ETV Rings in the Holiday Season with Festive Programming

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ETV Rings in the Holiday Season with Festive Programming

For Immediate Release
November 18, 2009

Columbia, SC...Beginning Tuesday, Dec. 8, ETV treats viewers to an array of festive programs for the entire family. From the brand-new animated feature Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas to the perennial seasonal favorite Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, family-friendly holiday entertainment is ETV’s holiday gift to boys and girls of all ages.

On Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 2:30 p.m., ETV begins the count down of days until Christmas with Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas. George and The Man with the Yellow Hat are anxiously anticipating the holidays, but neither can figure out what to get the other for a present. Together, they learn that the best gifts are from the heart. Encore presentations air on Friday, Dec. 18 at 8 a.m. and Christmas Day at 8 a.m.

Then, on Saturday, Dec.19 at 7:30 a.m., Chanukah Stories airs. The new animated special features celebrity storytellers who share two popular Chanukah tales. One story takes place on the first night of the eight-day Festival of Lights, the other on the last. The Tie Man's Miracle, narrated by actor Jami Gertz (Still Standing), celebrates the true meaning and enduring spirit of the holiday. The folktale Moishe's Miracle, as re-told by television veteran Bob Saget (Full House), is chock-full of humor, mystery and delicious latkes.

The next day, Sunday, Dec. 20 at 8 p.m., traverse the breathtaking expanse of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho into the nature and wildlife of Yellowstone National Park. Nature: Christmas in Yellowstone is an awe-inspiring look at wintertime in this national treasure as it follows in the snowy footprints of the park’s animal inhabitants.

On Monday, Dec. 21 at 9 p.m., Great Performances presents San Francisco Ballet’s “Nutcracker.” Hosted by Olympic champion Kristi Yamaguchi, this visually stunning production will captivate viewers with superlative choreography and dazzling sets that help continue the legacy of one of the most popular and enduring ballets the world over.

Later in the week, ETV broadcasts Christmas at Belmont. Hosted by three-time Grammy Award winner and Belmont alumna Trisha Yearwood, this year’s ear-pleasing production will enchant viewers as 400 student and faculty voices from the Belmont School of Music and the Nashville Children’s Choir present a collage of familiar carols, classical masterworks, world music, and light-hearted seasonal favorites. The show airs Wednesday, Dec. 23 at 8 p.m.

On Christmas Eve at 8 p.m., Christmas at St. Olaf: Where Peace and Love and Hope Abide airs. Listed by The New York Times International Datebook as one of five significant global holiday events not to miss, the annual concert from St. Olaf College will bring timeless holiday classics and hymns from around the world.

And at 9 p.m., stay tuned for the new Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir celebration featuring Brian Stokes Mitchell, best leading actor Tony Award-winner for the Broadway musical Kiss Me Kate. Emmy Award-wining actor Edward Hermann (The Practice) joins the festivities as the narrator of The Christmas Story. This timeless Christmas tradition is a grand holiday salute showcasing some of the season’s most beloved songs.

The lineup of holiday shows culminates on Friday, Dec. 25, as ETV punctuates its special seasonal broadcasts with a day of festive programming beginning at 7 a.m. Below is a listing of the shows:

• 7 a.m. – Arthur’s Perfect Christmas
• 8 a.m. – Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas
• 11 a.m. – America’s Children’s Holiday Parade 2009
• 12 p.m. – Christmas at Belmont
• 1 p.m. – Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
• 2 p.m. – Christmas at St. Olaf: Where Peace and Love and Hope Abide
• 3 p.m. – L.A Holiday Celebration 2
• 4 p.m. – Faith Hill: Joy To the World
• 5 p.m. – Michael McDonald: A Soundstage Special

South Carolina ETV is the state's public educational broadcasting network with 11 television and eight radio transmitters, and a multi-media educational system in more than 2,500 schools, colleges, businesses and government agencies. Using television, radio and the web, SCETV's mission is to enrich lives by educating children, informing and connecting citizens, celebrating our culture and environment and instilling the joy of learning.

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For more information, contact Rob Schaller at (803) 737-6556 or rschaller@scetv.org.

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Take a colorful holiday adventure with Curious George as he prepares for Christmas Day in "A Very Monkey Christmas" Photo credit: Curious George TM & 2009 Universal Studios and/or HMCo.

"A Very Monkey Christmas" finds George preparing for Christmas. Photo credit: Curious George TM & 2009 Universal Studios and/or HMCo.

Olympic Champion Kristi Yamaguchi, host of Great Performances: San Francisco Ballet's "Nutcracker." Photo credit: Erik Tomasson

Brian Stokes Mitchell with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in "Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir." Photo credit: Debra Gehris, courtesy of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir