CAROUSEL to Air on PBS Live from Lincoln Center 4/26; Dates Set for Kristin Chenoweth: The Dames of Broadway...All of 'Em!!!; Kander & Ebb Tribute & More...

Live From Lincoln Center, the award-winning series celebrating live performance at the world's largest performing arts center, will expand its 2013 broadcast season to a total of nine programs. The announcement of the six upcoming winter and spring programs was made today at the Television Critics Association Winter 2013 conference by Elizabeth W. Scott, Lincoln Center's Chief Media and Digital Officer, and executive in charge of the series' production. Each of these broadcasts will be hosted by award-winning actress and singer Audra McDonald.

Live From Lincoln Center's winter and spring broadcasts are:

· Kicking off these broadcasts is a concert from Lincoln Center's acclaimed and long-running American Songbook series. "Ring Them Bells! Rob Fisher Celebrates Kander & Ebb" showcases the works by the incomparable songwriting duo John Kander and Fred Ebb, composers of Cabaret, Chicago, and "New York, New York," among many other favorites. The program will feature Broadway stars Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley, along with special appearances by theater legends Joel Grey and Chita Rivera, in a revue conceived and conducted by Rob Fisher, who works extensively on Broadway and in concert halls across the country. The broadcast will air on PBS, Friday, February 15, 2013 at 9 p.m. (ET) (check local listings).

· The next broadcast also comes from Lincoln Center's American Songbook series, featuring Emmy- and Tony Award-winner, acclaimed recording artist, and New York Times best-selling author Kristin Chenoweth. Effortlessly able to transition between stage, television and film, she has appeared on blockbuster television programs such as The Good Wife, Glee, The West Wing and Pushing Daisies, starred in celebrated Broadway productions of You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown and Wicked, and continues to tour with performances of songs from her recent albums as well as other memorable songs and Broadway show tunes. "Kristin Chenoweth: The Dames of Broadway...All of 'Em!!!" will air on PBS, Sunday, March 24, 2013 at 8 p.m. (ET) (check local listings).

· Crossover sensation Josh Groban, whose versatility ranges from opera to pop and everything in between, performs a special one-night event at Lincoln Center. The singer became a household name after breaking out with 2001's "You Raise Me Up," followed by many other hit songs. Groban's concert will feature select favorites spanning his career, and air on PBS, Friday, April 12, 2013, at 9 p.m. (ET) (check local listings).

· Stephanie Blythe's commanding, rich mezzo-soprano voice has captivated audiences in many of the world's great opera houses. Her concert from Lincoln Center's American Songbook series features an up-close look at works made famous by the late singer Kate Smith whose voice helped both comfort and galvanize the nation during World War II. "Stephanie Blythe: We'll Meet Again - The Songs of Kate Smith" will air on PBS, Friday, April 19, 2013, at 9 p.m. (ET) (check local listings).

· One of spring's cultural highlights will be the New York Philharmonic staging of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel, the iconic American musical, beloved by generations. The New York Philharmonic's production features a cast of stars drawn from Broadway and opera stages, including Kelli O'Hara as Julie Jordan, and Nathan Gunn as Billy Bigelow; Rob Fisher will conduct and John Rando will direct. The New York Philharmonic's presentation of Carousel will air on PBS, Friday, April 26, 2013 at 9 p.m. (ET) (check local listings).

· Live From Lincoln Center series host and five-time Tony Award-winning actress and singer Audra McDonald takes the stage as featured performer for a special one night-only gala concert. McDonald is no stranger to Lincoln Center, having studied at The Juilliard School and performed on virtually every Lincoln Center stage over the course of her acclaimed career. Audra McDonald in concert will air on PBS, Friday, May 24, 2013, at 9 p.m. (ET) (check local listings).

Now in its 37th season on PBS, Live From Lincoln Center has received 13 Emmy Awards to date and is a cornerstone of arts broadcasting. The series has made the world's greatest artists on Lincoln Center's renowned stages accessible to millions of viewers in virtually every corner of the United States.

Live From Lincoln Center has enhanced its broadcasts this season to further connect and engage with arts lovers. New features for viewers include expanded behind-the-scenes segments such as interstitial and ancillary content, as well as multi-platform engagement with streamed broadcasts online after the original air date (via PBS.org) and social media integration, all designed to bring the performer and performance closer to the audience. Live From Lincoln Center has also signed a licensing agreement for international distribution in the years to come though CABLEready.

The six upcoming Live From Lincoln Center broadcasts follow this season's three earlier presentations: the New York Philharmonic's Opening Night Concert with special guest violin superstar Itzhak Perlman; the annual Richard Tucker Music Foundation Gala featuring a dazzling array of opera's most exciting stars; and the New York Philharmonic's New Year's Eve tribute to the late Marvin Hamlisch. 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.

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