A Guide to July 4th on TV: Laura Osnes, Carole King with Cast of BEAUTIFUL & More!
By: Kaitlin Milligan Jul. 04, 2019
Happy birthday, America! In honor of this special day, BroadwayWorld brings you a guide to this year's Fourth of July television specials, featuring performances by Laura Osnes, Carole King with the Broadway cast of Beautiful starring Vanessa Carlton, Vanessa Williams and more! As always, we will be bringing you video of the appearances as soon as they become available.
Check out what's in store for the 4th below!
MACY'S 4TH OF JULY FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR:
NBC's annual "Macy's 4th of July Fireworks®" returns for a night of beautiful fireworks and performances by the biggest names in music.
NBC's "World of Dance" judge Derek Hough and Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Ciara will co-host the evening. The hosts will also wow the audience with performances of their own - Hough with a dance performance and Ciara a musical medley. Luke Bryan, Khalid, Maren Morris and Brad Paisley will also take the stage before the fireworks begin. The broadcast will air Thursday, July 4 (8-10 p.m. ET/PT), with an hour-long encore presentation at 10 p.m. The 43rd annual Macy's 4th of July Fireworks will ignite the night with an unparalleled barrage of color, light and sound, live from the Brooklyn Bridge. Since 1976, Macy's Fireworks have grown in scale and artistry as they burst to life over many of New York City's waterways and neighborhoods. Incorporating landmarks and celebratory milestones is a Macy's Fireworks signature. On Independence Day, millions of spectators will be captivated by a stunning display of patriotic firepower, as Macy's Fireworks launch more than 70,000 shells and effects from the bridge and from four barges positioned along the shores of Pier 17 at the Seaport District. The 25-minute display will honor Independence Day and classic American cinema. The musical score is the basis for the fireworks' choreography, and this year, it features patriotic classics such as "America the Beautiful" and "Stars & Stripes Forever," along with world-famous instrumentals from classic American films. From John Williams's famed title compositions for "Star Wars," "Superman" and "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" to Max Steiner's "Casablanca Suite" and Alfred Newman's "20th Century Fox Fanfare," audiences will be humming along to the score as the fireworks paint the night sky in perfect synchronicity. With MGM's "The Wizard of Oz" turning 80 this year, Macy's Fireworks pre-recorded score will also feature Oscar® and Grammy® Award-winning artist Jennifer Hudson performing its most beloved song, "Over the Rainbow." The tribute will mark the show's visual and emotional centerpiece.
A CAPITOL FOURTH:
A Capitol Fourth continues its 39-year tradition of celebrating our nation's independence on the West Lawn of the United States Capitol building. Two-time Emmy Award-nominated actor and producer John Stamos returns to host the country's longest-running live national July 4th TV tradition.
The 39th annual edition of A Capitol Fourth will feature: Grammy Award-winning music legend Carole King with the Broadway cast of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning musical Beautiful starring Vanessa Carlton; multi-award winning electronic violinist Lindsey Stirling; acclaimed Tony-nominated singer-songwriter and actress Keala Settle (The Greatest Showman); multi-platinum recording artist and star of television, film and the Broadway stage Vanessa Williams; double ACM winner, CMA and Grammy nominee with more than 12 million in RIAA certified sales and early member of Pandora's Billionaires Club Lee Brice; Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat with her new band Gone West; Rock and Roll Hall of Famers and R&B legends The O'Jays; five-time Grammy Award-winning gospel vocalist extraordinaire Yolanda Adams; 2019 American Idol winner Laine Hardy; singing sensation Angelica Hale (America's Got Talent); Broadway star and two-time Tony Award nominee Laura Osnes; and this year's winner of The Voice (Season 16), Maelyn Jarmon, performing the national anthem; with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly.
The concert will also feature a special treat for the entire family, with Big Bird, Abby Cadabby, Rosita, Elmo, Grover, Bert & Ernie from Sesame Street on hand to celebrate America's birthday. The Sesame StreetMuppets will perform a musical medley of patriotic favorites and iconic songs from the groundbreaking children's television series, currently celebrating a landmark 50 years of learning and fun.
And, the concert will pay tribute to our men and women in uniform with a special performance by the MusiCorps Wounded Warrior Band and John Stamos. MusiCorps is a conservatory-level music rehabilitation program, formed in response to the needs of service members injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since 2007, the program has become a pioneer in the field of adaptive music and has helped countless wounded warriors in their recovery. This inspiring moment will be dedicated to our troops serving around the world, their families, and all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, fighting for our freedom.
The 39th annual broadcast of A Capitol Fourth will air on PBS Thursday, July 4, 2019 from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. ET before a concert audience of hundreds of thousands, millions more at home, as well as to our troops serving around the world on the American Forces Network. The program can also be heard live in stereo over NPR member stations nationwide.
Also participating in the event will be Patrick Lundy & The Ministers of Music, the Choral Arts Society of Washington, the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, the U.S. Army Ceremonial Band, Members of the Armed Forces carrying the State and Territorial Flags and the Armed Forces Color Guard provided by the Military District of Washington, D.C.
The 2019 A Capitol Fourth will be live-streamed on PBS.org, YouTube and Facebook.
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BOSTON POPS FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR:
The headliner for the 2019 Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, under the direction of Keith Lockhart, is Queen Latifah-Grammy-, Emmy-, and Golden Globe award winner and Academy Award nominee-who will be featured in a selection of hits from her diverse catalog, which touches on genres including jazz, rap, R&B, Broadway, and more. Boston's premier Independence Day celebration will also include musical icon, songwriter, storyteller, and singer Arlo Guthrie, who will perform a musical tribute a half-century in the making-Summer of '69-commemorating the 50th anniversary of Woodstock. Guthrie will take audiences back to a year of unprecedented scientific exploration, social change, and creative ferment with songs that he performed at Woodstock, as well as other popular selections from his eclectic output. The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on Bloomberg TV and WHDH-TV on July 4 from 8-11 p.m. will be available for streaming on Bloomberg.com. The concert stream can also be viewed on Bloomberg's mobile and OTT platforms across Apple TV. As is the tradition, a major 20-minute fireworks show designed by Grucci Fireworks and accompanied by the music of the Boston Pops and other popular music of the past and present, will bring the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular to an end.
In addition to the performances by Queen Latifah (debuted with the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall in 2017) and Arlo Guthrie (debuted with the Boston Pops on July 4, 2001 and performed with Pops during the 2019 season at Symphony Hall), the 2019 Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular will also spotlight two popular acts from America's Got Talent. They include 16-year-old vocal phenomenon Amanda Mena, a Massachusetts native and a semi-finalist on America's Got Talent whose memorable audition earned her the coveted Golden Buzzer, sending her straight through to the live show in 2018, and the three-time Emmy Award-winning classical crossover vocal trio, The Texas Tenors, the highest-ranking music group in the history of America's Got Talent (making it to the top four finalists in the show's fourth season), whose sales are the third highest in the history of the show.
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