LIFE ON EARTH
ATTENBOROUGH’S GREATEST ADVENTURE
When you imagine a nature documentary, whose voice do you hear? The answer is likely Sir David Attenborough. The biologist, natural historian, and iconic television personality has been our guide through the living world — inspiring generations of viewers to learn about planet earth and how to appreciate and care for our home.
To celebrate Sir David’s 100th birthday, PBS presents Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure. The original 13-episode documentary, Life on Earth, was a landmark in wildlife filmmaking. The classic BBC series took Attenborough and his crew around the world over the course of three years to obtain footage of many creatures and behaviors for the first time.
Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure gives viewers a glimpse from behind the camera and features new interviews with Attenborough and the original production team. They reveal the highs and lows of filming the unprecedented leadoff series, which was created when global air travel and color filmmaking were in their infancy.
Yet, this was far from the crew’s only challenge. They ran upon a coup on the island nation of Comoros in southeastern Africa and met gunshots near the equator in Rwanda. Nevertheless, the cinematographers captured Attenborough’s astonishing encounter with mountain gorillas, which is considered one of the top TV moments of all time.
First broadcast in 1979, Life on Earth followed Attenborough as he traveled to 40 countries where his crew filmed 600 different species. The groundbreaking documentary has been watched by 500 million people worldwide, cementing Sir David’s reputation as the most successful, well-known, and influential wildlife filmmaker of our time. Since then, Attenborough’s extensive programming has taken PBS viewers on fascinating journeys into the natural world, and many of his films have been shown on NATURE and NOVA, and are available for streaming on PBS Passport.
During his long career, Attenborough embraced technology to reinvent storytelling and portray animals, plants, and ecosystems in fascinating ways. His numerous series helped pioneer filmmaking methods such as time-lapse cameras, super slow motion, infrared filming, and underwater photography.
If you thought his boundless imagination was only limited to the natural world, here’s a fun fact about Sir David Attenborough. When he worked for the BBC earlier in his career, he commissioned Kenneth Clark’s critically acclaimed Civilisation, as well as Monty Python’s Flying Circus — both considered early PBS treasures.
Whether you are a longtime admirer of Sir David Attenborough’s work or new to his engaging style, you won’t want to miss Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure.
Watch Wednesday, May 6 at 8:00 p.m. on WVPB.
A cherished annual tradition, the National Memorial Day Concert takes place as America prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary (semiquincentennial) of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Since 1776, brave and heroic service members have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation. Broadcast live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, the concert honors the courage, sacrifice, and service of our military men and women, and their families. A star-studded lineup will grace the stage for an evening of powerful storytelling, musical salutes, and poignant moments of remembrance.
Tune in on Sunday evening, May 24, and find out why the National Memorial Day Concert is one of the highest rated programs on PBS.
Watch Sunday, May 24 at 8:00 p.m. on WVPB.
A Note from Kathleen Brady
Dear WVPB Member, Spring is here — time to enjoy everything nature has to offer! If you understand and appreciate the natural world a little better because of Sir David Attenborough, I invite you to celebrate his 100th birthday by watching Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure. It’s a surprising glimpse back behind the scenes at the making of the landmark documentary series 50 years after production began with the first Life on Earth film.
Attenborough’s anniversary series is far from the only wonderful programming you’ll find on WVPB during May and June. Front-row seats are ready for you to enjoy Broadway’s Best on Great Performances You’ll also discover lesser-known stories of the American Revolution with Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War and a salute America’s fallen heroes during our
perennial favorite, the National Memorial Day Concert. The programs mentioned just scratch the surface of what you’ll see on WVPB. Because of your generous membership support, you and your neighbors will always find respite, illumination, and inspiration here. Thank you for making our world a little kinder and more positive by keeping WVPB well supported and accessible to all.
Appreciatively, ppy,
Kathleen Brady, CFRE
Acting Executive Director Member since 2014
Your front-row seat awaits as Great Performances brings you four acclaimed Broadway sensations on four consecutive Fridays in May. First up on stage is Suffs
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This Tony Award-winning musical tells the story of the American suffragist movement and the remarkable friendships, heartbreak, and action that brought women together — or in some cases tore them apart. The ensemble cast features Shaina Taub as Alice Paul, Nikki M. James as Ida B. Wells, and Jenn Colella as Carrie Chapman Catt.
Following Suffs is Top Hat. Inspired by the 1935 movie musical that starred Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, this musical
features classic Irving Berlin songs including “Cheek to Cheek,” “Let’s Face the Music and Dance,” and “Puttin’ on the Ritz.” This revival is directed and choreographed by three-time Tony Award-winner Kathleen Marshall. For more than 50 years on PBS, Great Performances has provided an unparalleled showcase of the best in all genres of the performing arts, serving as America’s most prestigious and enduring broadcaster of cultural programming.
Watch Friday, May 8 at 9:00 p.m.. on WVPB.
Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War
As part of PBS America @ 250 programming, WVPB is presenting Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War. The founding tenets, as declared by the framers, stated: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…endowed with certain unalienable Rights, among them Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” Yet for many of the enslaved and freed Black people who were helping to build the United States of America, these truths rang hollow.
