Tag Archives: Hi Opie!

The Jim Henson Company & marblemedia to develop new original live-action comedy series, Felix

From a media release:

Award-winning global production company, marblemedia, and The Jim Henson Company, an established leader in innovative and iconic entertainment, are partnering once again, this time on the original scripted comedy series, Felix (10×30), which will break new ground by debunking the stereotypes and stigmatization around neurodiversity and mental health challenges among children.

Created by Miklos Perlus, and inspired by his neurodivergent son, Felix is a live action comedy about a boy, his family, and his “feels” – five original characters to be created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™ that manifest his larger-than-life emotions. They live in his house; they follow him to school; they eat all the good snacks; they’re like the worst pets ever. And now that Felix attends a school for neurodivergent kids like him, he’s finally learning how to live with his very real emotions.

“We could think of no better partner on this project than The Jim Henson Company to join us in creating a transformative family television series”, explains A.J. Trauth, VP Kids at marblemedia. “We share a desire to bring the much-needed conversation around children’s mental health directly to audiences across North America, and the world. Miklos has expertly crafted an authentic, optimistic, and hilarious story about this very important topic.”

“For generations, the art of puppetry has helped us process our thoughts and feelings. By authentically depicting the nuanced and complex ways that neurodivergent children experience the world, Felix will use comedy and a cast of original hilarious characters to introduce audiences to new ways of thinking, reducing the stigma around mental health and inspiring families to improve their own communication,” said Halle Stanford, President of Television for The Jim Henson Company.

marblemedia and The Jim Henson Company have partnered previously on live-action preschool series Hi Opie!, in 2014 and its spin-off Opie’s Home in 2016.

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Hi Opie! takes Toronto by storm

It’s one thing to be told Opie is a smash with kids, but it’s entirely another to see it up close and personal.

That was the case Sunday at Toronto’s Word on the Street Festival celebrating literacy and the printed word. TVOKids’ superstar Opie was on hand alongside Gisele to encourage imagination through storytelling—Opie starred in his own bedtime story as Opie-naut, where he encountered aliens called Purple Lurples—and the kids in attendance ate it up. While some preschool aged kids bopped, bounced and bellowed, others stood in rapt attention as Opie, sporting a helmet constructed of aluminum pie plates, told of his otherworldly adventures.

Those adventures extend to Season 2 of Hi Opie! Currently airing on TVO, City Saskatchewan and The Knowledge Network (see airtimes below), Hi Opie! continues to educate and entertain as he helps children transition from home to school. A creation of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, the orange-skinned kindergartner is voiced and operated by Jordan Lockhart. It’s quite a kick to hear Opie’s voice come out of the mouth of the lanky, sunglass-wearing Lockhart; he says it took time for him to figure out how Opie would sound and act.

“There was a lot of sweat, blood and tears put into finding the voice and the character,” Lockhart admits. “I think we started shooting [Season 1] before we really landed on what it is now. I’m really happy with the way the character has developed over these last two years and I’m excited to see where he goes from here.” Lockhart landed the plum gig after meeting with legendary puppeteer Rob Mills at an event. Mills told Lockhart to introduce himself to longtime Henson show producer Lawrence Mirkin; the two connected and struck up a relationship. A year later, Mirkin contacted Lockhart to send in an audition tape, followed by reading a script and then a callback for his latest production: Hi Opie!

Lockhart is constantly amazed not only by the quality of scripts he encounters on the set—the series expands to multiple classrooms this year—but by the child actors he interacts with on-set. Unlike most actors, he’s quite happy crouched down and out of a camera’s line of site and takes pride in an odd circumstance unique to puppeteers.

“It’s incredible to see these little people but into the illusion and it’s enormously gratifying to me,” Lockhart explains. “They are completely unaware of my presence and are locked into Opie. You have to really be present and listen to these people, and what you end up seeing is a complete abandonment of reality.”

Hi Opie! airs weekdays at 6:15 a.m. ET, 10:30 a.m. ET and 1:50 p.m. ET on TVO, weekdays at 9 a.m. CST and 11 a.m. CST on City Saskatchewan and weekdays at 11:50 a.m. PT on The Knowledge Network.

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TVO’s Opie takes the fear out of kindergarten

Kindergarten can be a scary place for children. For most, kindergarten is the first time that five-year-olds are away from their parents and home for an extended period of time. It can be an unfamiliar place filled with strangers and loud noises.

That’s where Opie comes in. Created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, Opie is the five-year-old puppet star of Hi Opie! a 39-episode series targeted at kids aged three to five that introduces them to the world of kindergarten and all that comes with it. Brightly-coloured and with a shock of yarn-like hair, Opie is a friendly fellow who interacts with young co-stars who immediately accept the puppet as a real character.

“It’s the power of a puppet who is designed in a particular way to get the attention of a child and make them feel comfortable,” says Pat Ellingson, creative Head of Children’s & Parents’ Media for TVO. “And a puppeteer [in Jordan Lockhart] who is able to make them take that leap of faith that this is a real character.”

Developed in partnership with TVO and produced by marblemedia in association with The Jim Henson Company, Hi Opie! aims to entertain as well as educate families as their little ones prepare for full-time kindergarten, something Ellingson explains was an important part of developing the series. Math, science, social skills, patience, teamwork and interaction with peers and teachers are all addressed in upcoming instalments. Ellingson says Hi Opie! has a three-pronged message aimed at children about to start full-day kindergarten, parents new to the environment and for children already in the program.

TVO is offering a sneak peek of Hi Opie! on Monday, Aug. 25, at 7 a.m. and noon ET, and Friday, Aug. 29, at 7 a.m. ET.

Meanwhile, Opie took some time out from his school preparations to answer a few questions from us:

Opie, are you excited to go into kindergarten, or are you a little nervous?
I’m really excited to start kindergarten! I can’t wait to meet new friends and play games. Doing crafts and playing with dinosaurs are my favourite.

If you are nervous, what are you nervous about?
I’m a little nervous … I’ve never been to school before and the school is really big!

What do you think your favourite part about going to school every day will be? Is it learning? Seeing your friends? Snack time?
I can’t wait to meet new friends.

What would you say to any kids that are nervous about going to kindergarten for the first time? What would you tell their parents?
I’m practicing how to introduce myself so when I meet new friends I’m going to say, ‘Hi, my name is Opie. What’s yours?’ I’ve also been practicing packing my backpack with my lunch, favourite toy and an extra change of clothes. I’m going to pack these on the first day.

Hi Opie! debuts on Monday, Sept. 1 and will air Monday to Friday at 10:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. ET on TVO, Monday to Friday at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. CT on City Saskatchewan and Monday to Friday at 11:50 a.m. PT on Knowledge Network.Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail