This American Life ... live ... in high-def ... in 317 theaters

On May 1, before its second season on the Showtime cable channel, This American Life will try a one-night-only live HD broadcast to 317 movie theaters around the country, satellite-fed through National Cinemedia. (The same company distributes live HD Metropolitan Opera broadcasts to theaters, including La Boheme, April 5.) The two-hour show will include previews of the upcoming TV season, also in HD, plus Ira Glass presenting a radio story and Q&A with the far-flung audience. Nearly 70 pubradio stations are promoting the event and using tickets as member premiums. It'll be 8 p.m. Eastern, 7 p.m. Central, 6 p.m. Mountain and tape-delayed to 8 Pacific time. Tickets go on sale April 4. Here's a video trailer. More about Glass's big broadcast in Current, April 7.