(upbeat music)

- And welcome to Studio 5.

This week, we are taking youfrom the big screen with Cats,

to the stage with C S Lewis,and to the small screen,

with Little House On The Prairie.

So let's get right toit and begin this week's

countdown of the best headlinesin uplifting entertainment.

At number five,

♪ Just believe ♪

♪ Just believe that it's already done ♪

- [Efrem] Sunday mornings with Kanye West

are still going strong.

- Sunday Service kicked offin January of this year.

Every week, Kanye performsalongside a gospel choir

and a live band.

He even delivers a sermon andhas a guest sermon as well.

- [Efrem] But the first formal sermon

only just recently happened.

- Someone say "Check your circle."

- [Audience] Check your circle.

- [Efrem] With long-timeKardashian family friend

and pastor, Rich Wilkerson,Jr. paying a visit

to the growing gathering.

- I don't know what therest of people like,

but today, on this Sunday,you're in a place full of grace,

you're in a place full offaith and you're connected

to something bigger.

But here's Jesus with his circle.

And when they should be comforting him,

notice what he's doing.

He's comforting them.

- [Efrem] At number four,

Next to this famous movie line,

- My name is Bond.- Bond.

- Bond.- Bond.

- Bond.- Bond.

- [All] James Bond.

- [Efrem] Is this famousmovie ride, and now...

- [Man] You may never playJames Bond in the movies,

but you can own his car,the Aston Martin DB5

from Goldfinger and other films is going

on the auction block,complete with working gadgets,

including a switch thatflips the license plate

from British, to French, to Swiss,

and a bullet-proof shield.

Sotheby's expects the Aston Martin to sell

for between four and six million bucks,

when it hits the block next month.

- And so begins ourcountdown for this week,

we'll pick it back up at numberthree in just a little bit.

Cats is now a Broadwaymusical, turned Hollywood

live action feature film.

It stars Jennifer Hudson, Taylor Swift,

James Corden, Idris Elba and more.

It won't hit theaters until December,

but Studio 5 has this first look.

- My connection to the arts is music.

I grew up singing in the church.

That's how we communicate,that's how we relate.

- My first memories ofperformance go back to when

I was in Pennsylvania growing up.

My favorite thing wasgetting to be theatrical,

o tell a story, and I've always brought

that sort of narrativeelement to my live shows.

- I was just obsessed with singing

and I was obsessed with dancing.

But it started off with me in the kitchen,

you know, with my socks on,trying to do the moonwalk.

And I think that youneed to choose something

that you're so obsessed with,

you just want to do it all the time.

- I was cast in 1981.

Just before we opened, Isnapped my Achilles tendon,

and I thought that thatwas my history with Cats.

But it turns out not to be.

- When I first heard I wasgoing to be in Cats, woo!

Instantly I felt the pressure.

- This musical is timeless.

- I just remember loving it,

so when Cats became amovie, obviously I jumped

at the chance.

- I think it could really only be done

by a director like Tom Hooper.

He understands the spectacle of Cats.

- At the center of thisincredibly entertaining,

comedic, fantastical musical,is a very timely story

about the importance ofinclusion and redemption.

- I think it just speaksreally powerfully to everyone.

There are so many emotions.

- And we got to updateit in ways that I think

are just so, so, so great.

I came right off of a stadium tour,

and went right into rehearsals.

- Tomorrow, I stat to sing my big number.

Ta-da, show business.

(uplifting music)

- Directing Cats is like directing a group

of world-class athletes.

People like Les Twins arepossibly the most famous

hip-hop dance duo.

And Frankie Hayward issuch a find, you know,

is one of the best dancers in the world

as Principal for the Royal Ballet.

- My favorite part of balletand dancing is telling

the story without words,and how you can say that

with just your eyes, oryour face, or your body.

I think it's amazing.

- We're also lucky enoughto have Andy Blankenbuehler

who choreographed Hamilton.

- When you see people thatare at the top of their game

doing it, you raise your bar as well.

- People coming togetherthrough all different corners

of entertainment.

- You have some of thebest hip-hop dancers,

Royal Ballet, some of thebest tappers in the world.

- Everybody's working really long hours,

rehearsing every day, and it's fun.

- The design of the sets,oh my God, what is this?

It was so spectacular.

It's just so much fun to play in.

- The scale of this film is huge.

