HEY YOU GUUUUUYYYYS!
Delivering a Jolt of Literacy, Iconic Television Series The Electric Company is Being Recharged for Today’s Child
Sesame Workshop Series Set to Premiere on PBS January 2009
NEW YORK, May 12, 2008
Today, Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, announced that it’s ‘turning on the power’ to its classic children’s series, The Electric Company, with new production starting Tuesday, May 13th on the streets of New York City and in a studio in Newark, New Jersey. Targeted at 6-9 year-olds, and with funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Department of Education, today’s The Electric Company carries the same goal of the original series, combating the literacy crisis facing America’s second graders, but is re-energized to recognize the media-driven generation of today.
Sure to spark a current of learning, the new version of The Electric Company is a multi-media, multi-platform literacy campaign charged with reducing the literacy gap between low and middle income families and advance the ideal that ‘reading is cool.’ Weekly episodes are slated to run nationally in January 2009 on PBS KIDS, and will be supplemented with a richly interactive online environment as well as community-based outreach activities taking place in 20 cities across the country.
Through their programming, Sesame Workshop has always been committed to putting young children on a positive trajectory for learning. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, literacy still remains a critical educational need1. First graders who cannot read at grade level have only a 1 in 10 chance of becoming proficient readers.2
“The literacy crisis today is as pervasive and alarming as it was in 1971 when we created the first version of The Electric Company,” stated Scott Cameron, Director of Education and Research for Sesame Workshop. “We know that if struggling readers don’t get the literacy help they need by the end of second grade, they are in danger of never catching up. Children in low-income families are particularly at risk, because they generally start school with a significantly lower vocabulary than those in middle or high income families. And without a strong vocabulary, it becomes increasingly harder to read school materials and succeed academically. So, our goal with The Electric Company is to reach the kids who are struggling, and who might think that reading isn’t cool or isn’t useful, and we hope to do that by creating compelling and high-quality television, web and outreach materials.”
Through the talented production, writing and musical staff, The Electric Company is brought to life with a narrative story-line, music videos, sketch comedy, animation and short films. In a process that started over two years ago, Executive Producer Karen Fowler, envisioned a multi-media and outreach project and has brought an abundance of talent to create an appealing fresh program.
“We wanted to create a 360 degree experience for second-graders that easily integrates into the world around them and accurately reflects their life,” said Fowler. “Children are most responsive when they see characters that they can relate to, in environments in which they naturally play in like TV, broadband and after-school programs. We worked hard to make sure that we had the right people to do the job, those who have their fingers on the pulse of what children need to succeed and what will attract them.”
Tony Award nominated writer, Willie Reale (A Year With Frog and Toad) leads The Electric Company writing team and has brought in other outstanding writers including the Cox Brothers (Blades of Glory) and Jerome Hairston (Law & Order: Criminal Intent, am Sunday) to create 26 half-hour madcap comedy episodes. To establish a musical team that will connect with the audience, Fowler tapped some of the creative force behind Broadway’s hit hip-hop, dance musical, In The Heights. Chris Jackson (“Benny”), Thomas Kail (Director), and Bill Sherman (Arranger/Orchestrator) are The Electric Company’s musical directors and bring urban beats and rhythmic tunes to the literacy objectives of the program.
The cast of The Electric Company is a group of do-gooders who keep the neighborhood safe with their literacy super-powers, and who solve problems often created by a group called “The Pranksters.” Stationed from their home-base, The Electric Diner, the team consists of four core cast members;
- “Keith Watson,” played by Ricky Smith, is a thirteen-year-old boy with the power to turn words into graphics/animation
- “Jessica Ruiz,” played by Priscilla Diaz, is a thirteen-year-old girl with total aural recall allowing her to replay and display speech as text
- “Lisa Heffenbacher,” played by Jenni Barber, is a teenager with the power to solve any word problem at super human speed
- “Hector Ruiz,” played by Josh Segarra, a 20-year-old college student (and older brother to Jessica) has the power to visually recall things he’s seen, even if only peripherally, and accurately note them with text.
Teaching letter sounds and words through a series of short films that occur within the episodes is Vocal Percussionist, Chris Sullivan, who plays “Norbert de Shock,” more commonly known as “Shock,” an Electric Company member who works in the diner and provides the beat as the Company carries out its missions.
The Electric Company platforms will focus initially on TV, outreach, and broadband, but will extend over time to include books and other print materials, portable media, hand-held and console games.
About Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization that changed television forever with the legendary Sesame Street. As the single largest informal educator of young children, local Sesame Street programs produced in countries as diverse as South Africa, Bangladesh and India are making a difference in over 120 nations. Using proprietary research to create engaging and enriching content, Sesame Workshop produces programs such as Dragon Tales and Pinky Dinky Doo. In addition, multimedia needs-driven initiatives provide families tools for addressing such issues as children’s health, military deployment and emergency preparedness. As a nonprofit, product proceeds and philanthropic donations support Sesame Workshop’s educational research and creative content for children around the world. Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org.
Contact
FerenComm
Kelli Stich-Mills
212-983-9898
kellis@ferencomm.com
Sheila Feren
212-983-9898
sheilaf@ferencomm.com
1U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). 2005. The Nations Report Card: Reading 2005. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
2Katz, Linda. 2000. Children’s Literacy Initiative. Importance of Investing in Literacy. http://www.cliontheweb.org/investing1.html
