What's up these days on Main Street? John McGivern takes another look in Waukesha episode
WAUKESHA - Now that John McGivern has rounded the corner into his new community-focused TV series, he has returned to Waukesha for another look at local life.
"John McGivern's Main Streets" will air its new Waukesha episode at 7 p.m. March 14 on PBS, but local residents won't have to wait. A special preview event will be held with two showings Feb. 27 at the Waukesha Civic Theatre — appropriately enough at 264 W. Main St.
It's the kind of thing that typically generates local excitement, which maybe isn't surprising. It is, after all, a way for people to celebrate their community's moment in the spotlight, which McGivern shined on communities in his original series "Around the Corner with John McGivern" from 2012 to 2021 and has continued with "Main Streets" since then.
"Every single person we talk to loves their hometown," McGivern said in an email. "There’s no shortage of people who want everyone to know why their city or neighborhood is the best. I love the pride they have, and we all work hard to make sure it comes through loud and clear in every episode."
For those unfamiliar with McGivern or his popular PBS series, here's a primer.
John McGivern is a community storyteller, par excellence
McGivern has several acting credits, but it's his two traveling shows that have defined his career as an Emmy Award-winning storyteller.
"Around the Corner" debuted in January 2012 and ran nine seasons until production by Milwaukee PBS ended in December 2020, but that wasn't the end for McGivern. Plum Media picked up ownership and production of his new "Main Streets" series, again centering on storytelling with a focus on communities. Unlike "Around the Corner," "Main Streets" (co-hosted by Emmy Finks) stretches beyond Wisconsin and into Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota.
But he has also told some personal stories in earlier one-man stage shows, including "The Early Stories of John McGivern," "Midsummer Night McGivern" and "John McGivern's Home for the Holidays," about growing up with five siblings in a working-class Irish Catholic family in the Midwest.
'Main Streets' offer a slice of community life through local eyes
McGivern's current series, like his last, involves interviews and presentations featuring local people, including civic and business leaders, who help him tell the community story.
People in those communities love to listen to what those people have to say, which is why even a second visit to a community generates excitement, said Lois Maurer, who is producing and directing "Main Streets" and previously produced PBS-based "Around the Corner."
"It seems our audience hasn’t missed a beat," Maurer said. "They are thrilled to have a new, yet familiar show with John McGivern to look forward to. We get a lot of positive feedback."
McGivern's previews are a show in themselves
The excitement can run so deep that sometimes the communities involved help orchestrate a preview show.
An "Around the Corner" visit filmed in summer 2019 in New Berlin was presented to an overflow capacity crowd in New Berlin West's Performing Arts Center the following February. It featured McGivern presenting the episode, but in a way that also highlighted his stage showmanship. A similar show awaits Waukesha residents.
"John and I like that these previews are our chance to say thank you to the city and especially to those who participated in the episode," Maurer said.
With the help of local officials — Rebecca Pederson, the city of Waukesha communications and engagement manager, and Tammy Tritz, the executive director of Waukesha Pewaukee Convention & Visitor Bureau — the preview show was set up at the historic Pix Theater in downtown Waukesha.
Waukesha's second entry will feature people and places
"Main Streets" doesn't make a habit of traveling in the same steps as "Around the Corner," McGivern said, but Waukesha had something more to offer since the original episode aired in February 2013.
"I love Waukesha," McGivern said. "We hesitate to 're-do' locations, but in Waukesha we found so many great things to cover this time around."
Maurer said the episode will feature Doug Jarecki and the Waukesha Civic Theatre; Luis Hernandez and Urethane Systems Plus; photographer Tim Snopek; Mayor Shawn Reilly and city employees; instructor Michael Mortenson and Carroll University’s unmanned aircraft program; and renowned local artist Carmen De La Paz.
"We spent four days (three in August, one in September) in Waukesha and shot about 14 hours of footage," Maurer said. "Yep. That’s what it takes to make 24 minutes of television when you have seven feature interviews, six stand-ups, an open and a close and cover video for all of that."
Extra content will be available to stream on YouTube, she added.
Contact reporter Jim Riccioli at james.riccioli@jrn.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 'Main Streets' brings John McGivern back to Waukesha for TV episode