Three or four times biggerfor the cat perspective.

- It's a massive undertaking.

A kind of Alice In Wonderland experience.

- Tom's pairing them with akind of level of technology

which I don't think hasever been used before.

- We've used digital furtechnology to create the most

perfect covering of fur.

- These are people, but they're cats,

and this is kind of blowing my mind.

There is nothing else like it.

- This is a moment foryou to step into a world

that's completelydesigned to entertain you.

- I just was like, reallyexcited and so honored

to get to be a part of this.

- This film is an event.

(uplifting music)

- And Cats is in Americantheaters just in time

for Christmas, you cancatch it, December 20th.

Still ahead, on Studio 5.

- Marriages are most likely.

At one time...

- [Efrem] This actor breathes new life

into a satirical masterpiece.

Brent Harris joins us next.

- [Narrator] Remember fora moment what it was like

to be a child.

You believed every story you were told.

You saw a world full ofendless possibilities.

What stories will the world's orphaned

and at-risk children believe?

We believe the Bible tells the only story

truly worth believing.

We believe that every childshould have the opportunity

to dream, the chance to take challenges

and turn them into possibilities.

The chance to stand onthe promises of God,

to recognize their place inthe greatest story ever told.

They have their whole lives ahead of them.

Theirs is a world ofendless possibilities.

They are looking for a story to believe.

We will tell them that story.

Will you join us?

(child laughing)

(dance music)

♪ Oh and where there'sjoy there's passion ♪

♪ It's like a great attraction ♪

♪ It starts a chain reaction ♪

♪ Open up more satisfaction ♪

♪ I love the way this joy makes me move ♪

♪ I got the joy ♪

♪ Dance around it feels like oh ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I move around it feels like God and ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ Joy is in the heart ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I dance around it feels like oh ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I move around it feels like God and ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ Joy is in the heart ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ Joy is in the heart ♪

♪ Joy ♪

- We're back, welcome back to Studio 5.

The countdown of the best headlines

in uplifting entertainment continues now.

At number three.

- [Man] Much time.

You got to be miles awayfrom here before dawn.

- [Efrem] This photographof Harriet Tubman praying

is a powerful hint of what we can expect

from the film, Harriet.

- God don't need people to own people.

I will give every lastdrop of blood in my veins,

until this monster called slavery is dead.

- [Efrem] The extraordinarytale of Harriet Tubman's

escape from slavery andtransformation into an American hero

hits theaters in November.

But here's a Studio 5 sneak peek.

(horse neighs)

- [Man] Fear is your enemy.

- Whoa, easy now.

- I will be free or die.

- I don't know if you knowhow extraordinary this is,

but you have made it 100 miles to freedom,

all by yourself.

Would you like to pick a new name,

to mark your freedom?

- Harriet Tubman.

- You are welcome here any time.

- If I'm free my family should be too.

I made up my mind, I'm going back.

- [Efrem] At number two.

- Dug a hole too deep.

But God's love is now deeper still.

- [Efrem] That's Kirk Franklin on stage,

but who should play themusic man in his new biopic?

- Yeah, I'm, you know, wetried to get Emmanuel Lewis,

to play me, from Webster.- Okay.

- I'm being funny.- I was gon' say.

♪ Hey ♪

♪ Woo ♪

- [Efrem] There has beentalk of a Kirk Franklin film

for quite a few years.

- John Singleton came upto me at an awards show

and said, this was severalyears ago, he said,

"You know who told me todo a movie on your life?"

He said, "Prince."- Wow.

- "Told me I need to doa movie on your life."

Like no cap, that like happened to me.

- [Efrem] But talk turned into film making

when Sony and movie makerDevon Franklin signed on,

recently breaking thenews on social media.

- We about to change the game.

This brother has allowed meto produce movie on his life.

- Woo!- Thank you, man.

- They are finishing up the script now,

and I think that thescript kinda, you know,

dictates in what era, nowof course I can't play,

as little as I am, Ican't play little Kirk.

- We have just one more headlinein this week's countdown.

We're gonna get to it alittle bit later in the show.

C S Lewis' satirical masterpiece,The Screwtape Letters,

has taken readers to thedepths of hell and back,

for more than 75 years.

It's now taking the stagein a one-man production

by Max McLean.

He began The ScrewtapeLetters stage play in 2006,

and it is still going strong,

traveling the country, showingwhat humanity looks like

through the eyes of a demon.

