Star-Spangled 200 Announces Partnership with Maryland Public Television and dick clark productions to Produce Two-Hour Live Special
Program will air on THIRTEEN’s Great Performances on PBS, Sept. 13
Today Star-Spangled 200, Inc. (SS200) announced that it has partnered with Maryland Public Television (MPT) and dick clark productions to produce Star-Spangled Spectacular: Bicentennial of our National Anthem (working title), a two-hour live broadcast to be shown on THIRTEEN’S Great Performances series on PBS on Sept. 13, 2014. The live television event is a celebration of the 200th anniversary of the penning of the country’s national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The special will feature a star-studded line-up of musical performances representing a wide variety of musical genres, historical vignettes and an extraordinary fireworks display. The show will be broadcast live from the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine and Baltimore’s Inner Harbor from 8 – 10 p.m. EST and will be re-broadcast for West Coast audiences.
The two-hour special will feature a diverse line up of entertainers paying tribute to our nation’s ideals in a thrilling and inspiring concert at the Pier Six Pavilion. The Baltimore harbor, replete with tall ships and naval vessels will serve as a stunning backdrop. The program will also include ceremonial activities at Fort McHenry, historical highlights and a dramatic fireworks crescendo.
“We are thrilled to have Maryland Public Television, dick clark productions and PBS’ Great Performances with us for this once-in-a-lifetime anniversary celebration showcasing Maryland as the home of two inseparable American icons, the 15-star, 15- stripe flag and the national anthem,” said Ann Beegle, executive director of Star-Spangled 200, Inc. “The bicentennial of the national anthem is a wonderful moment for our nation to come together and celebrate history.”
“We are delighted to be Maryland’s lead story teller, especially during this banner year,” said Steven J. Schupak, chief content officer at Maryland Public Television. “Star-Spangled Spectacular will be a dynamic, moving and memorable primetime entertainment special.”
“While we are accustomed to the Star-Spangled Banner being a central part of our everyday lives, through this retelling of the historic events within a concert setting of diverse musical performances, audiences will be reminded of and inspired by the flag and anthem that have become important national—yet personal—symbols,” said David Horn, executive producer of Great Performances.
Two hundred years ago, Francis Scott Key, a Maryland-born attorney, was inspired to write the words to what would become the United States’ National Anthem. In 2012, Star-Spangled 200 and the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission began a multi-year commemoration of this legacy which will culminate with Star-Spangled Spectacular, a 10-day festival taking place on September 6 – 16, 2014 where Star-Spangled Spectacular: Bicentennial of our National Anthem (working title) will take place. The festival will include tall ships, Navy gray hulls, a performance by the Blue Angels, landside festivities and this special television program to honor the National Anthem.
About Star-Spangled 200
Star-Spangled 200 is a multi-year commemoration that celebrates the 200th anniversary of our national anthem. Star-Spangled Sailabration in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and the Chesapeake Bay launched the events in June 2012. Sailabration included a maritime festival with 45 vessels from a dozen nations and an airshow featuring the Blue Angels, and drew more than 1.5 million visitors. Star-Spangled 200 continued Spring 2013 through Summer 2014 with the Chesapeake Campaign, a series of more than a dozen festivals in waterfront communities around the Bay. Two conferences were held at the U.S. Naval Academy in 2013 – Cross Tech, June 10-11 and From Enemies to Allies, June 12-15 – bringing together leaders in cyber security and scholars from the U.K, Canada and the U.S. Events will culminate with Star-Spangled Spectacular, September 6-16, 2014, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the National Anthem. Star-Spangled 200 is supported by its Presenting Sponsor AT&T with Founding Partner support from Constellation and Papa John’s. For more information, please visit www.StarSpangled200.com or www.StarSpangled200.org.
About Maryland Public Television
Launched in 1969 and headquartered in Owings Mills, MD, Maryland Public Television is a nonprofit, state-licensed public television network and member of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). MPT’s six transmitters cover Maryland plus portions of contiguous states and the District of Columbia. Frequent winner of regional Emmy® awards, MPT creates local, regional, and national television shows. Beyond broadcast, MPT’s commitment to professional educators, parents, caregivers, and learners of all ages is manifest in its year-round instructional events and super-website Thinkport which garners in excess of 19 million page views annually. MPT’s community engagement activities connect viewers with local resources on significant health, education, and public interest topics through year-round outreach events, viewer forums, program screenings, and phone bank call-in opportunities. For additional information, please visit: www.mpt.org
About WNET
As New York’s flagship public media provider and the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV,
WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to more than 5 million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, PBS NewsHour Weekend, Charlie Rose and a range of documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state’s unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJTV News with Mike Schneider and MetroFocus, the multi-platform newsmagazine focusing on the New York region. WNET is also a leader in connecting with viewers on emerging platforms, including the THIRTEEN Explore iPad App where users can stream PBS content for free. Great Performances is a production of THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET. For more information, please visit: www.thirteen.org.
About dick clark productions
dick clark productions (dcp) is the world’s largest producer and proprietor of televised events. dcp produces perennial hits such as the “American Music Awards,” “Golden Globe Awards,” “Academy of Country Music Awards,” “Hollywood Film Awards,” “Billboard Music Awards,” and “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.” dcp also produces popular weekly television programming, including “So You Think You Can Dance,” and owns one of the world’s most unique and extensive entertainment archive libraries with more than 55 years of dcp’s award-winning shows, historic programs, specials, performances and legendary programming. In 2014, dcp will debut “The PEOPLE MAGAZINE Awards” on NBC and joint venture Keshet DCP will premiere the weekly television series “Rising Star” on ABC. For additional information, visit www.dickclark.com.