All Thing PBS

zaphyre14

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I like "Mr. Selfridge", although I liked "Call the Midwife" better. I get confused with all the characters on Selfridge, and I keep forgetting who's plotting against whom and who's on which person's side when. But I love the clothes....how dis those women keep all those white dresses clean? :) I'm not an acting critic but I did find the way Selfridge woke up from his coma and was immediately alert and coherent and able to leap out of bed and take a walk to the store a bit of a stretch, even if he did collapse in the street. And considering how much "work" the staff put into the store window (did they only do one?), I would have thought it deserved a little more exposure after the reveal. I couldn't wreally even see what it was - and then it was gone.

I'm a huge Rogers and Hammerstein fan but "Carousel" is my least favorite production of theirs. I find it depressing and that's the last feeling I want from a musical. I'm glad that PBS is presenting it, though.
 

nikjil

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705
Love PBS, although my crappy local PBS has a tendency to chack a lot of the literary/historical programming in favor of local junk or Monkees tribute concerts, so I haven't seen some of the stuff people mentioned. I love Call the Midwife and Bletchley Circle (am hoping that one will become a regular series). DVR'd Carousel, haven't watched it yet. I missed Mr. Selfridge, may try it on Netflix. Does anyone remember what I think was a PBS documentary series from the 90s called Dancing? I'd love to get on DVD. I've also been looking for an old Great Performances of Lubovitch's Bolero that was put out on VCR put I haven't been able to locate the tape. Love live from Lincoln Center, Great Performances, Masterpiece classics. I've also started to watch BBC America (unfortunately not in HD in my area), which has some wonderful dramas.
 

dardar1126

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3,860
I'm a huge Rogers and Hammerstein fan but "Carousel" is my least favorite production of theirs. I find it depressing and that's the last feeling I want from a musical. I'm glad that PBS is presenting it, though.

Rogers and Hammerstein dealt with some pretty serious subjects in their musicals. In Carousel it's crime, domestic violence and suicide. In South Pacific it's prejudice and racism. The King and I explores inter-racial attraction. Flower Drum Song confronts inter-generational and immigrant issues. They addressed many social issues in the relative safety of the musical.
 

paskatefan

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8,191
Rogers and Hammerstein dealt with some pretty serious subjects in their musicals. In Carousel it's crime, domestic violence and suicide. In South Pacific it's prejudice and racism. The King and I explores inter-racial attraction. Flower Drum Song confronts inter-generational and immigrant issues. They addressed many social issues in the relative safety of the musical.


And I'm so glad they stood their ground, insisting on keeping "Carefully Taught" in South Pacific! That song is so central to the show.
 

zaphyre14

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4,900
I know that, but I still don't like "Carousel." I can watch all of the others over and over in any format - even bad community theatre/high school productions, but I cannot sit through "Carousel" - or even listen to the soundtrack - with any degree of enjoyment.

"Cousel" and "Rent" top my list of Least Favorite Musicals. It's a personal thing.
 

danceronice

Corgi Wrangler
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6,947
Rogers and Hammerstein dealt with some pretty serious subjects in their musicals. In Carousel it's crime, domestic violence and suicide. In South Pacific it's prejudice and racism. The King and I explores inter-racial attraction. Flower Drum Song confronts inter-generational and immigrant issues. They addressed many social issues in the relative safety of the musical.

Yes, but you don't get to the end of any of those with the feeling..."Whelp, that was nice, I'm gonna go slit my wrists now." Carousel is HIDEOUSLY depressing. I realize it's not based on an uplifting story, but yeesh, Miss Saigon has a more uplifting ending.
 

merrywidow

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4,754
If you think "Carousel" is depressing then beware watching "Showboat" performed with its original script. PBS had it on several years ago (live from the Paper Mill Playhouse in Milburn, N.J.) & I was crying at the end!
 

paskatefan

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8,191
While I'm a huge R&H fan (same goes for Lerner & Loewe), I'm not exactly crazy about the story line of the show. Nevertheless, I really love the music to it. Thank you so much for the link to the online video of the full production, which I watched last night. Still hoping it will be re-aired on PBS, so we can DVR it.
 

skatesindreams

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30,696
Rogers and Hammerstein dealt with some pretty serious subjects in their musicals. In Carousel it's crime, domestic violence and suicide.

The strong reaction that productions of "Carousel" often receive are indicative of how much social mores have changed; since the period in which the show is set, 1945, when the show was first produced, and now.
That doesn't mean that the show shouldn't been seen.
The lessons to be learned from it. are even more important and powerful than they were many years ago.

