Experience Shakespeare’s comedic masterpiece from the Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park set in South Harlem telling the story of the trickster Falstaff and the wily wives who outwit him in a celebration of Black joy, laughter and vitality. 

Great Performances: Merry Wives airs Sunday, August 4 at 1 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Recorded in the summer of 2021 at The Public Theater’s beloved Free Shakespeare in the Park, Great Performances presents playwright Jocelyn Bioh’s critically acclaimed adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedic spinoff “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” Directed by The Public’s Associate Artistic Director and Resident Director Saheem Ali, the production is set in South Harlem where immigrants of the West African diaspora are living side-by-side with their African American neighbors. A New York story about tricks of the heart, featuring the Bard’s most beloved comedic characters, this farce tells the story of the charlatan Falstaff and the wily wives who outwit him in a celebration of Black joy, laughter and vitality. Stars Jacob Ming-Trent as Falstaff, Pascale Armand as Madam Ekua Page and Susan Kelechi Watson as Madam Nkechi Ford.

This film examines one of America’s most racially complicated cities as it confronts its past whilst building its future.

A Boston (R)Evolution airs Tuesday, August 13 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV

 When Kim Janey, a Black woman, is catapulted to the position of acting mayor, she breaks a 200-year history of white men in the city’s top seat. Boston’s traditional old-school politics are further challenged when the top candidates in the historic 2021 mayoral race are four non-white women. 

The film paints a unique portrait of an American city that continues to evolve. It reveals a side of Boston heretofore unseen in mainstream media. A Boston (R)Evolution is a tight and fast-paced documentary that asks if America’s bedrock city can finally confront its past.

A Boston (R)Evolution connects the dots between Boston’s racially complicated past and Kim Janey’s appointment as acting mayor in 2021 to the subsequent historical mayoral election later that year, which resulted in Mayor Michelle Wu’s victory. Using historical footage, expert interviews, and personal narratives, the film contrasts Mel King’s 1983 mayoral campaign with the recent race in which the top candidates are four non-white women, and also considers the impact of the 1970s busing crisis on Boston’s present.

Dive into the life and legacy of Amy Beach the iconic female composer.

Composer: Amy Beach airs Friday, August 9 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV. Repeats Saturday, August 1- at 4 p.m.

Amy Cheney Beach was born September 5, 1867, in Henniker, New Hampshire. A child prodigy, she would become one of the most respected and accomplished American musical composers of her time. Beach debuted as a pianist at 17 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. At age 23, with no formal training, she began composing her acclaimed “Gaelic Symphony.

Featuring interviews with historians and musicians – and excerpts from some of Beach’s pieces – Composer: Amy Beach chronicles a remarkable life and career that has inspired generations.

In 1893 at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, her commissioned choral piece premiered at the opening of the Women’s Pavilion. Throughout her career, she wrote hymns, chamber music, a mass, a piano concerto, an opera, and a robust collection of more than 150 songs. A pioneering composer, pianist and teacher, Beach was a national symbol of women’s creative power and helped redefine the role of women in music.

A young filmmaker discovers a treasure trove of family artifacts and unravels mysteries surrounding her visionary great-grandfather.

Beyond the Bolex airs Sunday, May 18 at 7 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the PBS app.

Beyond the Bolex shines a light on the life of Jacques Bolsey and his invention of the revolutionary Bolex camera which helped launch the careers of famous filmmakers like Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson.

Tennis icons Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe clash in a thrilling Wimbledon final, showcasing their contrasting styles and playing point-for-point in what is widely considered one of the greatest tennis matches of all time.

Gods of Tennis “Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe” airs Tuesday, July 30 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV

Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe’s showdowns in the Wimbledon finals in 1980 and 1981 are among the most memorable matches in the sport. They bring glamour and celebrity to what many consider the fiercest rivalry in men’s tennis history.

PBS News will provide live coverage of President Biden’s farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office.

Presidential Biden’s Address: A PBS News Special airs Wednesday, January 15 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

The live coverage, co-anchored by Amna Nawaz and Geoff Bennett, will include Biden’s address, followed by analysis from the PBS News team.

Please note: Following the special coverage, PBS will rejoin the regularly scheduled programs already in progress.