|
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
| Some of your 'Favorite Things' on CBC this Summer: Olympics, Maria, Othello, The Houor Exclusives and Compelling Documentaries |
| Posted
on Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 06:47 PM |
The search to cast Maria von Trapp in How Do You Solve Problem Like Maria?, the television adaptation of Othello, Beijing 2008: The Olympic Games and Test the Nation: Sports are some of the new programs on CBC Television’s exciting summer schedule. Add great movies and documentaries to make this a sizzling season.
New series and specials
The coveted role of Maria von Trapp, made famous by Julie Andrews in the musical The Sound of Music, is up for grabs as 48 talented young hopefuls sing, dance and try to win the hearts and votes of Canadians on How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? Premiering Sunday, June 15, at 8 p.m., and running for seven weeks, the winner will play the pivotal role in a new stage production of The Sound of Music in Toronto, produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Ian and David Mirvish.
Hot-blooded lust and murder come to the screen on Sunday, June 15, at 9 p.m., when the two-hour theatrical television adaptation of Othello: The Tragedy Of The Moor, based on William Shakespeare’s Othello, raises this riveting drama of love and betrayal to new levels as a psychological thriller. At the heart of the story are: Othello (Carlo Rota, Little Mosque on the Prairie), a noble Moor and general; Desdemona (Christine Horne, The Stone Angel), his loving wife; Cassio (Graham Abbey, The Border), his loyal lieutenant; and Iago (Matthew Deslippe, Across the River to Motor City), his ensign. This presentation is insightfully shaped and adapted for the small screen by co-writers Zaib Shaikh (Little Mosque on the Prairie) who also directs, and Matthew Edison (Nero Wolfe). The duo’s adaptation focuses on the characters in this epic story of love, betrayal and ultimately, prejudice and racism.
Actor Will Smith hosts a concert in honour of the 90th birthday of the iconic former South African leader Nelson Mandela. As well as recognizing his birthday, the event will raise money for 46664, Mandela's AIDS charity. As the exclusive Canadian broadcast partner, CBC will air 46664 Concert Honouring Nelson Mandela at 90 - A Gathering of 46,664 Great Friends and Supporters London, Hyde Park, June 27, 2008 in a shortened version on concert day, Friday, June 27, at 7:30 p.m. The concert will be seen in its entirety on Saturday, June 28, at 1 p.m., repeated at 10 p.m. on CBC’s digital channel bold, and will be broadcast on cbc.ca and on CBC Radio. Special guests include Princes William and Harry, former U.S. president Bill Clinton and his wife Senator Hillary Clinton. Artists appearing include Queen, Leona Lewis, Soweto Gospel Choir, Annie Lennox and Simple Minds, among many others.
Factual and Regional Programming
Sports fans of all ages finally have a chance to bring their A-game to a high stakes event that pits athletes against couch potatoes against NHL mascots in a new, no-holds-barred contest in Test The Nation: Sports. CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada front man Ron MacLean joins host Wendy Mesley to stick-handle Canada’s largest sports trivia event, bringing two hours of non-stop, wall-to-wall suspense—and fun—to CBC Television, Sunday, May 25, at 8 p.m.
Coming up on The Hour, before the season wraps this June, an amazing array of guests to round out a simply stellar year. Upcoming guests range from journalistic icon Barbara Walters, to the incredibly knowledgeable Alex Trebek, and the stunning and talented Kim Cattrall. The Hour will also host exclusive interviews with television and comedic superstars Jason Alexander and the legendary Bob Newhart. Internationally renowned novelist Salman Rushdie and, soon to retire from the Armed Forces, Canadian General Rick Hillier will also be on set. Airing on Friday, June 6, at 11 p.m., will be The Hour’s all-access, exclusive, full-hour TV special with U.K. rock sensation Coldplay. Catch George in one-on-one chats and some unpredictable, unique moments with the band, all captured in this recently shot U.K. special.
The nine-episode series Mitsubishi City Chase is a series premiering Monday, June 30, at 8:30 p.m. Filmed at City Chase Events in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal, the series takes viewers across Canada through this part obstacle course, part scavenger hunt race, highlighting tension and exhilaration as teams search for the next challenge. Each city will be featured in two half-hour episodes, and will conclude with a one-hour finale.
Sports
Summer sports on CBC Television will centre on the network’s coverage of Beijing 2008: The Olympic Games. Live coverage kicks off on Wednesday, Aug. 6, at 4:45 a.m. ET, with a preliminary women’s soccer match featuring Canada taking on Argentina, with full games coverage beginning with the Opening Ceremony, live on Aug. 8, at 7 a.m. ET, from the National Stadium. CBC’s award-winning hosts Ron MacLean, Ian Hanomansing, Scott Russell and Diana Swain will be in Beijing providing Canadians with exciting up-to-the-minute information, results and developments during the prime-time, late night and morning telecasts. They will be joined by a team of expert analysts and commentators for the most anticipated sporting event of the year.
