Johnny and the Sprites facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Johnny and the Sprites |
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| Created by | John Tartaglia |
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| Opening theme | "Johnny and the Sprites Theme Song" |
| Country of origin | United States |
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| Executive producer(s) | John Tartaglia |
| Production location(s) | Kaufman Astoria Studios |
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| Original network | Playhouse Disney |
| Original release | October 9, 2005 – April 19, 2008 |
Johnny and the Sprites is a fun American musical TV show made for kids. It used to air on the "Playhouse Disney" part of the Disney Channel. The show was created by and starred John Tartaglia, who is also famous for his work on the Broadway show Avenue Q.
The main song for the show was written by Stephen Schwartz. Each episode features catchy musical numbers. Many of these songs were written by famous Broadway composers like Gary Adler and Bobby Lopez. The amazing Sprites and other creatures in Johnny's world were designed by Michael Schupbach.
The show first started on October 9, 2005, with five short episodes, each only 5 minutes long. People loved these shorts so much that the show was made into longer, half-hour episodes in 2007. The second season of these longer episodes started on January 19, 2008.
Contents
Story of the Show
The show follows a character named Johnny T (played by John Tartaglia). He is a songwriter who moves into a house his great-uncle gave him. There, he finds tiny, magical creatures called "sprites"! These sprites introduce Johnny to their amazing fantasy world.
In return, Johnny teaches the sprites about being human. He helps them learn important lessons through songs, dancing, and fun activities. The main sprites are:
- Ginger (played by Leslie Carrara-Rudolph)
- Basil (played by Tim Lagasse)
- Lily (played by Carmen Osbahr)
- Root (played by Heather Asch)
In 2007, a live version of the show was performed at Disney's Hollywood Studios as part of the Playhouse Disney in Concert series. The show also reran on the Disney Junior channel from 2012 to 2013.
Meet the Characters
Here are some of the main characters you'll meet in Johnny and the Sprites:
- Johnny - He's a young composer who moves into his great-uncle's old house. He loves making music and is the star of the show.
- Gwen - Johnny's neighbor and friend. She's always trying new things and often has a different job each time she visits. She says, "You never know what you can do, until you try something new."
- Ginger - A pink and purple Air Sprite. She's very energetic and loves sports.
- Basil - A green and yellow Earth Sprite who wears glasses. He's super smart and knows a lot about Sprite history and gardening.
- Lily - A purple and blue Water Sprite. She can speak Spanish and loves nature and painting.
- Root - The youngest and shyest of the Sprites. Root is a tiny yellow and orange Earth Sprite who can make plants grow just by talking to them!
- Sage - The oldest and wisest Sprite. When the younger Sprites need advice, they often go to Sage.
- Seymour - Not a Sprite, but a purple, talking mole called a Schmole. He lives under Johnny's backyard and loves to eat!
- Fuzzies (creatures) - Small, colorful creatures who live with the Sprites. They enjoy hanging out with Johnny and often help the Sprites with tasks.
Adventures in Each Episode
The show started with short 5-minute episodes and then grew into longer, 25-minute adventures. Each episode teaches a lesson through songs and stories.
Short Episodes (2005)
The first five short episodes introduced Johnny and the Sprites:
- Who's on First? - Ginger and Basil both want to play with Johnny. He teaches them about taking turns.
- Laugh, Basil, Laugh - When Basil gets sick, Johnny and Ginger try to make him laugh to feel better.
- Leave a Little Lettuce - Seymour the Schmole takes all the lettuce. Ginger shows everyone how important sharing is.
- Yes You Can! - Basil feels down after losing a flying contest. Johnny helps him remember all the amazing things he can do.
- Waiting for the Stars - Ginger and Basil are too excited to wait to see the stars. Johnny teaches them that wonderful things are worth waiting for.
Full-Length Episodes (2007-2008)
The full-length episodes were longer and had more detailed sets, like the Sprites' home in Grotto's Grove. They often had two mini-episodes in one. Johnny's sister Tina (played by Sutton Foster) and Gwen, Johnny's neighbor, also appeared more often.
In these episodes, Johnny and the Sprites learn about many different things:
- Friendship and Teamwork: They learn to work together, like when they help an endangered creature or when Basil joins a band.
- Feelings and Challenges: They explore emotions like feeling self-conscious, dealing with sickness, or being scared.
- Everyday Lessons: They learn about sharing, listening, keeping promises, and taking care of others.
- Magical Mishaps: Sometimes spells go wrong, like when Gwen turns into a bunny or Johnny becomes a Mud Troll!
- Discovering New Things: They meet new characters, explore different places, and learn about the world around them.
Each episode features new songs that help explain the lessons and make the stories even more fun!
Images for kids
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A robot friend.
