WTTW to Host AN EVENING WITH KEN BURNS at The Auditorium Theatre
Tickets will be available to the public starting June 13 at 10:00 a.m..
By: A.A. Cristi Jun. 09, 2025
WTTW will present An Evening with Ken Burns on Thursday, September 25 at 7:30 p.m. at The Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. The special event will offer audiences a first look at Burns’s upcoming documentary series, The American Revolution, followed by a conversation with Burns and fellow filmmakers Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt.
Tickets will be available to the public starting June 13 at 10:00 a.m. through wttw.com/events and auditoriumtheatre.org/events.
The American Revolution is a six-part, 12-hour documentary that chronicles the conflict that led thirteen colonies to independence and the creation of a new democratic nation. The film explores the ideals and contradictions of the war, the people who shaped it, and its lasting global legacy.
The series is scheduled to premiere on Sunday, November 16 at 7:00 p.m. and will air nightly through Friday, November 21 on WTTW, the PBS app, and wttw.com/watch.
Directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, and written by Geoffrey C. Ward, The American Revolution is a production of Florentine Films and WETA Washington, D.C. The documentary features narration by Peter Coyote and cinematography by longtime collaborator Buddy Squires. The series is co-produced by Megan Ruffe and Mike Welt, with editing by Tricia Reidy, Maya Mumma, Charles E. Horton, and Craig Mellish. The late John F. Wilson served as executive in charge for WETA.
In advance of the broadcast, WTTW will launch a companion website in September at wttw.com/americanrevolution, featuring an interactive timeline, photo gallery, filmmaker interviews, and stories with local historical ties. Additional materials will include an American history quiz and educational content designed to enhance viewer engagement.
About the Filmmakers
Ken Burns and his team at Florentine Films have produced some of the most widely viewed documentaries on public television, including The Civil War, Baseball, Jazz, The Roosevelts, The Vietnam War, Country Music, The U.S. and the Holocaust, and The American Buffalo. This latest work continues the team’s long-standing approach to exploring American history through archival footage, primary sources, and personal narratives.
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