Stories from the Stage

Christian, Damian, Jack and Alex are four aspiring actors who will stop at nothing to be the best. In a theatrical production where they are cast as bank robbers, the four actors cannot get a feel of their roles. In desperation they are introduced to a new source of motivation real guns. With guns in hand, each of them begins to acquire a taste of power and in their search for inspiration, reality begins to blur and "method acting" begins to take on an entirely new meaning.

A documentary on The Who, featuring interviews with the band's two surviving members, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey.

a 90 minute special reuniting the main cast of the American sitcom, "The Golden Girls", where they share their favorite moments from the show, behind-the-scenes footage, and plenty of laughs

Six years in the making, this documentary film follows outspoken indie-rock hero Bob Forrest, through his life-threatening struggle with addiction, to his transformation into one of the most influential and controversial drug counselors in the US today. BOB AND THE MONSTER crafts contemporary footage, animation and compelling interviews with archival performances and personal videos from Bob's past to reveal the complex layers of this troubled, but hopeful soul. Testimony from his peers, including Courtney Love, Anthony Kiedis and Flea add texture, but it's the depth of Bob's music, interwoven throughout the film, that illuminates this unforgettable and inspirational story.

Amalia and Georg work together at a modest Hungarian perfumerie, and have disliked each other from the very beginning. He thinks she's stuck up, and she thinks he's arrogant and mean. But each rapturously writes to a lonely hearts pen pal when the workday is done, and it doesn't take long for the audience to see that they're in love without realizing it. Originally live-streamed by BroadwayHD, then broadcast as an episode of the PBS series "Great Performances" (season 45, episode 3).

The Children's Theatre Company of Minneapolis re-imagines the classic fairy tale as a jazz musical set in New Orleans.

Love & Taxes is a riveting comic tale of seven years of tax avoidance. Following the possibly real-life exploits of Josh Kornbluth, an autobiographical monologist, Love & Taxes is a comedy that blends solo performance and scripted scenes to bring the subjective reality of the storyteller hilariously to life. A tale of procrastination, making movies and growing up, Love & Taxes is a middle-aged coming-of-age story that is also, quite possibly, the first ever pro-tax romantic comedy.

This special takes a look at the show’s origin and evolution, through interviews with the cast and original directors, featuring special musical performances, as well as behind the scenes commentary on Martin’s impact.

Jazz sensation Melody Gardot's grief-stricken, yet inspirational, journey to stardom is captured in this inspiring documentary. After being struck by a car in 2003, an accident that left her with life-altering injuries, Gardot began the emotional expedition towards healing. This special follows her path to recovery, intimately revealing how she used music as therapy to heal her spirit and ultimately impress the world. Featuring candid interviews and performances of her most famous songs from albums "Worrisome Heart" and "My One And Only Thrill".

This intelligently crafted, seven-time award winning festival favorite, tells the story of a young man, in a small seaside town, who learns a thing or two about love, luck and life from his well-traveled, outlaw grandfather. Born & Raised is a gritty, coming-of-age drama with a lot of heart and a ton of laughs.

It was a concert fit for a king. Filmed live from his final show in Dallas, Texas, George Strait performs some of his most-loved hits and shares the stage with many famous friends. You'll love the reigning ACM and CMA entertainer of the year's duets with Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Sheryl Crow, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert and Martina McBride. The special features new interviews with Strait, along with a selection of his incredible 60 No. 1 hits performed at the farewell tour, including "Fool Hearted Memory," "I Can Still Make Cheyenne," "Check Yes Or No" and "The Cowboy Rides Away."

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek Live! is an American concert television special featuring live performances by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga in support of their collaborative studio album, Cheek to Cheek, released in September 2014. It was held at the Rose Theater of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in July following the announcement of the album's release, and was aired on PBS on October 24, 2014, as part of the network's Great Performances series. The concert was watched by an audience consisting of invited guests and students from New York schools. Bennett and Gaga were joined on stage by 39-piece orchestra and jazz musicians associated with both artists.

Is this a film about Scrooge? About a composer’s life? An opera within an opera? The Passion of Scrooge blurs these lines between performance, documentary, and fiction, into a cinematic concert experience that’s seasoned with magical reality. Composer Jon Deak has adapted Charles Dickens’ timeless tale into a contemporary opera that melts the heart, but doesn’t avoid the darkness in Scrooge that’s still resonant with the material concerns of our time. Using neither period costumes, nor set pieces to reconstruct old England, the film invites you to experience A Christmas Carol with the imaginative possibilities of a radio play. And then, to meet those visions in your head, filmmaker H. Paul Moon‘s floating camera intimately captures musicians performing the score as characters themselves, in this ageless haunted redemption story about “us, every one.”

