From left: Joe Mantegna and Laurence Fishburne
Oscar nominee and Emmy and Tony Award winner Laurence Fishburne (Black-ish) will join Tony Award winner Joe Mantegna (Criminal Minds) to host the 28th annual edition of PBS’ National Memorial Day Concert. It will air on CPTV on Sunday, May 28 at 8 p.m., encoring later that night at 10 p.m.
For almost three decades, PBS has inspired viewers with this deeply moving and reverential night of remembrance dedicated to U.S. men and women in uniform, their families at home, and all those who have given their lives for America.
Emmy Award winner Gary Sinise (Criminal Minds: Without Borders), who has co-hosted the concert for the past 11 years, will present a 75th anniversary salute to the Doolittle Raiders, the daring aviators who changed the course of World War II in the Pacific.
The all-star lineup for the event includes: distinguished American leader General Colin L. Powell USA (Ret.); world-renowned four-time Grammy Award-winning classical superstar Renée Fleming; multi-platinum recording artist and star of television, film and the Broadway stage Vanessa Williams; country music superstar Scotty McCreery; Grammy-nominated, multiplatinum-selling artist John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting; acclaimed actor John Ortiz (A Dog’s Purpose; Kong: Skull Island); Broadway and television star Christopher Jackson (Hamilton, Bull); distinguished actress Ana Ortiz (Ugly Betty, Devious Maids); legendary Irish Tenor Ronan Tynan; and the UK’s best-selling cross-over artist Russell Watson; in performance with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly.
Additional performers will be announced soon. Plus, gifted actress and singer Auli’i Cravalho (Moana) will open the show with a special performance of the National Anthem!
For more information on the concert, click here.