Tale of Two Cities PBS Tonight

[billyelliotfan123]

Posted: 11/26/09 at 12:42pm

Tale of Two Cities airs on PBS tonight. Who is going to watch it? Any reviews??
do you think someone will be awesome and put it on youtube?

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 11/26/09 at 1:37pm

Is there a schedule somewhere? I can't find anything about it being shown in San Diego...

[philly03]

Posted: 11/26/09 at 1:40pm

I think there's a schedule on the show's homepage! Either under news or look at the headlines.

A Tale of Two Cities...the new musical Updated On: 11/26/09 at 01:40 PM

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 11/26/09 at 2:03pm

CURRENT BROADCAST TIMES. CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL STATION.

New York NJN
Sunday 12/6 at 4:30pm
Friday 12/11 at 8pm

Philadelphia WHYY
Sunday 12/6 at 8pm

Dallas KERA
Sunday 12/13 at 8:30pm

San Francisco KQED HD
Sunday 12/6 at 9pm
Tuesday 12/8 at 1pm
Monday 11/30 at 7pm on KQED LIFE and KTEH

Boston WGBH
Thursday 11/26 at 9pm on 2
Sunday 11/29 at 4pm on 44

Houston KUHT
Sunday 12/13 at 4pm

Tampa WEDU
Friday 12/4 at 12pm

Seattle KBTC
Friday 12/11 at 8:30pm
Saturday 12/19 at 10pm
Sunday 12/20 at 4pm

Miami WPBT
Sunday 11/29 at 4:30pm

Cleveland WVIZ
Sunday 12/6 at 9pm

Denver KRMA
Sunday 11/29 at 9pm

Sacramento KVIE
Sunday 12/6 at 9pm

Portland OPB
Wednesday 12/2 at 8pm
Sunday 12/13 at 8pm

Pittsburgh WQED
Sunday 12/6 at 9pm

Raleigh/Durham UNC-MX
Saturday 1/9 at 8pm

Kansas City KCPT
Sunday 12/6 at 7pm

Columbus WOSU
Sunday 11/29 at 4:30pm

Spartanburg SCETV
Sunday 12/6 at 9pm

San Antonio KLRN
Sunday 12/6 at 8pm

West Palm Beach WXEL
Tuesday 12/1 at 8pm and 11:30pm
Sunday 12/6 at 7pm

Grand Rapids WGVU
Sunday 11/29 at 9pm

Birmingham APT
Sunday 12/6 at 12:30pm

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 11/26/09 at 4:41pm

It's not on here in NYC.
I guess they figured we've had enough turkey for one day.
Updated On: 11/29/09 at 04:41 PM

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 9:56am

I watched it and really enjoyed the music and performances. It was a little choppy because Michael York narrated and they kept jumping back and forth between his readings and the concert presentation. They also did the PBS thing with pledge promos. So it was hard to get a sense of the show's continuity. And for most of the show York was narrating "in studio" but then toward the end he was on stage reading and interacting with Barbour. Very strange.

The orchestra, which was on stage, was pretty lush. All of the voices were outstanding. I was particularly impressed with the performances of Barbour, Toro and Burkhart. I really liked the way "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" turned from grieving the child to lying in wait for the revolution. I also liked the duet between Carton and Darnay - "Let Her Be a Child," I think it's called. Quite touching.

I thought the few book scenes they presented were quite good. I liked the edgy comedy that was mixed in. Barbour was terrific. His performance was layered and very moving. And his delivery of the closing lines was simple but quite effective. I actually had a tear in my eye.

I wish I had been able to see the Broadway production. But the concert did give an indication of how lavish it perhaps was. The costumes were great and the backdrops and lighting added dramatic flair. My only reservations concern some of the lyrics. Occasionally sappy, and lots of forced rhymes. But the very talented cast put them over.

All in all a nice way to end Thanksgiving.

[philly03]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 2:22am

How much was it for the pledge!? Did you get the DVD and CD and will they get here before Christmas?!

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 3:24am

Loveclassics...where are you? It seemed to me that they were going to have a national showing Thanksgiving night, but I could not find anything after that. Did it show in selected markets only?
And...everything philly03 asked...:)

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 11:54am

philly03,

$60 for the CD. $100 for the DVD. $200 for both plus the songbook. I believe they did say they could deliver by Christmas. I didn't pledge/order. I'm already a member.

bwaybabe2,

I'm in Boston. I don't believe it aired nationally, just locally on Thanksgiving night. We also got Liza's at the Palace Friday night!

