Thursday, August 30, 2012

Jackie Evancho is coming to Providence


Rhode Island PBS presents 12-year-old classical crossover prodigy Jackie Evancho's second television special for Great Performances Jackie Evancho: Music of the Movies, at 7:30 P.M. on Wednesday, September 5. The new special is a follow-up to her popular debut special Great Performances Dream With Me in Concert, which will air at 9 P.M. 

Jackie Evancho

In early 2013, Jackie is coming to Providence, one of only 16 cities in her tour. Rhode Island PBS has the best seats in the house for her concert at the Providence Performing Arts Center, plus an exclusive meet and greet reception. 

Jackie Evancho Silver Screen
In addition, Rhode Island PBS will offer Jackie's new CD, Songs from the Silver Screen, before its public release in October, as well as the new concert DVD (which has no public release date as yet). 
 
Great Performances Jackie Evancho: Music of the Movies and Great Performances Dream With Me in Concert are airing as part of our quarterly fund raising to benefit Rhode Island PBS. Tune in on September 5 to experience Jackie's inspiring voice, and to get details about her Providence appearance.

Directed by David Horn with conductor Bill Ross, Jackie Evancho: Music of the Movies was recorded in the opulent splendor of the newly restored Orpheum Theatre, one of the most venerable landmarks in Los Angeles. The show features Jackie singing such evergreens as "Pure Imagination" from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, "My Heart Will Go On" fromTitanic, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from The Lion King, and "Some Enchanted Evening" from South Pacific 

Jackie Evancho 1Jackie Evancho got her big break at just 10-years-old as a contestant on America's Got Talent, where the breakout star finished in second place. Her first release for Columbia Records, a Christmas EP titled O Holy Night, was certified Platinum and earned Jackie the distinction of being the top-selling debut artist in 2010 as well as the youngest solo artist ever to go platinum and debut in the Top 10. 

In 2011 she released Dream With Me, her debut major label full-length album. Dream With Mewas produced by the legendary David Foster, and debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart and is certified Gold. She recorded Dream With Me In Concert for PBS'sGreat Performances in 2011, and the special rapidly became one of the most broadcast programs of the year across PBS stations. 

A Lively Experiment Friday, 8/31 at 8:30 P.M. (Sunday, 9/2 at noon)


Panel
Dyana Koelsch – moderator
Jim Hummel – The Hummel Report
Bernard Jackvony – attorney; former RI Lieutenant Governor
Rob Horowitz – columnist, golocalprov.com
Maureen Moakley  URI Political Science Professor

Topics 
  • Allegations of Voter Fraud 
  • Governor Meets with Narragansett Indians 
  • Chafee to Attend Democratic National Convention 
  • Top PAC Spenders in R.I.


A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Fridays at 8:30 P.M., with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 P.M. on WSBE Learn (36.2), and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) programming over the air on digital 36.1; on Rhode Island cable: Cox 08 / 1008HD, Verizon FiOS 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; in Massachusetts: Comcast 819HD adn Verizon FiOS 18 / 518HD; on satellite: DirecTV 36, Dish Network 7776.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; on Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; and Comcast 294 or 312.

Can't get to the TV? Watch the episode online anytime and anywhere on our YouTube channel. Episodes of A Lively Experiment are generally available to watch on the next business day. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and YouTube will notify you when a new episode is uploaded.

On Facebook? So are we! "Like" A Lively Experiment on Facebook!

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Downton Abbey Returns

Cast in the signature image for season 3 of Downton Abbey

The new and long anticipated Season 3 of Downton Abbey premieres on Masterpiece on Rhode Island PBS in January. At the end of Season 2, we were left breathless by Matthew's (Dan Stevens) romantic marriage proposal to Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) amid swirling Christmas snowflakes - and her acceptance finally. But we have to wonder what new twists of destiny and fate writer Julian Fellowes has planned for us.


We do know that Shirley MacLaine (above) joins the cast as Cora's (Elizabeth McGovern) American mother, Martha Levinson. Can you imagine the electrifying quips and barbs that will fly between Martha and Violet, Dowager Countess Grantham (Dame Maggie Smith, pictured below)?


If the video clips are any indication, those moments will be delicious.



In the meantime, Rhode Island PBS presents Season 1 of Downton Abbey on Masterpiece Fridays at 9 P.M., beginning September 28. We will encore Season 2 at the end of November.

