Cynthia Bailey Joins Camryn Manheim in Lifetime Movie ‘Cruel Instruction’

Cruel Instruction (Credit: Lifetime)

Lifetime will air the new movie Cruel Instruction in March, starring Emmy-winning actress Camryn Manheim alongside Morgan Taylor Campbell, Viv Leacock, Kelcey Mawema, and Real Housewives of Atlanta alum Cynthia Bailey, the cable network announced.

Inspired by real events, the original film tells the story of 16-year-old Kayla Adams (Mawema) whose mother Karen Adams (Bailey) is advised by a school counselor to send Kayla to a youth residential treatment center after she gets expelled.

Kayla arrives at a Utah facility on the same day as her roommate Amanda (Campbell), a treatment program veteran who knows exactly what the girls are in for.

Led by headmistress Miss Connie (Manheim), the staff uses draconian methods including force-feeding medications, arbitrary punishments, solitary confinement, verbal and physical abuse to keep the students in line.

Cruel Instruction premieres March 12 at 8/7c on Lifetime.

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Cruel Instruction is produced by Lighthouse Pictures In association with Mar Vista Entertainment and Happily Ever After Films for Lifetime. Craig Baumgarten, Stanley M. Brooks, Jamie Goehring and Shawn Williamson serve as Executive producers. Brooks also directs from a script by Adrienne Rush.

The movie is part of the Lifetime’s March programming slate of Ripped From the Headlines films.

Immediately after the movie, Lifetime will air a special titled Beyond the Headlines: Cruel Instruction featuring interviews with treatment program survivors.

Stolen By Their Father (Credit: Lifetime)
Stolen By Their Father (Credit: Lifetime)

Also arriving in March, the previously announced film, Stolen By Their Father. Kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart executive produces the movie, which follows the autobiographical story of Lizbeth Meredith (Sarah Drew), who finds herself fighting for her daughters after her ex kidnaps them and takes them to Greece. The film is produced by Cineflix Productions.

Stolen By Their Father premieres March 5 at 8/7c on Lifetime.

Lifetime also announced it is partnering with the nonprofit organization Breaking Code Silence to bring attention to abusive practices at some teen residential treatment programs. Breaking Code Silence represents people who were or are incarcerated in controversial punitive programs such as wilderness therapy, residential treatment centers, therapeutic boarding schools, group homes, boot camps, and faith-based academies.


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