Half-hour special looks back at Rhea Feikin’s five-decade career in TV
Maryland Public Television (MPT) will present the half-hour special Rhea: A Life in Television on MPT-HD at 8 p.m. on Monday, May 18. The program offers viewers an intimate and delightful look at Rhea Feikin, the recently retired “First Lady” of Maryland Public Television.
Rhea Feikin spent her entire career interviewing talented and fascinating people. Now the tables are turned, and five of her well-known friends have interviewed her about her life and TV career.
Filmmaker John Waters chats with Rhea about her early days at WBAL-TV and her weather reports with the puppet J.P., and U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski reminisces with Rhea about her family life and growing up in Baltimore's Hampden neighborhood. Baltimore Center Stage Executive Director Michael Ross talks to Rhea about her love for theatre and how she nurtured and promoted the Maryland art scene through the years.
In addition, MPT President and CEO Larry Unger gets the scoop on all the productions on which Rhea has worked at MPT, from Consumer Survival Kitto Artworks This Week to Chesapeake Collectibles. And finally, Rhea and her fellow pledge host, former MPT producer Donald Thoms, have a lively chat about their favorite pledge show guests and why she never got tired of hosting the MPT fundraising drives.
A short preview of the program is available at this link: https://bit.ly/3ckOjOo.
A second broadcast ofRhea: A Life in Televisionwill be offered at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 23. The program will also be available on the MPT livestream atmpt.org/livestreamand on the free MPT app.
Rhea Feikin retired from MPT on March 1. She continues to serve the statewide public TV network as a director of the MPT Foundation, Inc.
About MPT
Launched in 1969 and headquartered in Owings Mills, MD, Maryland Public Television is a nonprofit, state-licensed public television network and member of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). MPT’s six transmitters cover Maryland plus portions of contiguous states and the District of Columbia. Frequent winner of regional Emmy® awards, MPT creates local, regional, and national television shows. Beyond broadcast, MPT’s commitment to professional educators, parents, caregivers, and learners of all ages is delivered through year-round instructional events and the super-website Thinkport, which garners in excess of five million page views annually. MPT’s community engagement connects viewers with local resources on significant health, education, arts, and public interest topics through year-round outreach events, viewer forums, program screenings, and phone bank call-in opportunities. For more information visit mpt.org.