For fans of good statistics as well as good drama, Downton Abbey was nominated for 12 Emmy awards and won four - including Outstanding Miniseries - in its first season. It has been nominated for a staggering 16 Emmys for its second season.

Taking fondness for Downton Abbey a grand leap forward, Rhode Island PBS is working with Collette Vacations on a customized 11-day tour of British landscapes that includes a visit to the real-life Downton Abbey - Highclere Castle, the sumptuous home of Earl and Countess of Carnarvon where the Downton Abbey series is filmed.
 
According to the Highclere Castle and Masterpiece Web sites:
The Highclere Castle of today was achieved through several iterations, most of them overseen by the Carnarvon family, who have lived there since 1679. The original Elizabethan house was built on the site of a medieval palace and later rebuilt as a classical Georgian house. But it was the 3rd Earl of Carnarvon who, in 1839, created the Highclere Castle of today when he commissioned the architect of the Houses of Parliament, Charles Barry.
The architect of Highclere Castle (above)
also designed the Houses of Parliament (below)

Set on 1,000 acres of parkland, Highclere Castle's interior was finished in 1878, and within its walls history was made as the Egyptologist and 5th Earl of Carnarvon financed Howard Carter's discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt's Valley of the Kings. 
British and world history intersected again with the castle as it was converted into a hospital during the First World War. During World War II, it was home to more than 100 children evacuated during the Blitz.

Even the simplest Google search term "Downton Abbey" reveals several sites and blogs rich with information about the Downton Abbey series and Highclere Castle itself. The Highclere Castle and Masterpiece Web sites start you on a fascinating journey that can blur the line between television fiction and the often more fantastic history... like the real-life conversion of Highclere Castle into a hospital during World War I!

Signature images for each season: 
Downton Abbey, Season 1
Downton Abbey, Season 2
Downton Abbey, Season 3
To keep up with unfolding news about Downton Abbey Season 3 - as well as the Highclere Castle tour during the British Landscapes trip to England, Scotland, and Wales - visit ripbs.org/britain.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

A Lively Experiment, August 24 at 8:30 PM (Sunday, 8/26 at noon)


Panel
Dyana Koelsch – moderator
Dave Layman – communications consultant
Arlene Violet – former RI Attorney General
Aaron Regunberg – columnist, golocalprov.com
Maureen Moakley  URI Political Science Professor

Topics 
  • First Congressional Democratic candidate Anthony Gemma’s allegations of Rep. David Cicilline’s involvement in voter fraud 
  • Governor Chafee’s meeting with Narragansett Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas to discuss the tribe’s gaming efforts 
  • Governor Chafee’s intentions to attend the Democratic National Convention, and 
  • Union PACs as the top spenders in Rhode Island’s local campaigns
A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Fridays at 8:30 P.M., with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 P.M. on WSBE Learn (36.2), and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) programming over the air on digital 36.1; on Rhode Island cable: Cox 08 / 1008HD, Verizon FiOS 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; in Massachusetts: Comcast 819HD adn Verizon FiOS 18 / 518HD; on satellite: DirecTV 36, Dish Network 7776.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; on Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; and Comcast 294 or 312.

Can't get to the TV? Watch the episode online anytime and anywhere on our YouTube channel. Episodes of A Lively Experiment are generally available to watch on the next business day. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and YouTube will notify you when a new episode is uploaded.

On Facebook? So are we! "Like" A Lively Experiment on Facebook!

Monday, August 20, 2012

Providence Summer School Program on PBS NewsHour

Providence is a failing school district. Less than half of middle school students are reading on grade level, and fewer than a third are meeting targets in math. For districts like Providence, summer school is a critical time to help students catch up.

Like most districts, Providence had been offering remedial classes to students over the summer -- but as in many districts, it wasnt working, and so Providence decided to try something different. Its new program is called Summer Scholars.

Students participate in hands-on, field learning experiences that feel more like camp than summer school. Students and teachers seem to like it more, but how much are students really learning?

Producer Cat McGrath and correspondent John Merrow bring you this story tonight on PBS NewsHour at 7 P.M. on Learn (over the air on digital 36.2; on cable: Cox 808, Verizon 478, Full Channel 109, Comcast 294 or 312).

