For anyone who loves theater, this contemporary history of Broadway is pure joy. As audiences return to live theater, an all-star cast tells the inside story of the last time Broadway came back from the brink. ON BROADWAY shows how this revival helped save New York City, thanks to innovative work, new attention to inclusion and the sometimes-uneasy balance between art and commerce. ON BROADWAY is part of special programming premiering on Sun, Aug. 14 at 6:30pm.
Tune in on the WSIU stations: WSIU 8.1, WUSI 16.1, WSEC 14.1, WQEC 27.1 and WMEC 22.2 or access the WSIU local broadcast livestream online at pbs.org or via the PBS Video app. Watch with WSIU Passport.
Interviews with legends of the stage and screen — including Hugh Jackman, Helen Mirren, Christine Baranski, August Wilson, James Corden, Alec Baldwin, John Lithgow, Viola Davis and Ian McKellen — take viewers behind the scenes of Broadway’s most groundbreaking and beloved shows, from A Chorus Line to Hamilton.
Archival clips of iconic performances by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters, James Earl Jones and Mandy Patinkin punctuate this hurly-burly ride through the main street of American show business. From Academy Award®-nominated director Oren Jacoby and the producers of RBG, this documentary shows how Broadway led the way in the city’s last great rebirth and provides a model of how it can come back again.
PBS special programming invites viewers to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; hear diverse viewpoints; and take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. Viewer contributions are an important source of funding, making PBS programs possible. PBS and public television stations offer all Americans from every walk of life the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content.
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