![\"Heart](\"https:\/\/www.send2press.com\/wire\/images\/16-0815-heartof-600x450.jpg\")
\nForty years later, the local journalist has created a film as a tribute to production founders Mary D. & F. Howard Walsh. The movie, free to the public, premieres Sept. 7.<\/p>\n
FORT WORTH, Texas, Aug. 15, 2016 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — \u201cHeart of Christmas, The Secret History of The Littlest Wiseman,\u201d a gift film that pays tribute to philanthropists Mary D. and F. Howard Walsh, will premiere Sept. 7, 2016 at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. At age 9, Ben Tinsley became a participant and contributor to the annual Fort Worth Christmas pageant, \u201cThe Littlest Wiseman.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nForty years later, the local journalist has created a film as a tribute to production founders Mary D. & F. Howard Walsh. The movie, free to the public, premieres Sept. 7.<\/p>\n
Ben Tinsley, a North Texas journalist and long-time participant and contributor to the annual \u201cPlay Pageant of the Nativity,\u201d wrote, directed and co-produced \u201cHeart of Christmas\u201d \u201cbecause I felt the need to capture the incredible impact the Walshes had on generations of families that participated or attended \u2018The Littlest Wiseman.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Through performances and interviews, Tinsley\u2019s 57-minute film captures the essence of \u201cThe Littlest Wiseman,\u201d which will be produced for the 56th year in December. Admission to the nine performances is free \u2013 as it always has been \u2013 courtesy of The Walsh Foundation.<\/p>\n
Tinsley was a member of the Texas Boys Choir between ages 9 and 11 and performed in the Christmas play twice.<\/p>\n
His re-entry to \u201cThe Littlest Wiseman\u201d family began nearly four decades later when he met Gary Bryant McGrath. McGrath is Executive Director of the Texas State Men and Boys Choir \u2013 the primary singing entity for \u201cThe Littlest Wiseman\u201d performances. The state choir is comprised of Texas Boys Choir alumni and their sons. Tinsley joined the choir.<\/p>\n
\u201cI found it amazing that these Texas Boys Choir alums could be performing at \u2018The Littlest Wiseman\u2019 once more,\u201d Tinsley said. \u201cI really didn\u2019t think this was even a possibility for me to ever do again.\u201d<\/p>\n
During rehearsals, Tinsley began to realize much of what is great about \u201cThe Littlest Wiseman\u201d production was fading. Mary D. and F. Howard Walsh had passed away. Composer Jack Noble White, formerly of the Texas Boys Choir, was aging. And the presence of the Texas Boys Choir was gone. Tinsley concluded that great memories were not adequately being preserved.<\/p>\n
Dallas-Fort Worth area movie director Dan Millican introduced Tinsley to some colleagues and allowed them to use his camera equipment to shoot the documentary. Alicia Pascual, Tinsley\u2019s director of cinematography, filmed \u201cHeart Of Christmas\u201d during a three-day period in December 2015. The project took film editor Christine Copeland roughly a month to edit.<\/p>\n
\u201cHeart Of Christmas: The Secret History of The Littlest Wiseman\u201d premieres in the movie theatre at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, 3200 Darnell Street, at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. Admission is free. Tickets will not be needed for admission.<\/p>\n
After the premiere, the link to the movie will be available for free viewing online.<\/p>\n