See what else is going on at the Providence After School Alliance (PASA) below.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

A Lively Experiment, August 17 at 8:30 PM (8/19 at noon)


Panel
Dyana Koelsch – moderator
Scott MacKay - political analyst, Rhode Island Public Radio
Dave Layman – communications consultant
Jim Hummel – senior investigator, The Hummel Report
Travis Rowley – columnist, golocalprov.com

Topics 
  • Choice of Senator Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney's running mate 
  • Lesbian Providence fire fight's lawsuit against Providence 
  • Poll: RI swing voters want a new senator or representative in the General Assembly  
  • State Treasurer Gina Raimondo's recent activities
A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Fridays at 8:30 P.M., with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 P.M. on WSBE Learn (36.2), and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) programming over the air on digital 36.1; on Rhode Island cable: Cox 08 / 1008HD, Verizon 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; in Massachusetts: Comcast 819HD; on satellite: DirecTV 36, Dish Network 7776.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; on Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; and Comcast 294 or 312.

Can't get to the TV? Watch the episode online anytime and anywhere on our YouTube channel. Episodes of A Lively Experiment are generally available to watch on the next business day. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and YouTube will notify you when a new episode is uploaded.

On Facebook? So are we! "Like" A Lively Experiment on Facebook!

Have You Seen Wizbee?


Where in the World is Wizbee? (What in the world is Wizbee?)
Where's Wizbee

Summer is here, and that means more winding down, but there's still plenty of outdoor activities with family and friends. We invite you to take us with you where ever you go this summer autumn.

You're probably asking yourself, 'How can I take my public TV station with me on vacation?' It's easy, really - take Wizbee, the WSBE bird! And then tell us, "Where in the World is Wizbee?"

Wizbee, named for the station's call letters, WSBE, is ready to accompany you anywhere - to the beach, the park, the zoo, the museum, the backyard cook out - every where you are, Wizbee's with you! Simply print and cut out Wizbee, attach with tape or glue to a popsicle stick or tongue depressor, grab your camera, and Wizbee is ready for a little wing-flapping or to pose for a close-up. 

We promise Wizbee will be the perfect pal - quiet, polite, and patient... no car-sickness, no drink stops or bathroom breaks, and you'll never hear that haunting back-seat question, 'Are we there yet?' 

koozie and coolerWe invite you to share with us Wizbee's adventures with you. Take a picture with Wizbee and let us know, "Where in the World is Wizbee?" Hint: Wizbee is particularly fond of local Ocean State and Bay State locations but, hey, it's a big world - you decide! 

We'll also award some "cool" prizes for your most imaginative locations and creative photographs. 

Add your image(s) here on the blog as a comment, or send it to us by email to public (at) ripbs (dot) org by October 15. Here's our fun little Web page for this idea, too.

"Art Rhode Island" (Art RI) Unveils Second Season September 5

After the successful launch of its premiere season in January, Art Rhode Island will resume this fall with four new episodes. Starting September 5, the new episodes will air Wednesdays at 7 P.M. on Rhode Island PBS, and on Fridays at 10 P.M. on Learn.

Hosted by Martina Windels, Art Rhode Island engages artists, curators, educators, collectors, and gallery owners in a series of conversations punctuated by beautifully filmed segments. Its mission is to raise public awareness of the arts, and promote the rich and diverse arts community of Rhode Island.

Season two explores such topics as art as an economic engine and art education, as well as the roles of museums and galleries in Rhode Island. The guests are Randall Rosenbaum, Clay Rockefeller, Aidan Petrie; Sarah Ganz Blythe, Barbara Wong, Paul Sproll; John Smith, Lisa Goddard, Richard Fishman; Sara Agniel, Brian Chippendale, and Deb Dormody.  (See episode descriptions below.)

In addition to the television broadcast, two public screenings of Art Rhode Island episodes are planned: "Art Education" will be shown at 6:30 P.M. on September 12 at the RISD Museum's Chace Center, and "Art Museums and Art Centers" will be screened at 6:30 P.M. on September 19 at the Granoff Center for the Creative Arts at Brown University. Both events are free and open to the public.

Art Rhode Island Executive Producer Joseph A. Chazan, M.D., a long time collector and generous supporter of the arts and local artists, explains his goal for the program: "The presence of artists in the state creates a great community and enriches the state. Art is a thriving industry here in Rhode Island, and I want to help raise awareness of it," he said.

