Iowa PBS

Follow the career of the musician, conductor, composer and Iowa's champion on Broadway. He performed under Sousa & Toscanini. He scored films for the likes of Chaplin & wrote popular songs performed by Sinatra & The Beatles. And when the River City boys band marched on Broadway, Meredith Willson caught the whole world’s ear.

Through the prism of Postville, Iowa (population 1,500), this documentary examines what happens when a once homogeneous town becomes a new model for the American melting pot. This program investigates the roots of cultural misunderstanding, explores the meaning of community, showcases the manifestation of underlying racism and offers a glimpse into what might be the future of small town America.

“Shift” tells the story of RAGBRAI through ground-breaking photography and intimate interviews with three riders and a pair of community leaders as they overcome grueling miles and personal hurdles to find peace, redemption and clarity while bicycling across Iowa.