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[via press release]

NOGGIN Commences Production on ‘Jack’s Big Music Show,’ a New Original Music Series for Preschoolers Set to Premiere September, 2005

Popular Children’s Recording Artist Laurie Berkner to Perform in Each Half-Hour Episode

NEW YORK, April 11 — NOGGIN, the commercial-free, educational network for preschoolers, has announced it will commence production on the new original series, Jack’s Big Music Show. Produced by Spiffy Pictures for NOGGIN, the 13-episode live-action series will be hosted by Jack, a preschooler puppet and his melodious cast of friends who play every day at Jack’s clubhouse. Jack’s Big Music Show is a new platform for kids’ music and will feature videos and live, in-studio performances by popular children’s musicians who visit the clubhouse every week.

The puppet segments featured in the series will be shot in-studio in Chicago beginning Tuesday, April 12. Jack’s Big Music Show is slated to premiere in September on NOGGIN.

Each episode of Jack’s Big Music Show will feature a music video performance by acclaimed children’s recording artist Laurie Berkner, whose videos have been featured on NOGGIN for the past year. Additional musicians featured in the series include Hot Peas and Butter and Music for Aardvarks.

“Jack’s is something we’ve wanted to make for years … it’s like TRL for preschoolers,” said Amy Friedman, Senior Vice President, Development/Creative Director, Nickelodeon Digital Television. “We are proud that Noggin will be the new homebase for these outstanding recording artists and their smart, warm and silly songs that both kids and parents adore.”

“We are so excited to be working with Spiffy Pictures whose sense of silly really connects with our preschool audience,” said Brown Johnson, Executive Creative Director of Preschool Television, Nickelodeon. “Music is an integral part of children’s development and Jack’s is a celebration of the music that is all around us.”

On Jack’s Big Music Show, Jack takes a break every day from his busy kid schedule to visit his favorite place in the world — his backyard clubhouse. Here he can do what he loves best — create and enjoy music, sing, dance and have a musical ball with his friend Mary, his faithful dog Mel and all of his other neighborhood pals who stop by. Anything can happen in Jack’s clubhouse, as it’s an extension of both Jack and Mary — focused and goofy, adventurous and safe, with a fresh and original way of looking at and hearing things. You never know when a baby bongo bird or The King of Swing may unexpectedly visit the clubhouse, or an entire show might be sung in a silly opera style!

The mission of Jack’s Big Music Show is to expose and foster an appreciation of music in young children. Music, and musical instruments, help children expand their universe and develop memory, language, literacy and reasoning skills as well as the cognitive, social and motor skills that are needed to excel in school. In Jack’s clubhouse, music is pure joy — no expectations and no right or wrong way.

Laurie Berkner turned her experience as a children’s music specialist by day and rock singer by night into a career as one of the biggest names in children’s music. With four best-selling, award-winning CDs under her belt, she has received an unprecedented following (among children and parents!) for a self-produced artist who doesn’t adhere to the stereotype of a children’s singer. Dubbed “Raffi with a nose ring” and “Sheryl Crow for kiddies” by national media outlets from People to Parenting, Laurie’s inventive, playful, and well-crafted songs, as well as her accomplished guitar playing and warm, engaging vocals, stands out among other, often over-produced, children’s fare. Laurie’s sold-out concerts illustrate her special talent for connecting with kids on their level, even if it means singing while lying down on the floor. Her 2004 debut on NOGGIN with a series of music videos sent sales of Laurie’s CDs soaring. Laurie and husband, bandmate Brian Mueller’s most recent accomplishment was the birth of their first baby in September 2004! Laurie Berkner performs across North America with Brian Mueller (on bass) and keyboardist Susie Lampert. Her concerts have been held at venues from the White House to national and international children’s music festivals.

In 1994, David Rudman, Todd Hannert and Adam Rudman started Spiffy Pictures. Since then they have created, produced, written and directed animated and live action projects for clients including: Sesame Workshop, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and The Jim Henson Co. Their current projects include creating and producing Nick Jr. Baby’s Curious Buddies brand of home videos.

David Rudman was recently nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series for his work on Sesame Street as Baby Bear and Cookie Monster. 2004 marks David’s eighteenth year as a regular cast member on Sesame Street. He has also performed as a puppeteer on numerous television shows and specials, and in films, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppets Take Manhattan, Labyrinth and Elmo in Grouchland. His commercial work includes the voice and finger of Ziploc’s Fingerman.

Adam Rudman is a six-time Emmy Award-winning writer for Sesame Street, Cyberchase (Nelvana/PBS), Big Bag (Cartoon Network) and Oobi (NOGGIN). He is the author of the first Cyberchase book for Scholastic, “The Search for the Power Orb.”

Todd Hannert adds his imaginative touch to Spiffy Pictures with a diverse background as a designer, writer and musician in children’s television and video. As music director for Spiffy Pictures, he has written the lyrics and music for all of Nick Jr. Baby’s Curious Buddies video titles. Todd’s most recent children’s book “Morning Dance” is published by Chronicle Books.

NOGGIN is the commercial-free, educational network for preschoolers owned by Nickelodeon. NOGGIN currently reaches 43 million households via cable, digital cable and satellite tv. NOGGIN, which airs from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (ET), is like preschool on tv, with educational programming both on-air and online at http://www.noggin.com/. NOGGIN and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

Source: NOGGIN