"TV is a great tool to do just that," added show host Martina Windels. "I am excited about the opportunity to reach a broader audience with Art Rhode Island than any exhibition will ever be able to do. Hopefully we’ll reach a non-arts audience because art has the potential to enrich everybody’s life,” she said.

A former faculty member of the Rhode Island School of Design, Windels is probably best known locally for her signature gallery, Martina and Company, she operated in Providence for ten years. Windels was invited to host Art Rhode Island because of her active involvement in the Providence art scene for more than 20 years as designer, teacher, gallery owner, and now, art critic. 

Art Rhode Island is a production of NetWorks project. Originally conceived through  collaboration between Dr. Chazan and AS220 Artistic Director Umberto Crenca, NetWorks strives to document the work of Rhode Island artists. Since launching in 2008, NetWorks has created an archive of video profiles, accompanied by exhibitions, catalogs, and panel discussions. Over the last five years Richard Goulis, an artist himself and the producer of Art Rhode Island, has produced more than sixty video portraits featuring a wide range of Rhode Island artists, all of which have aired on Rhode Island PBS.


Art Rhode Island Season 2 Episode Descriptions

5. Art as an Economic Engine (9/5)
The panel takes a look at the role that art, design, and creativity play in the Rhode Island economy, and discuss whether art can and should be employed to stimulate the economy, and how.
  • Randall Rosenbaum, the executive director at Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) 
  • Clay Rockefeller, a co-founder of the SteelYard 
  • Aidan Petrie, the Chief Innovation Officer and co-founder of Ximedica, a Providence company developing medical devices.
6. Art Education (9/12)

Three art educators introduce their programs and discuss art education in Rhode Island. They take a look at the role art education plays in teaching subjects other than art, such as the development of essential skills and creative problem solving skills. Art education is often cut from public school budgets because it is not part of the core curriculum, but are non-profit arts organizations in Providence and beyond equipped to provide an appropriate substitute for the missing art education in public schools? Paul Sproll explains RISD’s President John Maeda’s STEAM* (versus STEM) initiative.
*Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics
  • Sarah Ganz Blythe, director of education at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Museum of Art
  • Barbara Wong, the executive director at City Art and member of the Providence school board 
  • Paul Sproll, Professor at RISD, Department of Teaching and Learning in Art and Design
7. Art Museums and Art Centers (9/19)
The discussion examines the role of art museums in the community and in the larger context of the role of art in our lives, and why art matters.
  • John Smith, director of the Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art 
  • Lisa Goddard, director of the Newport Art Museum 
  • Richard Fishman, director of the Brown University Creative Arts Council.
8. Art Galleries (9/26)
The guests take a look at the relationship between gallerist, artist, and collector, and the function of a gallery - beyond a place to view and buy art - as a place for the exchange of ideas among artists and between collectors and artists.
  • Sara Agniel, from Buonaccorsi+Agniel Gallery 
  • Deb Dormody from Craftland 
  • Brian Chippendale, artist

Rhode Island PBS transmits standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) programming over the air on digital 36.1; RI cable channels are Cox 08 / 1008HD, Verizon FiOS 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; in MA, Comcast 819HD, Verizon FiOS 18 / 518HD; on satellite, DirecTV 36, and Dish Network 7776. 

Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; on Cox 808; Verizon FiOS 478; Full Channel 109; and in MA, Comcast 294 or 312.

RI Skiers Face Tuckerman Ravine in "Rite of Spring"

Photo: Ben Jacobsen Photography
Rite of Spring introduces a group of seven intrepid skiers – six of whom live in Rhode Island – who prepare for a run down the daunting Tuckerman Ravine on Mount Washington in the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire. The highest peak in Northeast America, Mount Washington is one of the top 10 most dangerous – and, therefore, most thrilling – places to ski, climb, or hike. Snowy for more than half the year, Tuckerman Ravine is on Mount Washington's east side, and is known for its spectacular scenery, deep snow, and challenging terrain.

As the skiers prepare for their backcountry trek, filmmaker Sheri Miller Bedau of North Attleboro, Massachusetts, narrates a retrospective on the sport of skiing, including the formation of the volunteer ski patrol, the Appalachian Mountain Club, Special Olympics at Yawgoo Valley in Exeter, Rhode Island, adaptive skiing by disabled veterans, and treacherous winter weather monitoring at the Mount Washington Observatory.

