Bill O'Donnell News

Royal Albert Hall's CHESS IN CONCERT, originally presented May 12-13 2008 is set to air on PBS stations this June.

'In the Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams,' a documentary film telling Behind-The-Scenes Story of the 2008 Tony Award-Winning Musical, premieres on THIRTEEN's Great Performances, May 27 on PBS

WNET.ORG, New York's public media provider, teams up with leading American composer John Williams to score new theme music for THIRTEEN's award-winning performing arts series Great Performances.

Air dates have not yet been set, but Wicked's Idina Menzel and Rent's Adam Pascal will join Great Performances favorite Josh Groban in a spectacular London concert revival of Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' 1986 cult musical Chess, this summer on Great Performances (check local listings). Presented by THIRTEEN in 5.1 digital surround sound on PBS HD, and featuring diamond-sharp lyrics by Tim Rice (Evita, The Lion King), the hit-filled production ('One Night in Bangkok,' 'I Know Him So Well,' 'The Anthem') was recorded in performance at Royal Albert Hall. 'A fantastic night' proclaimed musiccomh.com, while thestage.co asked 'Is there an original pop musical stuffed with better melodies?' neatly echoing Time's initial 1988 assessment: 'One of the best rock scores ever produced.' Adding to the excitement is the 50-piece City of London Philharmonic, led by David Firman, and the 100-voice West End Chorus.

PBS announced today the start of production on MAKE 'EM LAUGH: THE FUNNY BUSINESS OF AMERICA, a new historical documentary series chronicling more than a century of American comedy, produced by Thirteen/WNET New York and Ghost Light Films.