Audra McDonald to Take Part in RING THEM BELLS Kander & Ebb Tribute Concert; PBS Broadcast 2/15

Live From Lincoln Center's winter and spring broadcast season kicks off with a special concert from Lincoln Center's 2013 American Songbook series celebrating the legendary songwriting duo of John Kander and Fred Ebb. The broadcast, "RingThem Bells! Rob Fisher Celebrates Kander & Ebb," is hosted by Audra McDonald and will air on PBS stations on Friday, February 15, 2013, at 9 p.m. (ET) (check local listings).

"All That Jazz," "Mister Cellophane," "Wilkommen," "A Quiet Thing," "Maybe This Time" and the incomparable "New York, New York" are some of the dozens of songs written by Kander and Ebb over the course of their creative collaboration. These songs are also some of the great works that Broadway stars Marin Mazzie (Kiss Me Kate, Next to Normal) and Jason Danieley (Curtains, Next to Normal) will perform, along with theater legends Joel Grey and Chita Rivera, in a review conceived and conducted by Rob Fisher. Fisher, who works extensively on Broadway and in concert halls across the country, presented three previous composer celebrations for American Songbook, which were joyous explorations of the work of Cole Porter, Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin. Kander and Ebb's indelible songs-with all of their brass, sass and heart-will pulse under Fisher's capable hands.

"Ring Them Bells! Rob Fisher Celebrates Kander & Ebb," part of Lincoln Center's 2013 American Songbook series, will be broadcast from The Allen Room at Lincoln Center, with its stunning view of Central Park South. Since it was launched in 1998, American Songbook has been dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary achievements of the popular American songwriter from the turn of the 20th century to the present day. Spanning all styles and genres from Tin Pan Alley and Broadway to the eclecticism of today's songwriters working in pop, cabaret, rock, folk and country, American Songbook traces the history and charts the course of the American song from its past and current forms to its future direction.

Live From Lincoln Center is in its 38th broadcast season. The series has received 13 Emmy Awards to date. Live From Lincoln Center has made the world's greatest artists on Lincoln Center's renowned stages accessible to home viewers in virtually every corner of the United States. This episode will be directed by Lonny Price. The executive producer is Andrew C. Wilk. Lincoln Center's Chief Media and Digital Officer, Elizabeth W. Scott, is executive in charge of the series' production.

"Ring Them Bells! Rob Fisher Celebrates Kander & Ebb" is the first of six recently announced Live From Lincoln Center programs to air this winter and spring on PBS, part of an expanded 2013 broadcast season. The next episode of Live From Lincoln Center features Kristin Chenoweth's "The Dames of Broadway...All of 'Em!!!" on March 24 at 8 p.m. (ET). Three programs will air in consecutive weeks in April: a special concert with Josh Groban on April 12 at 9 p.m. (ET), Stephanie Blythe's tribute to the wartime era songs of Kate Smith ("Celebration: Stephanie Blythe Meets Kate Smith") on April 19 at 9 p.m. (ET), and the New York Philharmonic's staging of Rodgers and Hammerstein's iconic musical Carousel starring Kelli O'Hara and Nathan Gunn on April 26 at 9 p.m. (ET). The final broadcast of the season airs on May 24 at 9 p.m. with host Audra McDonald performing at a special gala concert. Please check local listings for exact air times in each market.

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