Trusted. Valued. Essential. JANUARY 2019 Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. SEASON 5 Vegas PBS A Message from the Management Team General Manager General Manager Tom Axtell, Vegas PBS Educational Media Services Director Niki Bates Production Services Director Kareem Hatcher Business Manager Brandon Merrill Content Director Cyndy Robbins Workforce Training & Economic Development Director Experience Vegas PBS Debra Solt Corporate Partnerships Director ased on the size of our television audiences, Vegas PBS is Southern Bruce Spotleson Nevada’s largest classroom, and our community’s largest performing Engineering, IT and Emergency Response Director arts stage. For 50 years, viewer donations have allowed us to broadcast John Turner trusted, valued and essential programming to our community. Everything Southern Nevada Public Television Board of Directors we do at Vegas PBS starts with the public television programming that Executive Director Bmembers like you make possible through your generous support, but we don’t stop at Tom Axtell, Vegas PBS your TV or computer screen. We extend the impact of these quality programs in our President community by adding complementary face-to-face experiences in cooperation with Nancy Brune, Guinn Center for Policy Priorities many community partners. Vice President The educational children’s programs on our PBS and PBS KIDS channels have vast Thomas Warden, The Howard Hughes Corporation audiences. This month, in cooperation with The Smith Center, fans of Wild Kratts can Secretary enjoy the dynamic Kratt brothers in person on January 27. The rest of the month, our Clark Dumont, M.S., APR, Dumont Communications, LLC PBS Ready To Learn educational outreach staff will present over 60 workshops for Treasurer children and parents at hospitals, libraries, Geraldine Tomich, Marquis Aurbach Coffing schools and housing complexes. Topics will Chair, Community Council Nature and Outdoor Thomas Gallagher, TreVista Group, LLC include how to use PBS KIDS programs and websites to advance school success Nevada fans will experi- Chair, Planned Giving Council “ Geraldine Tomich, Marquis Aurbach Coffing with reading, science, math and self-esteem ence Valley of Fire and CCSD Liaison to SNPT Board as well as practicing good nutrition, oral Carolyn Edwards, Clark County School District Trustee health and exercise at home. Zion National Park...” Teachers are vital partners in extending Board Members Vegas PBS educational content to Southern Nevada’s children. Our internet-based PBS Vince Alberta, University Nevada Las Vegas LearningMedia is a free service offering over 100,000 digital resources. It delivers Linda Ammons, Community Volunteer research-based, classroom-ready digital learning experiences to engage students around Tracy Bower, Desert Research Institute standards-aligned curriculum concepts. On average, the students of educators who reg- Cheryl (Cheri) Colbus, US Bank ularly use these resources outperform national assessment norms by 10 percentage Bill Curran, Ballard Spahr, LLP points on selected content area National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Mo Denis, Nevada State Senator assessment questions. This month some of our best local educators will be honored in Jason Gastwirth, Caesars Entertainment Stephen Greathouse, Las Vegas Hotel & Gaming Industry, retired our studios at a reception honoring 129 CCSD teachers who have earned their National Dema Guinn, Community Volunteer Board Certification. The next day, that same studio will host family and friends cheer- Nora Luna, Nathan Adelson Hospice ing on student contestants in the 50th year of the annual Varsity Quiz program. Marydean Martin, Marydean & Associates Performing arts aficionados will attend a recording of a future Ryan Ahern televi- Steve Seroka, Las Vegas City Councilman sion concert at the Orleans Showroom on January 26 and will look forward to mem- Contact Vegas PBS with comments and suggestions: ber events at the Sarah Brightman Smith Center concert and Michael Bublé T-Mobile Vegas PBS & Southern Nevada Public Television Arena concerts in March. A group of Nature and Outdoor Nevada fans will experience 3050 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, Nevada 89121 Valley of Fire and Zion National Park on one of our travel experiences January 26-27. 702.799.1010 • Fax 702.799.2806 Those who appreciate Rick Steves’ Europe, Nightly Business Report and our financial VegasPBS.org • email: [email protected] literacy specials from Suze Orman will gather on January 23 for a Travel in Retirement Vegas PBS Source, Volume No. 1, 2019 Seminar presented by our Planned Giving Council. Anton Tielemans, Vegas PBS Source Art Director Allowing the intellectually curious people who watch PBS programs to experience face-to-face encounters with similar viewers, teachers, program hosts, world class per- former,or fascinating destinations is another way Vegas PBS strives to provide extend- ed educational and cultural experiences related to our programming. Extending viewer experiences beyond the screen allows participants to optimize the power and potential of