Photo: Ben Jacobsen Photography
The film also shows the training, extensive equipment, and mental preparation needed to successfully face and conquer the challenging trail. We travel with the group to Tuckerman Ravine in the fall as they observe the lay of the land and capture a sense of its majesty before winter snows transform the landscape. Finally, after the worst of the avalanche season has passed, the skiers make their run in the spring, earning bragging rights for accomplishing their goal.

Watch for these Rhode Island skiers in the film: Norm Lambert of Smithfield, Jamestown native and South Kingstown resident Ben Jacobsen, retired Cranston fire fighter Tom Gregory, Josh Kroll of Narragansett, and Warwick residents Kyle Vrendenburg and Jeff Clare.

Rite of Spring makes its television debut on Thursday, September 6 at 9 P.M. on Rhode Island PBS. It is preceded by the popular Alone in the Wilderness at 7:30 P.M., Dick Proenneke's simple, yet profound, self-filmed account of his solitary 30-year adventure in the remote Alaska wilderness.


Thursday, August 9, 2012

A Lively Experiment, Fri., 8/10 at 8:30PM (Sun., 8/12 at noon)


Panel
Dyana Koelsch – moderator
Ken Block - founder of the Rhode Island Moderate Party, former gubernatorial candidate
Dave Layman – communications consultant
Wendy Schiller – political science professor, Brown University
Rob Horowitz – columnist, golocalprov.com

Topics 
  • U.S. Senate candidate Barry Hinckley: With his own money and now getting some attention, can Barry Hinckley win against Whitehouse?
  • New poll numbers in the Presidential Race: What do they say about the upcoming election?
  • Prospects for the 2014 Rhode Island gubernatorial race - is positioning underway?
  • Economic development in Rhode Island: is reviving manufacturing the key?
  • Plus, Outrages of the Week

    A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Fridays at 8:30 P.M., with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 P.M. on WSBE Learn (36.2), and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

    WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) programming over the air on digital 36.1; on Rhode Island cable: Cox 08 / 1008HD, Verizon 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; in Massachusetts: Comcast 819HD; on satellite: DirecTV 36, Dish Network 7776.

    WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; on Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; and Comcast 294 or 312.

    Can't get to the TV? Watch the episode online anytime and anywhere on our YouTube channel. Episodes of A Lively Experiment are generally available to watch on the next business day. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and YouTube will notify you when a new episode is uploaded.

    On Facebook? So are we! "Like" A Lively Experiment on Facebook

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Little League Challenger Exhibition Game August 25

Photo: Chris Pierce
UPDATE: Rhode Island PBS regrets to announce cancellation of the broadcast due to technical reasons. 
Best wishes to the Rhode Island District 2 Challenger Team for a great game!

On Saturday, August 25, at 10:30 A.M., Rhode Island PBS will broadcast the 2012 Little League Challenger Exhibition Game live from Little League Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport, PA, featuring the Rhode Island District 2 Challenger from Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and Southwest Forsyth Little League from Clemmons, North Carolina.

 The Challenger Division was established in 1989 as a separate division of Little League that enables boys and girls ages 4 through 18 (or up to age 22 if still enrolled in high school) with developmental and physical challenges to enjoy the game of baseball.

The two leagues sending their Challenger Division programs to the 2012 Little League Baseball World Series represent more than 30,000 Challenger players and 900 leagues worldwide. The Little League Baseball World Series Challenger Exhibition Game has been a part of the Little League Baseball World Series schedule since 2001.

The 2012 Challenger Exhibition Game will be part of the schedule on the final Saturday of the 66th Little League Baseball World Series that also features the International and U.S. championship games. (The International and U.S. champions advance to the World Championship game on Sunday, Aug. 26.)

 “The Challenger Exhibition Game has become an integral part of the annual Little League Baseball World Series schedule, and has played an important role in the growth of the program,” Sam Ranck, Little League’s director of the Challenger Division, said. “It has proven to be an experience the participants and fans talk about for the rest of their lives.”

 The Rhode Island District 2 program has 50 players participating in its program, now in its sixth season. Southwest Forsyth Little League has 40 players in its Challenger program, which started in 2006.

Rhode Island PBS will re-broadcast the game on its Learn channel on Sunday, August 26 at 3:30 P.M., and  on Rhode Island PBS on Wednesday, August 29 at 5 A.M.