Posted on July 4, 2024 at 6:10 am
Don’t miss the fireworks over the Capitol Building in Washington DC tonight on PBS! A Returning host Alfonso Ribeiro will be accompanied by an all-star lineup of broadway, pop, R&B and classical performances, with Smokey Robinson celebrating Motown’s 65th anniversary, the U.S. Army Chorus performing a Salute to American Heroes Past and Present, and The Color Purple’s Fantasia and Darren Criss of Glee.
Posted on July 3, 2024 at 7:40 am
“Hamilton” is LIn-Manuel Miranda’s blockbuster Broadway musical about Alexander Hamilton has the original Broadway cast.
Independence Day Will Smith, Bill Pullman, and Jeff Goldblum star in one of the all-time great popcorn pleasures. Aliens attack the earth and it takes a quirky engineer, a plucky President, and a heroic military pilot to save the day. What does that have to do with the 4th of July? Listen to the President’s stirring pep talk.
The Patriot There are many films about the Civil War, but not many about the Revolutionary War. Mel Gibson stars in this uneven but stirring film about a farmer pulled into the rebellion.
There are excellent miniseries about our founding fathers, including Paul Giamatti as John Adams and Michael Douglas as Benjamin Franklin. Ken Burns’ excellent documentary series about Benjamin Franklin is streaming online, and the History Channel’s Bloody Struggle for Freedom tells the story of the Revolutionary War.
1776 I love this film, based on the Broadway musical about the signing of the Declaration of Independence, with almost all of the stars from the acclaimed stage production, including William Daniels as the “obnoxious and disliked” John Adams, Ken Howard as a dashing Thomas Jefferson, and Howard Da Silva as Benjamin Franklin.
And don’t forget Schoolhouse Rock!
Posted on July 4, 2022 at 8:00 am
Music and fireworks! Country superstar Mickey Guyton hosts the 42nd anniversary Capitol 4th on PBS. She’s joined by Darrin Criss, Cynthia Erivo, Yolanda Adams, Andy Grammar, Chita Rivera, Gloria Gaynor, Rachel Platten, Keb Mo, Emily Bear, Jake Owen, Loren Allred, Jack Everly, and more.
Get ready with their pre-show playlist.
Posted on July 3, 2022 at 9:16 am
Happy 4th! Enjoy the parades, picnics, and fireworks, but make time to remember the courage of the the brave men who had a vision of a country based on equality and freedom. They failed in many important ways, but they knew that they could not envision all that the country would need and so they built in two great ideas: the checks and balances of the government and the ability to amend what would become the founding document.
Here are some movies to celebrate our country’s birthday.
Independence Day Will Smith, Bill Pullman, and Jeff Goldblum star in one of the all-time great popcorn pleasures. Aliens attack the earth and it takes a quirky engineer, a plucky President, and a heroic military pilot to save the day. What does that have to do with the 4th of July? Listen to the President’s stirring pep talk. (And skip the sequel)
The Patriot There are many films about the Civil War, but not many about the Revolutionary War. Mel Gibson stars in this uneven but stirring film about a farmer pulled into the rebellion.
1776 I love this film, based on the Broadway musical about the signing of the Declaration of Independence, with almost all of the stars from the acclaimed stage production, including William Daniels as the “obnoxious and disliked” John Adams, Ken Howard as a dashing Thomas Jefferson, and Howard Da Silva as Benjamin Franklin. It is frank about the devastating compromise made on enslavement.
Learn more about the Founding Fathers. The most acclaimed musical of the last 20 years is “Hamilton.”
Ken Burns’ new series about Benjamin Franklin is one of his best.
Paul Giamatti is outstanding as John Adams in the HBO miniseries.
And don’t forget Schoolhouse Rock!
Posted on July 2, 2021 at 7:00 am
This year’s 4th of July weekend is even more joyous than usual as we inch back to our new normal and reunite with friends and families. Be sure to catch the always-great Capital 4th on PBS.
Some movies to share:
Independence Day Will Smith, Bill Pullman, and Jeff Goldblum star in one ofthe all-time great popcorn pleasures. Aliens attack the earth and it takes a quirky engineer, a plucky President, and a heroic military pilot to save the day. What does that have to do with the 4th of July? Listen to the President’s stirring pep talk.
Johnny Tremain The Disney version of this classic YA book by Esther Forbes is set in the Revolutionary War era, told from the perspective of an apprentice to Paul Revere.
1776 I love this film, based on the Broadway musical about the signing of the Declaration of Independence, with almost all of the stars from the acclaimed stage production, including William Daniels as the “obnoxious and disliked” John Adams, Ken Howard as a dashing Thomas Jefferson, and Howard Da Silva as Benjamin Franklin.
And don’t forget Schoolhouse Rock!