Now this feature-length film expands the story of America’s founding fathers and mothers by exploring the lives of four largely
forgotten Black men and women who created their own version of the American Dream despite all odds, and armed with the promises of the framers. Viewers will meet Elizabeth “Mumbet” Freeman, James Armistead Lafayette, Harry Washington, and Abraham Peyton Skipwith. These four Black Americans followed very different but equally powerful journeys in their quest for freedom, equality, and a better life during the early years of the republic. Watch Monday, June 29 on WVPB.
REBEL WITH A CAUSE
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DID YOU KNOW?
FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT GREAT PERFORMANCES
1 . Great Performances has been America’s preeminent performing arts television series for 53 seasons and counting, showcasing a diverse range of performing arts specials from around the world.
2. Since its beginnings in 1972, Great Performances has received numerous accolades, including 67 Emmy Awards, six George Foster Peabody Awards, a Grammy Award, and an NAACP Image Award.
3. Its first episode premiered on November 4, 1972, with a broadcast production of the Lanford Wilson play The Rimers of Eldritch, starring a promising up-and-coming actress named Susan Sarandon.
4. In addition to the annual Broadway’s Best programming, Great Performances has brought From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration to American audiences since 1985. Viewers ring in the new year with the famed Vienna Philharmonic at its annual concert from Vienna’s Musikverein.
5. Repeat guest hosts include Walter Cronkite, Julie Andrews, Whoopi Goldberg, and Hugh Bonneville.
6. Great Performances was the brainchild of Jac Venza. He was among the pioneering leaders of American public media for over three decades. Venza was a major force in harnessing the power of television to achieve international recognition for America’s leading performing artists.
For W.E.B. (William Edward Burghardt) Du Bois, the power of the pen was his greatest weapon. Born just five years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by Abraham Lincoln, Du Bois lived through the collapse of Reconstruction, through two World Wars, to the rise of the Civil Rights Movement. Now Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Rita Coburn brings this prolific scholar and civil rights pioneer to light in a new two-hour documentary.
Viewers will follow this visionary’s singular journey by exploring both his monumental achievements and his deeply personal struggles. From the loss of his infant son to his lifelong battles with systemic racism — Du Bois’ humanity shaped his activism, inspiring leaders from the Harlem Renaissance to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Narrated by Viola Davis, W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With A Cause includes dramatic readings by Common, Courtney B. Vance, and Jeffrey Wright. The film is further illuminated with commentary from prominent scholars, historians, artists, and biographers including Henry Louis Gates Jr., Imani Perry, Eric Foner, and others.
Watch Tuesday, May 19 at 9:00 p.m. on WVPB.
Capital High School’s Shane Healy Honored with Above and Beyond Award
Shane Healy, a social studies teacher at Capital High School in Kanawha County, earned West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Above and Beyond Award. Healy was surprised during a school assembly when the WVPB Education team presented the award. His family, students, and school administrators joined in celebrating his achievement. As part of the recognition, Healy received a monetary award and a signature Blenko Glass apple paperweight. The West Virginia State Treasurer’s Office, presenter of the SMART529 college savings program, proudly sponsors the award.
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Healy teaches AP U.S. History, Civics and Economics, Government, and AP World History. He also serves as an assistant coach for the Capital Cougars football team and advises the school’s National Honor Society. From chaperoning prom to organizing service projects and trips to the West Virginia Capitol, he consistently shows up for his students.
He works to make civics relevant and engaging. Through his annual Rock the Vote capital initiative, Healy invites local leaders to speak with students and helps eligible students register to vote. He regularly takes students to observe legislative sessions at the State Capitol and chaperones a winter trip to Washington, D.C., giving students a firsthand look at government action.
“Having students leave my room with an understanding of what is going on in the world and how they can play a part is so rewarding for me,” Healy said. “It is never my goal to impress my opinions on my students, just to help them find their opinions and understand why they feel the way they do.”
Relationships are central to Healy’s approach. “I have never been the type of person to come to work, do my job, and go home,” he said. “When the students see that you care about them and the things they are involved in, that pays off huge in the long run.”
As National Honor Society advisor, Healy helps lead volunteer efforts in the community, including serving at a local nursing home and supporting the local food bank. He participates in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Charleston each year, modeling the civic engagement he encourages in his students.
More than anything, Healy hopes students remember how much he cared. “I hope they remember the three branches of government. I hope they remember the importance of the U.S. Constitution,” he said. “But more than anything, I really hope the students remember how much I cared about them. Civics is important to me, history is important to me, but who they are as people is the most important thing to me.”
Each month of the school year, WVPB has an esteemed panel of judges who select one deserving teacher who goes above and beyond for the students in West Virginia. If you know of a deserving teacher who goes “Above and Beyond,” please visit wvpublic.org/aboveandbeyond with your nomination.
Broadcasting nerd t-shirt is now available in short sleeves as well. Same art, new sleeve length. Make your gift of $96 (or $8 monthly) at wvpublic.org and you can be a proud WVPB nerd no matter the forecast!
Be a WVPB Nerd – now in short sleeves! The new Fiesta Mug Is Here!
Calling all WVPB mug collectors! This year’s new mug has arrived. Featuring the full-color WVPB logo, we returned to the Java mug style. We are loving the way the logo looks on the linen color. If it appeals to you too, make your gift today by visiting wvpublic.org and you’ll receive your mug in about 6 weeks. (Don’t worry — it is frequently faster than that!)
For your monthly gift of $12.50 (or one-time gift of $150.00), the new Linen Java mug can be yours. And what better way to show your love for WVPB?
Donate.
