John Lithgow Hosts Star-Spangled Spectacular: Bicentennial of Our National Anthem Airing Live on THIRTEEN's Great Performances, Saturday, September 13 at 8 p.m. ET on PBS

NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Acclaimed actor, musician and author John Lithgow will host Star-Spangled Spectacular: Bicentennial of our National Anthem live from Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore on THIRTEEN'S Great Performances at 8 p.m. ET on PBS. (Check local listings.) 

The television event, to be co-hosted by multi-platinum recording artist and actress Jordin Sparks, is a highlight of Star-Spangled Spectacular, a weeklong celebration of the 200^th anniversary of our national anthem. 

Also featured are performances by Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress and accomplished singer Kristin Chenoweth; Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge; celebrated mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves-Montgomery; Grammy Award-winning country group Little Big Town; vocal sensations Pentatonix; legendary singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson; Grammy Award-winning Country Music Hall of Fame member Kenny Rogers; internationally acclaimed off-Broadway show STOMP; multi-platinum Grammy Award-winning band Train; the Grammy Award-winning Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Music Director Marin Alsop; and more to be announced soon.  The patriotic special will feature a diverse star-studded 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 National Monument and Historic Shrine, historical highlights and an extraordinary fireworks crescendo. 

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 weeklong festival taking place on September 10–16, 2014. Within this festival, Star-Spangled Spectacular: Bicentennial of our National Anthem 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. 

Star-Spangled Spectacular: Bicentennial Of Our National Anthem is a production of Maryland Public Television, dick clark productions (dcp) and THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET with assistance from the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission and Star-Spangled 200, Inc. Executive Producer David Horn, "Great Performances"; Producer/Director Paul Miller; Assaf Blecher, Vice President of Programming and Development for dick clark productions; and Steven J. Schupak, Maryland Public Television.

For Great Performances, Bill O'Donnell is series producer and David Horn is executive producer. 

Major corporate support for Star-Spangled Spectacular: Bicentennial of Our National Anthem is provided by AT&T, Papa John's Pizza, and Constellation Energy.

Great Performances is funded by the Irene Diamond Fund, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, The Agnes Varis Trust, The LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, The Starr Foundation, Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, the Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, Harold and Elise Danino Hirshberg, and PBS.   

Visit Great Performances Online at www.pbs.org/gperf for additional information about this and other programs.

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 over 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 Mary Alice Williams and MetroFocus, the multi-platform news magazine 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.

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 10-16, 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 dick clark productions
dick clark productions (dcp) is among the world's largest producers and proprietors of televised live event programming.  dcp produces perennial hits such as the "American Music Awards," "Golden Globe Awards," "Academy of Country Music Awards," "Billboard Music Awards," and "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest."  Weekly television programming, includes "So You Think You Can Dance" from 19 Entertainment, a division of CORE Media Group, and dick clark productions; and "Rising Star" from Keshet DCP, the joint venture between Keshet International (KI), the global distribution and production arm of Keshet Media Group, and DC Media, the parent company of dick clark productions (dcp).  In 2014, dcp will debut the "American Country Countdown Awards" (FOX), "Boom!" (FOX), "Hollywood Film Awards (CBS) and "The PEOPLE MAGAZINE Awards" (NBC).  Dcp also 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.  For additional information, visit www.dickclark.com.

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SOURCE WNET