The greatest outdoor show on Earth is back on CBC! The Calgary Stampede returns to CBC on July 4. The 10-day Stampede is a Canadian cultural icon and home of the world’s largest outdoor rodeo. CBC will provide more than 90 total hours of combined daily coverage of the legendary Calgary Stampede on CBC Television, CBCSports.ca and bold, marking the most extensive coverage ever of the Calgary Stampede on CBC.
Documentaries
Air India 182, director Sturla Gunnarson’s provocative film about the 1985 Air India tragedy, broadcasts commercial free on CBC Television, Sunday, June 22, at 9 p.m.—the anniversary of the bombing. The deeply affecting look at the world’s deadliest air-terror attack before Sept. 11 is a first-person account of the Air India conspiracy and its tragic aftermath, as told by those who were directly involved, including families of those who died, key CSIS and RCMP investigators and the conspirators themselves. Their testimony is interwoven with reconstructions of key moments in the conspiracy, based entirely on interviews, court documents, de-classified CSIS reports and wiretaps. The film, also written by Gunnarson, counts down the final weeks and hours before Air India 182 disappeared off the coast of Ireland.
The Nature of Things with David Suzuki offers the four-part series Antarctic Mission, one of the most breathtaking scientific and cinematographic explorations of our time. It begins Sunday July 20, at 6 p.m. (continuing Sunday, July 27, Aug. 3, at 6 p.m., and Saturday, Aug. 30, at 7 p.m.) and is a sequel to the highly successful Arctic Mission. The stunning documentary, shot in HD, captures the shocking beauty and stately grandeur of the least-known and possibly most threatened continent. An adventurous crew of filmmakers, scientists and mariners embarked on a 17-month expedition aboard the SEDNA IV, a state-of-the-art research sailing vessel, and braved one of the planet’s roughest and coldest seas to document the effect of climate change in Antarctica.
The visually stunning series Wild China lifts the veil on one of the world’s most mysterious and magnificent countries, beginning Sunday, June 22, at 6 p.m. (continuing Saturday, June 28, at 7 p.m., Sunday, June 29, at 6 p.m., Saturday, July 5, at 7 p.m., Saturday, July 12, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, July 13, at 6 p.m.) The six-part series, shot in HD and narrated by David Suzuki, delves into the enigmatic region to reveal a land of unbelievable natural complexity: the glittering peaks of the Himalayas, rivers snaking through plains, gorges and forested waterfalls, deserts both searingly hot and mind-numbingly cold.
News
This summer, The National takes to the road celebrating Quebec City’s 400th anniversary on Wednesday, July 2 and Thursday, July 3. CBC News chief correspondent Peter Mansbridge and team will also travel to Beijing, where The National broadcasts from China for five nights leading up to the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics.
Movies and miniseries
Continuing the summer tradition of great movies and miniseries, CBC Television offers the premiere of two Canadian movies and top-notch American feature films. Quality of Life: A Dominic Da Vinci Movie telecasts Saturday, June 14, at 9 p.m., with Nicholas Campbell reprising one his most famous roles. As mayor of Vancouver, he is being pressured to run for Premier and he finds himself having to walk the razor’s edge between morality and the abyss of political compromise. The stellar all-Canadian cast includes Mary Walsh (This Hour Has 22 Minutes), Michael Murphy (Away From Her) and Hugh Dillon (Durham County).
Everest, filmed in the Rocky Mountains, in and around Calgary and Nepal, tells the story of the October 1982 adventure of Laurie Skreslet and Pat Morrow, who became the first Canadians to set foot on the highest point on earth—the summit of Mount Everest. The four-hour miniseries makes its premiere on Sunday, Aug. 31, at 8 p.m., and concludes Monday, Sept. 1, at 8 p.m. Jason Priestley (Don’t Cry Now, 90210), Leslie Hope (Never Back Down, 24) and William Shatner (Boston Legal, Star Trek) headline an ensemble cast, telling the drama, tragedy and triumph of that 1982 expedition. Eric Johnson (Smallville, Flash Gordon) stars as Laurie Skreslet, Gord Rand (Mayerthorpe, Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye) as Pat Morrow, John Pyper-Ferguson (Brothers & Sisters, Highlander) as Roger Marshall, Vincent Gale (Last Wedding, Firewall) as John Amatt and Zachary Bennett (The Border, Shattered City: The Halifax Explosion) as Blair Griffiths.
More Movies
Happy Gilmore - June 8 at 8 p.m.
Intolerable Cruelty - June 28 at 8 p.m.
National Treasure – June 29 at 9 p.m.
Vanity Fair - June 28 at 10 p.m.
Syriana - June 29 at 9 p.m.
The Rookie - July 5 at 7 p.m.
Troy - July 6 at 9 p.m.
Pretty Woman - July 12 at 8 p.m.
Pulp Fiction - July 19 at 9 p.m.
Poseidon - July 20 at 9 p.m.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - July 27 at 9 p.m.
Coach Carter – Aug. 3 at 8 p.m.
Nanny McPhee – Aug. 30 at 8 p.m.
|
|
DISCUSS THIS ARTICLE
Print Version
3957
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
Printer Friendly Page | Register | Log-in 