Studio 5 caught with theactor in the title character,

Uncle Screwtape; meet Brent Harris.

- Hate is to guide yourpatient away from those

with whom spiritually healthy,happy, and fertile marriages

are most likely.

At one time, we directed themale taste to the statuesque

and aristocratic beauty.

- Take us inside for thosewho have not seen C S Lewis'

Screwtape Letters, it'spretty much all on you

for the most part.

Tell us about the story.

- Well, the play is a dramaticadaptation of C S Lewis'

novel, The Screwtape Letters,which is a series of letters.

And C S Lewis imagineda devil, not The Devil,

he's a senior devil inthe bureaucracy of hell.

And he's basically writingletters to his nephew,

who just graduated from theTempters Training College,

and he's gonna go out thereand he's gonna go out there

and tempt human beings, andso Screwtape is a senior devil

and he's teaching his nephewhow to corrupt human souls.

So it's a series of sort of lessons.

And I think the achievementof this production

is to make an interesting,dramatic, entertaining story,

so that the creators of thisproduction have really found

the story in the book.

So the folly, cowardice,and general falseness...

(giggling)

were at premium.

It's a story from aChristian point of view

but it's very rich inideas, and human psychology,

so it has a real appealfor a diverse audience.

- What's it like to be the devil?

A devil. (laughs)- A devil.

It's really fun, I have to say. (laughs)

- Okay.

- It's kind of like therapy, you know?

You get up there, and youget to express all these

negative, dark emotions, sortof releasing these feelings

I think we all have.

- I was gonna say, if we wereto be honest with ourselves,

we've all gone through these feelings

at some point.- Right, and I think

that's the interesting part of the play,

is that the audience sometimesthey identify with him,

other times they aresort of repelled by him,

and then a lot of times,you agree with Screwtape,

you know, with what he's saying.

And he's very funnyand he's very charming,

so it's a very complicated relationship

the audience has with him.

- How long have you beendoing it, and if you,

I don't even know if youkeep count of how many

performances you've had so far.

- I've done it about 250 times or so,

I've lost track, yeah.

- What's it like or whydo you think this seems

to be a resurgent, orit's really resonating

with audiences again, why?

- I don't, you know, it's,I do think it's universal,

and I think that it's sortof timeless, you know.

He's, you know, it'sdealing with a lot of just

like how do you resist temptation,

how do you be a good person,

how do you sort of tameyour own sort of human

impulses sometimes, to do things?

How do we make our own hell out of life,

our own life, you know, every day?

Screwtape is very cannyabout human psychology.

He understands how people tick.

- How would you say thatthis work has changed you,

or your perspective?

- People often ask methat and they ask me,

(clears throat) they ask me,

how has this affected you spiritually,

because this play's specificallyabout spiritual warfare.

For me, all theater is spiritual.

You know, I have to play this character

who's a bad guy, and Ihave to understand him,

and be inside of him, hisexperience, and not judge him.

Theater's about coming togetheras a communion of people

and witnessing something together,

having your own responseto it and sharing it.

And you know theater comesfrom religion, you know.

That's where it comes from,

it comes from early churchservices where they dramatized

things and then people elaborated on that,

and took it out on the street.

So, theater and spiritualityI think are very connected.

- Brent Harris, thank you so much.

- Thank you so much, it's been a pleasure.

- Now be sure to keep aneye out for Brent Harris

and The Screwtape Letters,

it could be coming to a stage near you.

Before we go to break, it istime to say it in pictures.

Here's this week's Studio 5 snapshot.

You may not instantly recognize the face

of Russi Taylor, but the voice?

- I'm as hazy and as crazy as a daydream.

- [Efrem] Taylor gavevoice to Minnie Mouse

for more than 30 years.

The 75 year old actress died this week.

These memorable photoswith Minnie are this week's

Studio 5 Snapshot.

Still ahead...

- We don't need anything right away.

If I were you, I'd justput the money in the bank,

and let it collect some interest.

- [Efrem] Life lessons from Little House.

We head to the real-life Walnut Grove,

to sit down with a member of the cast.

So you're baby Grace fromLittle House On The Prairie.

How does it feel?

Wendi Lou Lee, next on Studio 5.

(tense music)

(uplifting music)

♪ And when there's joy there's passion ♪

♪ It's like a great attraction ♪

♪ It starts a chain reaction ♪

♪ Open up more satisfaction ♪

♪ I love the way this joy makes me move ♪

♪ I've got the joy ♪

♪ I dance around it feels like oh ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I move around it feels like God and ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ Joy is in the heart ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I dance around it feels like oh ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I move around it feels like God and ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ Joy is in the heart ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ Joy is in the heart ♪

♪ Joy ♪

- When I came to Regent University,

it's like the world opened up.

I felt like I needed to advance my career

and go back to school.

Regent was the perfect fit for me.

The Regent professors are world class.

You are equipped, the focusof the faculty is on each

individual student, whetherit's online or in person,

you become a part of Regent's family.

You carry with you, not justthe content, and the knowledge,

but the confidence to understand

that we can be significant in the world.

- [Narrator] RegentUniversity, follow your path.

- And welcome back to Studio5, we have made it to the final

headline in this week'scountdown of uplifting

entertainment, here is number one.

At number one.

♪ Cut it up, cut it up, cut it up ♪

Rapper LeCrae capturesthe attention of fans

with his music.

Joked about your millionfollowers on Instagram,

but I imagine you take eventhat platform seriously

in terms of pouring into people.

- Absolutely.

I think, you know,obviously no-one's gonna

do it perfectly, butthere is a sense of trying

to steward that well.

- [Efrem] Most recentlyposting this picture with

Chance the Rapper and hisMom, along with an uplifting

message for those feeling discouraged

and falling away from their faith.

He writes, "Some feel strongly about faith

"not being legitimate.

"I want you to know I love you all.

"I'm glad you're here.

"I have zero desire to condemn,

"and 100% desire to show you love."

He goes on to say, "I justwant to encourage anyone

"out there wrestling, thatGod knows your situation,

"he knows your pain, andthat your life isn't perfect,

"but he hasn't given up on you.

"It's all part of a greater story."

- Any opportunity to getinvolved with something

where we're continuingthat journey of pouring

ourselves into others,and also encouraging

them to pour themselves into others,

is something that is extremely important,

and I need to be involved in.

- Now that wraps this week's countdown

and brings us to a smallscreen celebration, you know.

It's been 45 years sinceLittle House On The Prairie

went from being books toa hit television show.

And Studio 5 traveled allthe way to the real life

Walnut Grove, Minnesota, tosee the celebration first-hand,

and to chat with one of the stars,

who's naturally, all grown up.

- I thought I might tell you a story.

- Oh please Pa!

- [Efrem] The pioneeringstories of Laura Ingalls Wilder

gave birth to best-selling books,

and the classic television series,

Little House On The Prairie.

- Pa!

Pa!

Pa's back!

Pa's back!

(uplifting music)

- [Efrem] Here in her real-lifeWalnut Grove, Minnesota,

residents and fanscelebrate Laura Ingalls,

and Little House every year.

The show's cast members also pay a visit,

to meet and greet their loyal fans.

(gentle music)

- Oh, you are gonna wait'till you're 18 young lady.

(gentle music)

- I love her.

- [Efrem] Twin sisters, Wendi and Brenda,

shared playing the role of baby Grace.

So you're baby Grace fromLittle House On The Prairie.

How does it feel?

- Well, I guess we're kind of used to it,

it's been about 40 years, but.

Being here in Walnut Grove,it's a little bit more

real because you've all these people like,

doting over you and wantingto meet you and hug you

and yeah, I would say it's probably

one of the greatest blessings of my life.

- We sat down with Wendi Lou Lee

at Walnut Grove's English Lutheran church.

(bell rings)

Where Pa's bell stillrings in the church tower.

So you and your sister were both so young

during the filming ofLittle House On The Prairie.

What real memories doyou have of doing it?

- Well, you know, it's really hard to say,

because we were watching it, you know,

before it was even on reruns.

So we were watching it at four years old.

We were also hearing stories from my Mom,

so I don't know if we can really separate

what we remember, and what we've heard,

and what we've seen.

So, people would say, whatwas Michael Landon like,

and I would say, I justremember every scene

that we were in together.

- Little House On The Prairieshined a bright spotlight

here on tiny WalnutGrove for nine seasons,

that's some 210 episodes,and even thousands more

life lessons, many ofthem still relevant today.

- 15 dollars that I need.

