WHEN THE MUSIC FALLS FLAT, STAY SHARP

THREE-TIME EMMY� NOMINEE GAIL O'GRADY AND MICHAEL SHANKS STAR IN 'LIVING OUT LOUD,' A HALLMARK CHANNEL ORIGINAL MOVIE PREMIERING MAY 2

A shocking change in a woman's life inspires those around her to reconsider what's really important to them in "Living Out Loud," a Hallmark Channel Original Movie premiering Saturday, May 2 (9/8c). Three-time Emmy� nominee Gail O'Grady ("Desperate Housewives," "American Dreams") stars in the family drama that reminds us that it's never too late to live a life without fear or regrets.

Emily Marshall (O'Grady) is a high school chorus teacher who is all about helping others achieve their goals, having abandoned her own years before as a youthful fantasy. But a visit to the doctor throws Emily for a loop when she is diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. She starts chemotherapy treatment right away, leaving her husband Brad (Michael Shanks, "Stargate SG-1") to take care of Melissa (Jessica Amlee, "Heartland") and Ben (Alex Ferris, "The L Word"), their children he's been too busy with work to get to know. Through her treatment sessions, Emily befriends a number of other women, including Connie (Babz Chula, "The French Guy"), whose strong will and optimistic attitude inspire Emily to start writing songs again, a hobby she let go of when she started her family. In turn, Emily's newfound strength becomes an inspiration to those around her.

"Living Out Loud" is a Randolph Films Production in association with Blueprint Entertainment, MY Entertainment and Jack Grossbart Productions. John Morayniss, Noreen Halpern, Ira Pincus, Michael Yudin and Jack Grossbart are the executive producers, and Randolph Cheveldave is the producer. Anne Wheeler directed from a script by Pamela Wallace.

Hallmark Channel, owned and operated by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., is a 24-hour basic cable network that provides a diverse slate of high-quality entertainment programming to a national audience of 86 million subscribers. The top tier program service is distributed through more than 5,450 cable systems and communities as well as direct-to-home satellite services across the country. Hallmark Channel consistently ranks among the top 10 ad-supported cable networks in Prime Time and Total Day household ratings and is the nation's leading network in providing quality family programming. Crown Media also operates a second 24-hour linear channel which plays the greatest family movies of all time, Hallmark Movie Channel, and launched Hallmark Movie Channel HD in April, 2008.