By a Front Row Features Staff Reporter
Netflix announced today that award-winning actress Julie Andrews will star in “Julie’s Greenroom,” a new preschool show from The Jim Henson Company that features an all-new puppet cast of kids learning about the performing arts. The series will be available exclusively to Netflix subscribers in early 2017.
Andrews, who created the series with her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton and Judy Rothman-Rofė, will executive produce and star as Ms. Julie, the director of the Wellspring Center for the Performing Arts in which she teaches performing arts workshops in the theater and its “Greenroom.”
Andrews and her devoted assistant Gus (Giullian Yao Gioiello) bring 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 mesmerized by all that the arts and creativity has to offer. Over the course of the season, with Ms. Julie’s guidance and inspiration from the 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, voice and more.
Most episodes will feature an original song and every episode will feature a guest star who engages the kids in a specific area of the performing arts. The incredible array of confirmed guest stars will include Alec Baldwin, Sara Bareilles, Joshua Bell, Tituss Burgess, Carol Burnett, Chris Colfer, Robert Fairchild, Josh Groban, David Hyde Pierce, Bill Erwin, Ellie Kemper, Idina Menzel, Tiler Peck and Stomp.
“This project represents the fulfillment of a long held dream to educate children about the wonder of the arts,” said Andrews in a statement. “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 such an incredible treat to work with Julie on this project,” added 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.”
“The best of the best have joined together to bring Julie’s Greenroom to Netflix,” said Lisa Henson, CEO of The Jim Henson Company. “Our award-winning director, Tony-nominated puppeteers, Broadway composer, and accomplished guest artists, led by the incomparable Julie Andrews, together will inspire kids to explore, appreciate and celebrate all forms of performing arts.”
“Julie’s Greenroom” began shooting this May in New York. The 13 30-minute episodes will premiere globally on Netflix in early 2017. The Netflix Original series is produced by The Jim Henson Company and is executive produced by Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton and 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 joins the series as composer.