- Well, maybe you don'tneed anything right away.

If I were you, I'd justput the money in the bank

and let it collect some interest.

Then if you see something you want,

you take out as much money as you need.

- Yeah.

- Wendi's book will beavailable everywhere

in just a matter of days.

It's a devotional you'll wantto be sure to read daily.

In just a matter of moments...

♪ I got run over ♪

Music inspiration fromTasha Cobbs Leonard,

that's next on Studio five.

- It's the new Superbook Bible app!

It's packed with games, activities,

and Superbook episodes thatyou can watch for free!

Oh no!

There's trivia, a fun daily devotional,

answers to Bible questions, plus,

an easy to understand Bible,the whole family will enjoy.

You can even create yourown Superbook character.

Ta-da!

It's the new Superbook Bible app.

Free downloads on iTunes,Google Play and Amazon.

(uplifting music)

- [Man] Young people, millennials,are flocking to church.

- [Woman] It's not an exaggeration to say

that we love to meet them,

and that we love to know their stories.

- [Narrator] Come home tothe Southern Gospel station,

from CBN Radio.

You'll enjoy a richSouthern blend of bluegrass,

classic gospel andSouthern Gospel favorites.

CBN Southern Gospel.

Available now at cbnradio.com.

- Woo-hoo!

Hi, Superbook fans!

Here's something else you'll love.

Whoa!

It's the new Superbook Bible app!

It's packed with games, activities,

and Superbook episodes,that you can watch for free!

Oh no!

There's trivia, a fun daily devotional

and answers to your Bible questions.

Plus, an easy to understand Bible

the whole family will enjoy.

You can even create yourown Superbook character.

Ta-da!

Whoa!

Sorry, pardon me, sorry!

Excuse me!

Ouch!- Are you getting this?

- Earn Super Points towin daily prizes too!

And so much more!

Time to get back to my adventures.

See you soon!

It's the new Superbook Bible app.

Free downloads on iTunes,Google Play and Amazon.

- Welcome back to Studio 5.

Music fuels the productionof this show each week,

and this week, we turnto Tasha Cobbs Leonard,

and Jimi Cravity, You Know My Name.

♪ How You walk with me ♪

♪ Oh, how You talk with me ♪

♪ You talk with me ♪

♪ Oh, how You tell me ♪

♪ That I am Your own ♪

♪ That I am Your own ♪

You Know My Name, with that,we're almost out of time

for this episode of Studio 5so we're looking ahead right

now, to what's comingup for you, next week.

Brian Banks signed withthe Atlanta Falcons back

in April of 2013.

The linebacker's football career is short,

but his journey to the NFL is long,

filled with twists, turns and pitfalls.

- [Brian] I was 16 the day mylife changed for the worse.

16 when I became a productof the penal system.

16 when I was wrongfully accused of rape.

16 when the courts tried me as an adult.

My final day of freedom,

I was 16.

- [Efrem] Banks is nowan executive producer

on the major motionpicture, telling his story,

with actor Aldis Hodgein the leading role.

- [Brian] By the time Iwas 16, I had the attention

of the NFL.- Don't move!

- But I was accused ofsomething I didn't do.

The system doesn't care about me.

- But you didn't deservewhat happened to you.

- I got clean.

- That's next week, hopeyou'll join us for that,

and so much more.

Before we say goodbye, wehave one final word for you,

from Little House On ThePrairie star, Wendi Lou Lee.

- Time spent being angrywith you is such a waste,

by Caroline Ingalls.

Life can be full of relational conflicts.

Our expectations are often unmet,

and we let ourdisappointments turn to anger.

This was true for Charlesand Caroline Ingalls,

just as it's true for us.

When Pa misses church oneSunday to rest and work

in the fields, Ma is not happy.

And she lets him know it.

The days I regret the most arethose when I lose my temper.

So often is with my husband or my kids.

Why is it that the ones we love the most

have to endure the worst of us?

Most of the time, my angerdoesn't do anyone any good.

It's just a way to voice my disapproval

of not getting what I wanted.

When it's all said and done,the circumstances that upset us

don't really matter.

The backstory will soon be forgotten.

- Wendi, that is a great final word,

for this edition of Studio5 and this week's look

at uplifting entertainment.

Until next time, make timeto uplift someone around you,

and then come on backand see where Studio 5

takes you next week.

Bye-bye everybody.