You can go to the WGBH Boston website to donate online and choose your gift. I imagine you can do the same in your market.
WGBH - ATOTC

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 12:01pm

The CD listed specifies that it's the "Broadway production."

Does that mean they're selling the concept recording (even though that's not the Broadway cast either) or the in-studio recording that was made at the same time the concert was filmed?

Updated On: 11/29/09 at 12:01 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 1:11pm

For some reason, KQED (San Francisco) doesn't specify that it's the musical on their listing: http://www.kqed.org/tv/programs/index.jsp?pgmid=18718

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 3:31pm

I don't see Washington DC on there at all. What's up with that?

[Eris0303]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 3:50pm

The store at PBS.org is selling Liza at the Palace but not TOTC
PBS

[Dre2387]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 5:34pm

maybe cause it's still in the pledge drive time period? wait maybe a month or so and it might be available after that.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 9:18pm

It's currently on WNED (Buffalo/Toronto), but it's not on in Detroit.

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 11:51pm

A friend of mine saw it in their area! He had seen the original version in Sarasota and said that what he found different in the concert version was mainly the sets and wardrobe. He liked the way they projected scenes in the background while the action took place onstage. One thing he thought was a bit different was the way the actors had to skirt around the orchestra...he doesn't know yet if to call it appealing or a bit distracting for the audience "and" actors.

I saw some of this in the video, and I happen to like it, myself. It makes for an unusual display of action.

He thought Michael York was great, and very convincing in his testimony to pledge, and in the reading. And actually, he liked the part when York is onstage with Barbour;a nice twist on things never done before with the show.

One thing I wonder: If the pledge campaign goes on throughout the nation into December, will the regular DVD be out in time for Christmas...?

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 12:15am

Why is Barbour allowed to travel and work outside of the country and Polanski is confined to his Swiss Chalet?

[sydney23]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 2:00am

in the immortal words of Howard Stern's father - don't be a moron.

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 5:43am

Thank you, sydney23...you evoke my very same sentiment, here. Except I would have elaborated further with the adjectives idiot, clueless, lacking something better to do with his time....:{

[phantom39]

Posted: 12/1/09 at 2:45pm

Just finished watching this..

The cast is great, especially Natalie Toro and James Barbour. The arrangements are hunting, and couldn't sound better. I just wish they sound as great on the CD recording. The editing however, is just horrible- very sloppy with many continuity problems. Shame it takes away from the overall experience. The Michael York bits are also very confusing, especially when he keeps reading his text from cards behind the camera. I also didn't understand why this 90-minute show was divided into 4 acts, while the two-and-a-half hour Broadway show was just 2 acts.

Anyway, I'm glad they preserved this in some way. I enjoyed the show on Broadway and always thought they should do a proper recording of it. Too bad some basic elements on this rushed televised concert were not as good as they could have been (editing and camera work).

Updated On: 12/1/09 at 02:45 PM

[Eris0303]

Posted: 12/1/09 at 4:37pm

in the immortal words of Howard Stern's father - don't be a moron.

Thank you, sydney23...you evoke my very same sentiment, here. Except I would have elaborated further with the adjectives idiot, clueless, lacking something better to do with his time....:{

I believe CDP was asking a question rather than trying to start trouble. I fully support the idea of not bringing the court case up every time Barbour's name is mentioned but I don't think you should be calling a well respected poster names for asking a question. The difference between the two is that was tried and found guilty by a jury of his peers while Barbour plea bargained. There's your difference. I won't get into whether it's wrong or right.

The arrangements are hunting

Wabbits?

Updated On: 12/1/09 at 04:37 PM

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 12/1/09 at 5:07pm

Actually, the difference is that one served his time while the other fled to country to avoid justice.

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 12/1/09 at 7:07pm

...well said, loveclassics. And if I might add, in the latter case, the girl involved was 2 months short of 16 (legal in her state), was not drugged in any way, and was totally a very willing participant. Also, what happened between them did not scale to more serious offense.
And Mr Barbour served his sentence like the man he is. The names to the poster were well earned (and I am sure neither sydney23 or myself enjoy having to address anyone here this way), considering trying to compare the two very distinct cases. This is no place to pose such questions. We are discussing a PBS concert here. Try the judge who preceded on the case. Enough said.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 12/1/09 at 7:09pm

San Diego, CA - 12/6/2009 9:00 pm KPBSHD

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 12/1/09 at 7:16pm

I DVR'ed it and I've watched part of it.I must confess, the music is not some of the best I've heard but the orchestrations are absolutely beautiful. James Barbour's voice is making me melt more than usual. I still plan on buying the CD and the DVD at some point.