Prairie Public Cue Spring 2021

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A quarterly newsletter for members and friends of Prairie Public

SPRING 2021

HEMINGWAY -- April 5-7, at 7pm HEMINGWAY, a three-part, six-hour documentary film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, examines the visionary work and the turbulent life of Ernest Hemingway, one of the greatest and most influential writers America has ever produced.

The series reveals the brilliant, ambitious, charismatic, and complicated man behind the myth, and the art he created.

American Masters: FLANNERY Tuesday, March 23, at 7pm Explore the life of Flannery O’Connor and her provocative and wickedly genius novels and short stories. Never-beforeseen archival footage celebrates her contribution to American literature, which is weighted with satire and described by one critic as “unique, disturbing, and uniquely disturbing.”

JANUARY 10 AT 8 PM

Prairie Public

TELEVISION HIGHLIGHTS

Dolly Parton & Friends: 50 Years at the Opry captures Dolly Parton delivering some of her biggest hits on one of the most iconic stages in the world and features new interviews with Parton and guest appearances by some of her superstar friends.

Monday, March 1, at 7 pm or Thursday, March 11, at 7 pm

SPRING 2021

2021 marks the 50th anniversary of “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” the Loretta Lynn song that became a book, a feature film, and an indelible part of popular culture. My Story In My Words lets Lynn be the storyteller of her own remarkable life. Wednesday, March 3, at 7pm or Friday, March 12, at 7:30 pm

Groove to the signature sounds of soul-funk-R&B band Tower of Power, still playing to “Souled Out” crowds.

From their 1970 record East Bay Grease to today, five decades later, the band has provided the soundtrack for generations. Friday, March 12, at 9 pm

Explore legendary choreographer Twyla Tharp’s career and famously rigorous creative process, with

In April: Nature’s 39th season continues with an exciting new lineup of films. In The Leopard Legacy on April 14, a confident and powerful leopardess named Olimba rules along Zambia’s Luangwa river. And on April 21, Sharks In Hawaii swims with the 40 species of shark that call the waters near Hawaii’s islands their home.

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original interviews, first-hand glimpses of her at work, and rare archival footage of select performances

from more than 160 choreographed works with this American Masters special. Friday, March 26, at 8 pm

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Find Prairie Public’s television schedules at prairiepublic.org/ schedule.

R A D I O HIGHLIGHTS

Music on FM2

Prairie Public’s FM2 schedule broadcasts to a smaller geographic area than FM1 and FM3, but it packs a walloping musical punch. You don’t have to miss out on these unique programs if you’re not in the FM2 listening area.

You can listen online or with your smart speaker! Find schedules for all three streams at prairiepublic.org.

Mountain Stage is recorded with a live audience and features seasoned legends and emerging stars in genres ranging from folk, blues, and country to indie rock, synth pop, world music, and alternative. Saturdays at 5pm

American Routes is a two-hour weekly excursion into American music, spanning eras and genres— roots rock and soul, blues and country, jazz, gospel, and beyond. Sundays at noon It’s hard to put a definitive label on Acoustic Café’s music selections. After all, a good song is a good song ... any individual set of music could contain a bit of country, rock, blues, folk, pop ... and more! Sundays at 2pm

The eTown community comes for the world-class musical guests and stays for the message. The shows are recorded in front of a live audience, in a solar powered theater, eTown Hall, which also serves as a social and environmental hub for community events. Sundays at 4pm

I’ve been in the radio business for more than 40 years. We’ve gone from reelto-reel tapes to hard drives, transistor-based circuitry to “Ask Alexa.” This year, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, was a new challenge—a change that came unexpectedly and with little prior notice. But the public radio system activates when news happens. We didn’t slow down. In fact, we speeded up. In the Prairie Public newsroom, we’re front line workers—we covered it all. We stayed connected. Thanks for staying connected with us.

—Dave Thompson Prairie Public

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SPRING 2021

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SPRING 2021

Donkey Hodie, a new social-emotional series for children ages 3-5, will join our television neighborhood on May 3

This new preschool series empowers young viewers to dream big and persevere

The imaginative puppet series follows the adventures of Donkey Hodie, the granddaughter of the original Donkey Hodie character (now known as “Grampy Hodie”), a puppet from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood who appeared in 59 episodes of the beloved classic children’s show from 1968-1993. This new series is created by Fred Rogers Productions and Spiffy Pictures.

“Life lessons like following your dreams and persevering have always been core to PBS KIDS’ DNA,” said Linda Simensky, head of PBS KIDS content. “With a little help from Donkey Hodie and her friends, today’s kids will learn how to come up with creative solutions to the everyday problems they encounter and keep trying until they achieve their goals.”

Donkey Hodie is inspired by the quirky, funny side of children’s TV pioneer Fred Rogers and is set in the Land of Someplace Else, which was created by Rogers. The show will feature new, original music along with reimagined versions of Fred Rogers’ original

Looking for ways to supplement your child’s learning?

Your child or student can read a story, discover science, sing, and play right at home with Let’s Learn, a new television resource featuring instruction from educators and virtual field trips for kids preschool through 2nd grade.

Watch weekdays at 10am.

songs—to reinforce and underscore each story’s positive message.

Donkey Hodie will also offer digital content for kids, parents, and teachers, launching in tandem with the series, on pbskids.org and on the free PBS KIDS Games App. Parent resources will be available on the PBS KIDS for Parents site, and PBS LearningMedia will offer classroom-ready materials for teachers, including video excerpts, games, teaching tips, and printable activities.

Prairie Publi Contest ics’sb Writers ack!

The deadline fo r entr ies is April 2, 20

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ough 3rd grade are invited hildren from kindergarten thr ries to submit to the own sto to write and illustrate their s Writers Contest. Find the rule s Kid S PB 21 20 lic ner Prairie Pub win a is t lic.org. Every entran and entry forms at prairiepub Achievement. Top stories will of ate tific and will receive a Cer . ed on the radio and online tur fea are win prizes, and rk teachers for all their hard wo Prairie Public appreciates for nks to send them extra tha this school year and wants t. to participate in the contes ts den encouraging their stu e eiv rec l wil ts den for their stu Teachers who submit entries classroom library and an ir a set of books to add to the y Rainy Day Survival Kit.” ow “Sn y Wh rs nde Wo or Elin entered to win Each teacher will also be a $100 Target gift card!

Prairie Public

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SPRING 2021

Are your plans in place?

Are your estate plans in shape and up to date? Take this brief quiz and see.

1. Do you have a will or living trust to direct the distribution of your property at death?

2. Is the makeup of your family the same as when you last reviewed your plans?

3. Do you live in the same state or province as when you last updated your will and/or other plans?

4. Is the total value of your assets approximately the same as when you last reviewed your plans?

5. Have you provided for those who need temporary financial assistance (e.g., education of children or grandchildren)?

6. Are the charitable interests that are important to you, such as Prairie Public, mentioned in your plans?

If you answered “No” to any of these questions, you may need to review your plans with a professional advisor.

This free resource will help you to protect what you love Do you have a will? Many don’t.

Prairie Public wants to help our members complete this important task quickly and easily. We’ve partnered with FreeWill to help people in all 50 states create an estate plan, for free. By visiting prairiepublic.org/freewill, you can write your legal will, plan for your future, and get peace of mind knowing you’ve protected what you love. We encourage all of our supporters to take advantage of this free opportunity!

For information about leaving a legacy to Prairie Public, contact: Troy Davis • Director of Development • 800-359-6900 ext. 510 • tdavis@prairiepublic.org

Please remember Prairie Public Broadcasting in your will, trust, or general estate plans.

We value your membership in Prairie Public and strive to provide you with excellent service.

Switchboard hours at Prairie Public are Monday— Friday, 8 am to 5 pm CT. After hours, you may leave a message and your call will be returned.

Call us at 701-241-6900 or 800-359-6900. Fax us at 701-239-7650 or use a TTY in North Dakota at 800-366-6888. E-mail your questions and comments to info@prairiepublic.org and find Prairie Public on the web at prairiepublic.org

Prairie Public Broadcasting is a member of the Public Broadcasting Service, a private, nonprofit corporation. PBS provides quality television programming and related services to Prairie Public Broadcasting. Prairie Public is also a member of NPR, a network owned by its member stations.

Many Prairie Public local television productions are funded in part by the following: Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund with money from the voters on November 4, 2008, North Dakota Council on the Arts, North Dakota Humanities Council, and by the members of Prairie Public. Thank you!

Prairie Public

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SPRING 2021

Four-part World War II history-genealogy series premieres Sundays, April 4-25 Combining key moments in history with compelling personal stories, My Grandparents’ War is a new four-part series that takes a fascinating journey into the past to understand the extraordinary impact of World War II on the families of four British actors.

Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown, the Harry Potter series), Mark Rylance (Dunkirk, Masterpiece: Wolf Hall), Kristin Scott Thomas (Darkest Hour, The English Patient), and Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman, The Great Gatsby) each host a onehour journey into their respective family histories as they travel to historic locations, from the beaches of Dunkirk

to the former site of a prisoner-of-war camp in Hong Kong, to retrace their grandparents’ footsteps during the conflict that changed their lives forever.

In each episode, they’ll discover remarkable stories of bravery amid the most harrowing circumstances, uncovering the life-and-death decisions their grandparents were forced to make.

The series examines universal themes of love, courage, and self-sacrifice through the dramatic human stories of ordinary people caught up in one of the most horrific wars of all time.

My Grandparents’ War premieres on television Sundays, April 4-25 at 7 pm and on the PBS Video App.