National Memorial Day Concert
Sunday, May 25, at 8 p.m.
on WKAR-HD and WKAR-23
All Star Cast Highlights Annual Concert
As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue, PBS unites the nation with the award-winning National Memorial Day Concert (2008) honoring the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform, their families at home and all of those who have given their lives for our country. The event, which has become the memorial service for the entire nation, is co-hosted for the third year by Gary Sinise (“CSI: New York”) and Tony Award-winner Joe Mantegna (“Criminal Minds”), two acclaimed actors who have dedicated themselves to veterans’ causes and supporting the troops in active service.
This year, the event will pay special tribute to the veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam and the sacred war memorials built in their honor in the nation’s capital. Actor Charles Durning, a highly decorated World War II veteran and 14-year National Memorial Day Concert participant, will be recognized for his bravery and sacrifice as part of the “greatest generation.” The valor of the newest veterans will be honored as the program examines the bonds that buddies form on the battlefields of Iraq.
Joining co-hosts Sinise and Mantegna is an all-star line-up of dignitaries, actors and musical artists, including multiple Grammy award-winning Motown legend Gladys Knight; classical crossover soprano and star of the stage, Sarah Brightman; General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.); Best Actress Tony Award-winner Idina Menzel (Wicked, Rent); actor and comedian Denis Leary (Rescue Me); distinguished actor Charles Durning; ; country music star Rodney Atkins; actor and singer John Schneider; actress Gail O’Grady (“American Dreams,” “Boston Legal”); film and television actress Caitlin Wachs; and the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of maestro Erich Kunzel, recipient of the 2006 National Medal of Arts.
The U.S Joint Chiefs of Staff will participate in the event, along with the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, the U.S. Army Ceremonial Band, the Soldiers Chorus of the U.S. Army Field Band, the Master Chorale of Washington, an armed forces color guard and service flags from each branch of the armed services provided by the Military District of Washington, DC.
“I think all Americans have a moral obligation to honor the military, by taking a moment to pause and reflect on the bravery and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform, so that we can truly appreciate what they gave to preserve our freedoms,” said Joe Mantegna. Added co-host Gary Sinise, “Lending a hand to our country’s servicemen and women is truly one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. Knowing that they are not forgotten and that their sacrifice is appreciated can make a world of difference.”
“Besides the soldiers, families and friends are casualties of war too,” said concert executive producer Jerry Colbert. “We think of the agony of the mother or father who lost a child, the spouses and children left behind, the people who are wounded in body and soul. And we create this concert as a memorial service to remember and reach out to them.
National Memorial Day Concert (2008) features uplifting musical performances, documentary footage and dramatic readings that honor all Americans who have served or made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. It is the nation’s premier Memorial Day event, using the powerful medium of television to reach out to millions and providing an outlet for loved ones to remember, grieve and begin to heal.
Co-hosts Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise have a personal connection to the troops and veterans who have served our country. Both Mantegna and Sinise have several relatives and friends who served in Vietnam and World War II. In 2004, Mantegna was named Chairperson for the National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs, while Sinise is a regular on the USO tour circuit, performing for troops with his Lt. Dan Band. Over the past four years, Sinise has traveled to Iraq three times and to Afghanistan in support of the troops. He has also started the “Operation Iraqi Children” project, which collects supplies for the children of Iraq, and serves as spokesperson for the Disabled Veterans for Life Memorial Foundation (ADVLM), which is building a memorial for America’s three million living disabled military veterans.
published: May 20, 2008
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