media to educate and empower people. We thank you for the support that is getting 2019 off to a great start! Tom Axtell This magazine is printed on recycled paper JANUARY 2019 5 January 2018 Contents Cover Story 8 Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Season 5 The new ten-episode season features an array of celebrated guests who are cultural trailblazers with fascinating family stories. Departments 5 Message to Our Members Letter from General Manager Tom Axtell 14 Upcoming Member Events 20 A Message from a Member of the Vegas PBS Content Director Features 9 Arts Stirring Opera and Concerts for a New Year 10 Drama Victoria Season 3 and much more! 12 Science & Nature Think Wednesday 8 15 History Stories From Our Past 17 How-To Taste of Malaysia with Martin Yan 19 Spotlight New Saturday Lineup 32 Best of Vegas PBS 33 The Great Yellowstone Thaw Marathon 34 Earth’s Natural Wonders 35 Holocaust Remembrance Day 37 Vegas PBS Rewind/Worldview/Jackpot! 9 12 Program Menu 21 Weekdays/Children’s Lineup 22 Primetime Programming 32 Weekend Daytime Programming 36 Vegas PBS Create Programming 36 Vegas PBS Channels 38 Vegas PBS Sponsors 15 34 JANUARY 2019 7 COVER STORY Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis mystery that has plagued Ann Curry’s family Gates, Jr. for her entire life. At the center of it all, guiding every discov- Season 5 ery, is host and executive producer Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor at Harvard University Tuesdays at 8 p.m. and director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. In a very personal episode, the new season also Henry Louis Gates, Jr. with guests Kal Penn explores Gates’ own DNA story and takes a (left), Sarah Silverman (below) and Marisa look at how science and history can inspire Tomei (top) the next generation. Repeats the following Sundays at 4:30 p.m. EPISODES THIS MONTH INCLUDE: Today’s brightest personalities discov- Grandparents and Other Strangers er the surprising stories buried within January 8 their own families in the fifth season of Host Henry Louis Gates, Jr., helps actor the critically acclaimed series. The new Andy Samberg and author George R. R. ten-episode season features an array of Martin answer some family mysteries when celebrated guests who are cultural trail- DNA detective work uncovers new branches of blazers with fascinating family stories. their family trees. The DNA analysis upends The guests this season include Academy family history and reveals new relatives. Award winner Marisa Tomei; Emmy and Mystery Man January 15 Golden Globe Award winners Felicity Henry Louis Gates, Jr., helps actors Felicity Huffman, Laura Linney and S. Epatha Huffman and Michael K. Williams discover a Merkerson; and actors Michael K. wealth of hidden family history. Both grew up Williams, Andy Samberg, Chloe Sevigny knowing little about their biological fathers, and Kal Penn. Season 5 also includes and seeing their lost ancestry restored proves superstar author George R.R. Martin; The roots of these guests cover the globe deeply empowering. acclaimed journalists Christiane Amanpour, — from Samoa, Nigeria,Taiwan and Sicily to Ann Curry, Joe Madison and Lisa Ling; best- Iran, Ireland, India and Cuba — and almost Reporting on the Reporters selling author and Facebook executive Sheryl everywhere in between. Their family trees are January 22 Sandberg;TV hosts Seth Meyers and Michael filled with compelling characters — slaves Host Henry Louis Gates, Jr., shows journal- Strahan; artists Marina Abramovic and and kings, artists and entrepreneurs, aban- ists Christiane Amanpour, Ann Curry and Lisa Kehinde Wiley; politicians Marco Rubio, Tulsi doned children and missing parents, revolu- Ling that the stories within their own family Gabbard and Paul Ryan; Academy Award- tionaries, soldiers, and a constant flow of trees are every bit as compelling as the news winning filmmakers Alejandro Innaritu and ordinary individuals who did remarkable stories they have been covering for the world. Michael Moore; and comedians Tig Notaro things, laying the groundwork for their suc- Dreaming of a New Land and Sarah Silverman. cessful descendants. Each episode weaves January 29 together these stories, gleaned from cutting- Henry Louis Gates, Jr., explores with The new ten-episode edge DNA analysis and old school genealogi- Marisa Tomei, Sheryl Sandberg and Kal Penn season features an array cal detective work. Highlights include a the tremendous challenges faced by their “ search for Andy Samberg’s biological grand- immigrant forbearers. From Italy, Russia and of celebrated guests...” parents, the discovery of Michael Strahan’s India to America, their histories show success deep European ancestry and the solution to a could take generations to achieve. 8 VEGAS PBS SOURCE ARTS Stirring Opera and Concerts for a New Year Throughout the Month Live from Lincoln Center: New York Philharmonic New Year’s Eve with Renee Fleming Monday, December 31 at 9 p.m. The Cleveland Orchestra with Lang Lang, piano Join with us in ringing in 2019 with this spectacular annual celebration featuring the Great Performances New York Philharmonic.