Domestic violence and our response to it, is still a terrible problem in our time.
Theatre can/should provide history, object lessons, and food for thought.
Carousel surely does that.
 

zaphyre14

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4,900
So "Carousel" is the broccoli of musical theatre for me. I know it's important and good for me but I've tried it and I don't like it and I'm not likely to choose it when there are so many other shows I like a lot better. :)
 

Artistic Skaters

Drawing Figures
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8,150
Carousel is one of my all time favorite musicals - it's one of a handful I will always go to see whenever there's a production in town. The soaring music of The Carousel Waltz, the ballet danced by Louise with the original choreography by de Mille! All those jokes about June bustin' out all over. Who cares about the plot? :lol:
 

dardar1126

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If you enjoy modern dance, check out Great Performances tonight on PBS (check you local listings); the featured performance is Paul Taylor Dance Company in Paris. Filmed last year at the Theatre National de Chaillot, the featured performances are Brandenburgs (music from Bach's Brandenburg concertos #3 and #6) and Beloved Renegade (inspired by life and times of Walt Whitman, music from Gloria by Francis Poulenc).
 

nikjil

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705
Finally watched Carousel last night, my first time seeing it. Loved it, loved the importance and relevance of the plot, the soaring music, de Mille's choreography and the amazing voices. I've worked with domestic violence victims, amazing how accurate the book was. DVR'd the Paul Taylor, not my favorite choreographer but I'll be interested to see it. I found a site on-line trying to persuade PBS to reissue their 1993 documentary Dancing in DVD form and sent a note with my support. I hope they put out Carousel on DVD, my DVR came from the cable company and we haven't been able to figure out a way to get stuff off it and onto more permanent media. Any suggestions would be great.
 

dardar1126

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You're welcome. :)

I'm soooooooooooooo excited about the offerings for this summer; some of my favorites are:

June: Inspector Lewis-Annie documentary-Secrets of Henry VIII's Palace

July: Statue of Liberty by Ken Burns-Capitol 4th-Secrets of Althorp-Secrets of Chatsworth-Endeavour (young Inspector Morse)-Lewis & Clark by Ken Burns-The Buddha-Dancing at Jacob's Pillow

August: Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert-The Lady Vanishes (remake of the Hitchcock classic...which I love!)-Silk (modern legal drama mini-series)

Many of the other offerings look quite good, too. It's gonna be a great summer at PBS!! :cool:
 
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dardar1126

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Twitter:

Mother Jones ‏@MotherJones 23m
.@JakeShimabukuro rocked the ukulele before it was cool: http://bit.ly/10dPsdh #MusicMonday

And Jake is the featured artist on this coming Friday's Great Performances Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings on PBS; check your local listings.
 
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dardar1126

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3,860
I just re-experienced a magical acting tour de force...I watched the DVD of Julie Harris in the one-woman show The Belle of Amherst. It is about the poet Emily Dickinson; her life is recreated through the telling and dramatization of her life experiences and through recitation of her poetry. It is truly enchanting...filled with laughter and with tears.

It was produced for the stage in 1976, and was filmed for a showing on PBS. I probably hadn't seen it since it aired 37 years ago. If you have never seen it, I highly recommend it! Check your local library, they may have a copy, or buy it as I did from Amazon for a modest price...you will not be disappointed.
 
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dardar1126

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3,860
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flutzilla1

Forever Ogling Ingo
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1,052
Anyone else here loving Mr. Selfridge? I am looking forward to Sundays on PBS now almost as much as when Downton is on. And Roddy the artist character is major :swoon: even though he seems to be behaving like a bit of a villain right now. He and Frances O'Connor have amazing chemistry.
 

dardar1126

Well-Known Member
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3,860
Anyone else here loving Mr. Selfridge? I am looking forward to Sundays on PBS now almost as much as when Downton is on. And Roddy the artist character is major :swoon: even though he seems to be behaving like a bit of a villain right now. He and Frances O'Connor have amazing chemistry.

That is a tense story line...and now he's using Rosalee to get back at Rose!

I love Gregory Fitoussi as Henri and the developing relationship with Agnes...he is such a hunk! :smokin:

EDIT: via Twitter...

PBS ‏@PBS 8m
‘Downton Abbey’ To Return to PBS on Jan. 5 http://variety.com/2013/tv/news/downton-abbey-4-1200480297/ … (see other announcements in this article) #DowntonPBS #PBSam
 

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