David Farnor | On 09, Feb 2017

Julie Andrews and Jim Henson. Two names you never knew you wanted to see together in the same sentence, let alone the same paragraph. Now, though, the legendary Sound of Music star and the Jim Henson Company are teaming up for a kids’ series on Netflix.

The show, titled Julie’s Greenroom, features an all-new puppet cast of kids learning about the performing arts from Julie. Andrews created the series with her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, and Judy Rothman-Rofė. She will executive produce and star in the show as Ms. Julie – the director of the Wellspring Center for the Performing Arts in which she teaches performing arts workshops in the theatre and its Greenroom.

Ms. Julie and her devoted assistant Gus (Giullian Yao Gioiello) will bring the performing arts to a new generation of children, known as “the Greenies”. Over the course of the season, with Ms. Julie’s guidance and inspiration from visiting guest artists, the kids will create an entirely original new show – a mashup of all the performing arts, from mime and music to improv and circus arts.

Speaking to the US press at a Netflix event this week, Andrews said the show will feature an intentionally diverse group of puppets: “We wanted it to be a good mixture of different types of kids. We have all kinds of diversity in the casting. We definitely wanted a good showing of diversity among the kids.”

Along the way, you can expect to see guests such as Josh Groban, Alec Baldwin, Ellie Kemper and the world’s best duck. The show premieres on Friday 17th March. Here’s a new trailer:

 

Julie Andrews and The Jim Henson Company team up for Netflix kids’ series

2nd June 2016

Julie Andrews and The Jim Henson Company are teaming up to make a new Netflix kids’ series.

Yes, the partnership of your childhood’s dreams is officially happening, as the award-winning Mary Poppins star joins forces with the legendary workshop that brought us Sesame St and The Muppets. The pair began shooting last month on Julie’s Greenroom, a new preschool show that features an all-new puppet cast of kids learning about the performing arts.

Andrews created the series with her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, and Judy Rothman-Rofė. She will executive produce and star in the show as Ms. Julie – the director of the Wellspring Center for the Performing Arts in which she teaches performing arts workshops in the theatre and its Greenroom.

Ms. Julie and her devoted assistant Gus (Giullian Yao Gioiello) are bringing the performing arts to a new generation of kids, known as the Greenies. Played by original puppet characters built by the renowned Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, the Greenies are a diverse group of kids who are mesmerised by the arts. Over the course of the season, with Ms. Julie’s guidance and inspiration from visiting guest artists, the kids create an entirely original new show, that is a mashup of all the performing arts, including mime, music, dance, improv, circus arts and voice.

The show is produced by The Jim Henson Company and is also exec produced by Steve Sauer, and Lisa Henson and Halle Stanford for the The Jim Henson Company. Emmy Award-winning actor and writer Joey Mazzarino is co-producer and director, Tom Keniston is producer, and Emmy Award winner Bill Sherman will compose the music for the show.

Indeed, it will come as no surprise to Henson fans that most episodes will feature an original song. The guest stars, meanwhile, are a typically diverse bunch, including Alec Baldwin, Sara Bareilles, Joshua Bell, Carol Burnett, Chris Colfer, Robert Fairchild, Josh Groban, David Hyde Pierce, Idina Menzel, Stomp and, in an inspired piece of Netflix cross-promotion, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s Ellie Kemper and – yes – Tituss Burgess.

“This project represents the fulfilment of a long held dream to educate children about the wonder of the arts,” comments Andrews. “I am thrilled to be partnering with my daughter and long time coauthor, Emma, to bring this show to life along with our co-creator, Judy Rothman-Rofė. We could not be more honored to be working with the extraordinary Jim Henson Company. We are equally delighted to be premiering as a Netflix original production.”

“It’s been an incredible treat to work with Julie on this project,” adds Andy Yeatman, Director of Global Kids Content at Netflix. “This show is all about awakening children’s interest in the performing arts while introducing a new era of puppets to the viewers.”

All 13 half-hour episodes will premiere globally on Netflix in early 2017.

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