CITIZENSHIP AND ACTIVISM TAKE CENTER STAGE IN TWO NEW KIDS' PROJECTS FROM THE JIM HENSON COMPANY

Citizen Squad and History Remix, Currently in Development, Use Comedy to Inspire Future Citizens and Civic Leaders

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., July 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jim Henson Company has announced two new projects in development to focus on citizenship and activism. Citizen Squad, a witty live-action musical special, explores how kids accept the call to action of citizenship to solve real-world problems through a twisty, nonsensical adventure that yields loads of humor. The unscripted live-action series History Remix starring a mischief-making puppet host, celebrates figures who have had an impact on the world we live in as seen from the often-hilarious kid point of view.

"Citizenship and civics teach kids to care about themselves, one another, the environment, and their community. With Citizen Squad and History Remix, these big topics will be approached comedically from a kid's point of view, inspiring the audience at home to see themselves as having the power to meaningfully impact the world," said Halle Stanford, President of Television for The Jim Henson Company. "We have partnered with such passionate and talented creators and producers to develop these shows now, when kids are needing to see that they are the everyday heroes and the lifeblood of our democracy. They are the change agents in our communities and the world."

From Rana DiOrio, award-winning children's media entrepreneur and author of the What Does It Mean To Be . . .?^® picture book series, and Jeannine Harvey, award-winning digital media producer and activist, along with Kellen Hertz (Tenney/American Girl; How to Become…/Netflix) attached to write, comes Citizen Squad, a musical special starring Mari, an idealistic young girl – and all new puppet character – who wants to change the world for the better, but her ideas are comically impractical. When her favorite teacher inspires her to search for ways she can be a good citizen in her own community, Mari learns what it means to have agency, and discovers that global citizenship comes from collective individual actions and efforts that can lead to big changes.

It's not history, it's "kidstory" in History Remix, a live action unscripted kids' series full of non-stop laughs and learning from Emmy-winning creator Stephanie Burns (Weird But True!/Disney+; DIY Sci/FOX) of Steve Rotfeld Productions. Real kids tell their hilarious tales of quirky, contemporary figures who changed the world as celebrities act out the stories verbatim in DIY-inspired costumes, all while lip syncing the kids' exact words.

The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 60 years and is recognized as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics, and digital animation. The Company is currently in production on Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio for Netflix and the feature film The Portable Door. Henson's most recent television credits include Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, Harriet the Spy and Fraggle Rock: Rock On!, all for Apple TV+, Word Party Presents: Math! for Netflix, Duff's Happy Fun Bake Time for discovery+, Earth to Ned for Disney+, and the Emmy^®-winning Netflix Original series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Other TV productions include Word Party (Netflix), Dinosaur Train (PBS), Splash and Bubbles (PBS), Sid the Science Kid (PBS), and Julie's Greenroom (Netflix), as well as Fraggle Rock, The Storyteller, and the sci-fi series Farscape. Feature film credits include The Star (Sony Pictures Animation), Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (Disney), and the groundbreaking fantasy classics The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth.

With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with soundstage and post-production facilities. The Company is home to Jim Henson's Creature Shop^™, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television, theme park and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry's top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state-of-the-art and vintage equipment. The Company's Henson Alternative credits include The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell (Netflix), the feature film The Happytime Murders, and the popular live puppet improvisational show Puppet-Up! – Uncensored.

SOURCE The Jim Henson Company