Showcase joins the celebration as CBC Television marks its 50th Anniversary. On Thursday, September 5 at 7 p.m. ET/PT, Showcase will air three programs as a tribute to Canada’s national public broadcaster.
“Showcase’s tribute to the CBC highlights innovative shows representing areas of programming in which the public broadcaster excels: drama, performing arts and comedy specials. These programs were chosen to represent CBC’s considerable accomplishments in commissioning and presenting Canadian visions, and to support the 50th anniversary of Canada’s national public broadcaster, a milestone that all Canadians can celebrate. These programs – produced in Halifax, Toronto and Vancouver – also represent CBC production from various regions of this vast country,” says Laura Michalchyshyn, Senior Vice-President of Dramatic Programming.
Slawko Klymkiw, CBC Television’s Executive Director, Network Programming added, “Beginning September 6th, CBC Television will mark its 50 year history with special programming and country-wide community events. We are gratified that our partner, Showcase, is participating in our celebration and paying tribute to CBC Television’s accomplishments.”
Hosting the tribute is Cathy Jones, an actor, writer and founding member of the Newfoundland comedy troupe CODCO. Cathy has spent the last nine years on the CBC as one of the writers and stars of the comedy series This Hour Has 22 Minutes and is the recipient of 10 Gemini Awards.
The tribute begins at 7 p.m. ET/PT with the film sequel to the classic television series Wojeck which has successfully aired on Showcase for several years. Wojeck: Out of the Fire sees city coroner Dr. Steve Wojeck (John Vernon, Animal House) return to Toronto after a 20-year sabbatical in Africa, his spirit shattered by divorce and the death of his son. As he struggles to deal with the demons of his past, he becomes deeply involved in a complex immigration case that restores his passion for life.
At 9 p.m. ET/PT Rick Mercer, co-creator and star of the Gemini Award-winning comedy series Made in Canada and former writer and performer on the top-rated series This Hour Has 22 Minutes, hosts the one-hour comedy special Talking to Americans. This special attracted 2.7 million viewers when it first aired on CBC – making it the highest rated comedy special in Canadian television history. Mercer heads south to quiz unsuspecting Americans about Canadian politics, culture, current events and public figures. Their responses show that many Americans know very little about their Northern neighbours.
Drawing on the cinematic traditions of both musicals and silent films, the critically-acclaimed program The Overcoat airs at 10 p.m. ET/PT. One of the most successful programs from “Opening Night,” the CBC’s programming strand that provides a platform for innovative performance-based programming, The Overcoat is the film directorial debut of award-winning theatre director Morris Panych. A play performed without dialogue, its performances, choreography, music and imagery tell a story of the solitude and isolation that embodies the human experience of alienation. It follows the sad life of an individual, who through his own desire to transform himself into an acceptable person, loses his identity.
Showcase – Television Without Borders – is the number one destination for the best uncut movies and provocative series. Every night, Showcase features a stellar line-up of the best movies and critically acclaimed, international dramas as well as groundbreaking series. For more information, please visit www.Showcase.ca .