In August, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting shut down, after the Trump Administration pulled $1.1 billion in funding for the organization—funds that usually go to funding NPR and PBS. As a result, PBS has slashed its budget and laid off staff, and numerous local public radio and television stations (many in rural communities) have been forced to close. “We've adopted the slogan, ‘defunded, but not defeated,’” says David Horn, longtime executive director of Great Performances, one of PBS’ more popular programs which provides free broadcasts of theatre, opera, dance, and classical music.

And to show how not defeated it is, on November 14, Great Performances will broadcast Twelfth Night. And not just any production of Twelfth Night—the one that ran this summer at Shakespeare in the Park in New York starring Lupita Nyong'o, Peter Dinklage, Sandra Oh, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and a host of other well-known names. Demand was so high for tickets that this past summer, people were camping outside Central Park the night before in order to score a free ticket. After Twelfth Night airs on PBS, it will also be available to stream via PBS.org and the PBS app. 

See an exclusive clip below.

“We do realize how important it is, when things are so expensive, shows are so expensive to see—that we can provide [viewers] the option to be able to see something they never get a chance to see in their community, or on any other channel.” Horn then adds, proudly, “Especially for free, that’s important.”

Due to its popularity (it did, after all, win a special Tony Award this year), Horn says Great Performances’ budget is not yet affected by the defunding. An increase in foundation and individual donations has helped fill the gap left by the federal government. Though Horn does admit, “We're committing to shows that go into right now, into the winter of ‘27 so we may have to trim back in our overall output as we get further [out].” And don’t worry Broadway fans, Great Performances still plans to do four Broadway-related programs in May 2026, which will include the filmed version of Shaina Taub’s Suffs.

Over his 40-plus year career at PBS, Horn is no stranger to challenges. After all, filming a Broadway show is not as simple as setting up a camera. For one, it costs around $1.5-$2 million to film a Broadway musical and $1-$1.5 million for a play—costs that are split between PBS and the production itself (in London the cost is “a third” of what it is in the U.S.). The cost breakdown isn’t just camera equipment; it’s also the artists. A licensing agreement has to be made for every Great Performances broadcast, which includes how much the performers, the designers, crew, creators, and everyone else who worked on the production would have to be paid for the broadcast and subsequent stream. It all can be costly, which is why artists have been known to waive their fees in order to get their shows broadcast on PBS (such as Stephen Sondheim, hence the live stage captures of Sunday in the Park With George and Into the Woods exist).

Luckily, filming a Shakespeare in the Park production is a bit easier than Broadway. For one, the artists’ fees are lower because it’s an Off-Broadway show. Not to mention that the Public Theater, which produces Shakespeare in the Park, wants its work to get preserved and has the funds to help make it happen.

“It was [Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis] who invited us, to see if we could start an American library of Shakespeare, in an American voice that would speak to American audiences,” says Horn. Since that invitation, PBS has filmed the Shakespeare in the Park production of Much Ado About Nothing starring Danielle Brooks, Richard III starring Danai Gurira, and Hamlet starring Ato Blankson-Wood.

Great Performances filmed Twelfth Night over three nights. The miracle: it didn’t rain on any nights. And having three night’s worth of footage is a handy contingency plan in case there are snafus—though in the case of Twelfth Night, those weren’t needed because of the actors. Says Horn: “We get helicopters that like to hover over the theatre, and so those noises happen at different times. And you never know when you get a raccoon on set.” Sadly, Horn made the executive decision to cut the raccoons.

But for Horn, who’s been a producer and director of Great Performances for over 40 years, presidential administrations come and go, but great art is constant. And the audience’s appetite for it is what keeps him inspired. “When viewers are coming to us and wanting to give more, and [asking] how can they help—it makes you realize how important it is to them … Our mission is being appreciated.” And Horn is always figuring out ways to make Great Performances even more accessible. For instance, PBS programs will soon be available to stream in full on YouTube, ad free.

Horn is always eager to plug PBS Passport, which offers an extensive library of PBS program on demand for a small tax-deductible donation—new PBS programs are available free for all for 30 days, after that they are moved to PBS Passport. Notes Horn, “We need more [Passport] members. There's a lot of things that are on Passport that aren't necessarily on PBS.org. They acquire things specifically for Passport.”

So yes, it’s been a tough year for PBS. But it’s only made Horn more steadfast in his mission to bring art to viewers like you. So don’t worry, it won’t end with Twelfth Night. “We're going to get that extensive library of American Shakespeare.” Horn then adds with a small smile, “I may not be around to finish it, but [I’ve got] a lot more plays to go.”

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Photos: Shakespeare in the Park's Twelfth Night

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