"Miracles really do happen at Christmas" says Uncle John to his nurse, Connie Lou. A statement that fills her soul with the hope of Christmas as she hears the "forgotten" carols from this strange, wonderful man. Michael McLean's beloved international stage phenomenon, The Forgotten Carols, leaps from the stage to the silver screen this Holiday season. Long time fans and first-time audiences alike will laugh, cry and find the true meaning and spirit of Christmas as they experience this never-before-seen edition of McLean's holiday classic. Audiences will be spellbound as Uncle John recounts the story of Christ's birth as told by lesser-known characters from the Nativity through story and song. The Innkeeper, the Shepherd and others help Connie Lou discover what the world has forgotten about Christmas, ultimately opening her heart to the Joy of this special season.

Storyteller and Conceptual Magician Derek DelGaudio attempts to understand the illusory nature of identity and answer the deceptively simple question 'Who am I?'

Hosted by Jon Kelley (Extra, The Mole), Funny You Should Ask is a comedy game show featuring a panel of comedians who interact with contestants. In each episode, the laughs and the cash stakes increase as the comedians answer questions, while the two players decide if they're right or wrong.

The story of several young people from around the world who represent the next stage in human evolution, possessing special powers, including the ability to teleport and communicate with each other telepathically. Together they work to defeat the forces of evil.

PBS SoCal and Variety take you inside the biggest movies and T.V. shows of the past year through candid conversations with today's hottest actors. Hosted by Variety Film Awards Editor Clayton Davis and Variety Chief Correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister, each episode brings together pairs of actors engaging in intimate one-on-one discussions about their craft and work.

The strongest vocalists from across the United states compete in a blockbusters vocal competition, the winner becomes “The Voice.” The show's innovative format features four stages of competition: the blind auditions, the battle rounds, the knockouts and, finally, the live performance shows.

The greatest singers and songwriters play their music and tell the stories behind their greatest songs on this acclaimed VH1 music performance series. Each one-hour episode takes viewers behind the scenes with a single artist or group featuring intimate musical performances and the first-hand stories behind the performer's hits and sentimental favorites.

Exclusive interviews and acoustic performances with the legends responsible for some of the most famous songs of our times. Each acclaimed songwriter discusses their unique musical inspiration and writing processes before giving an exclusive intimate acoustic performance of some of their seminal songs.

Zak Bagans is fulfilling a lifelong dream of opening a museum in downtown Las Vegas, full of the haunted, cursed objects he has been collecting through the years. Each episode features haunted, iconic items and their owners. They share stories of how these objects have terrorized them and, in some cases, even killed people. Bagans interviews the owners and works with them to get to the root of their “attachment,” so they can free themselves…or at least escape harm from these “deadly possessions.”

Alan Carr throws open the doors to a brand new series where celebrity guests, stand-up comedy, variety acts and live music are all on the bill. Filmed at a social club in front of a specially invited audience, Happy Hour is Alan's own club night packed full of big laughs, amazing audience surprises and exclusive performances.

The raucous adventures of some of music’s most legendary artists, as told by those who knew them best. Featuring animated interviews with former bandmates, friends and other erstwhile associates, who share uncensored anecdotes about these artists, brought to life with animated reenactments and woven together with live-action archival performance footage and photos.

Authoritative and entertaining series featuring original portraits of songwriters discussing the creative process and their inspiration, including exclusive performances and interviews.

Tom McLaughlin, longtime woodworker, teacher and a member of the New Hampshire Furniture Masters, teaches the latest wood crafting techniques, as well as tips and instruction for how to create projects that can be passed down for generations. In each half-hour episode, unusual design inspiration will be turned into easy-to-follow projects for woodworkers at every skill level.

New series. Rob Bell explores the extraordinary stories of four of London’s most iconic bridges, uncovering the history behind how – and why – they were built. In the first episode, Rob focuses on the original, and for 17 centuries the only bridge across the Thames, London Bridge. Rob explores the multiple versions of this bridge over the centuries and charts how each has shaped Britain’s capital city, from the Romans who used it to control southern England, to the astonishing and raucous medieval bridge, designed by priests, inhabited by hundreds, and financed and managed by City merchants.

Some of the most iconic TV casts come back together for a day of laughs and reminiscing. Each episode reunites players from a different show, and they look back, share their favorite behind-the-scenes stories and examine the legacies of their extraordinary work.

Each week, the Pell Center produces episodes of "Story in the Public Square," a public affairs television series. The show features interviews with today's best print, screen, music and other storytellers about their creative processes and how their stories impact public understanding and policy.

Photographer will tell the intensely personal stories of the world’s greatest visual storytellers and artists, from how they found themselves behind a camera to how they dedicate themselves to the endless pursuit of perfecting their craft.