Special Preview Screening: Henry David Thoreau

Join us for an exclusive preview of the new three-part PBS documentary film, Henry David Thoreau, directed by Erik Ewers and Christopher Loren Ewers and executive produced by Ken Burns and Don Henley. 

Before the national premiere on PBS on March 30, this special event offers a first look at select clips from the documentary, followed by a profound exploration of the man who asked us to “live deliberately.” Set against the backdrop of a nation approaching its 250th anniversary, our panel will discuss Thoreau’s enduring relevance, from his pioneering environmentalism to civic responsibility.

The Program 

The evening will feature a curated selection of clips from the film, followed by a dynamic talk back featuring an esteemed panel: 

• Ken Burns, Executive Producer
• Don Henley, Executive Producer
• Erik Ewers, Director
• Christopher Loren Ewers, Director
• Lois Brown, Director, Center for the Study of Race and Democracy, Arizona State University
• Clay Jenkinson, Moderator

About the Film 

Henry David Thoreau examines the life and work of the 19th-century writer in the context of antebellum New England and the larger United States, as well as through the universal themes he focused on in his writings: an individual’s relationship to the state, how to live an authentic life, our connection to nature, and the impact of race on American life. Set against the political and social tensions of the mid-19th century, the film traces Thoreau’s journey from his early days in Concord, Massachusetts to his deep engagement with the moral crises of his time, including industrialization, slavery, war, and environmental degradation. Through his essays, journals, and landmark works such as Walden and Civil Disobedience, he became an inspiration for generations of writers, thinkers, and activists. 

The film draws on a rich collection of archival materials, newly filmed cinematography in Concord and beyond, and interviews with scholars, writers, and environmentalists. Among the people featured in the film are Pico Iyer, Douglas Brinkley, Lois Brown, Kristen Case, Laura Dassow Walls, Clay Jenkinson, Robin Kimmerer, J. Drew Lanham, Bill McKibben, Michael Pollan, Rebecca Solnit, and more. 

Henry David Thoreau is narrated by George Clooney and voices are provided by Ted Danson (Ralph Waldo Emerson), Tate Donovan (William Ellery Channing), Jeff Goldblum (Henry David Thoreau), and Meryl Streep (Lidian Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Mary Merrick Brooks, and Maria Thoreau).