickness and Health” in June and “To Love and Cherish” in September, each with a different cast. GMC has been twice awarded The Parents Television Council’s Entertainment Seal of Approval™ for wholesome programming.
Luckett, an original member of “Destiny’s Child,” joined the group in 1993 and decided in 2003 to pursue a solo recording career, signing with Capitol Records. Her self-titled debut album, “LeToya”, was released on July 25, 2006 debuting at No. 1 number on the U.S. Billboard 200 and has been certified platinum.
In 1999, Luckett took up acting in a series of TV and film roles, including turns in the feature films “Killers,” “Preacher’s Kid,” “From the Rough” and the critically acclaimed HBO series “Treme.”
She is currently filming the indie film “Note to Self.”
