Mama, I Want to Sing!, written and directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, is a CodeBlack Entertainment's adaptation of the Off-Broadway gospel musical, also titled "Mama, I Want to Sing! written and produced by Vy Higginsen and Ken Wydro". Grammy Award-winning singer Ciara, Grammy Award Winning and veteran soul singing sensation Patti LaBelle, Emmy Award Winning Lynn Whitfield and Billy Zane will all star in the film, which is scheduled for theatrical release on October 10, 2008. Production began in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in the month of June. It's based on the life story of Doris Troy, a preacher’s daughter who sang in a church choir before being discovered by James Brown. Doris Troy's niece, Knoelle, who has played the star role in the off-Broadway production, makes her film debut in the movie in a principal role.

Amara Winter's life centers around a church, where her father's appointed as the preacher and her mother, Lillian Winter, sings in the choir with her. When the Minister of Music asks Amara to join the adult choir--although she is only eleven at the time--she and her family are happy and proud to accept. Her life is shattered into minuscule portions when her father suddenly dies. She goes into a stage of deep depression and gives up on singing. Before his death, Amara's father urges her to follow her dream, which is to sing. Sister Carrie, her godmother, convinces her to sing again. And with that reassurance she begins to come around and continues her dream. She feels herself drawn toward secular music, her mother, however, hates it; calling it "worldly music." Her desire to live a normal teenage life leads to tension between her and her mother. Will her mother accept Amara and her desire to be a professional singer? Sneaking off to work at the famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem, Amara is dazzled by the excitement, the gleam of the lights, and the glamorous stars. She and three friends form a singing group, The Halos, and enter a talent contest at the Apollo. As her love of music collides with her loyalty to her mother, Amara must find the courage to live by her convictions that all music is glorious. Written by Talisa Jackson