Philadelphia, PA, June 25, 2012 - 24-hour preschool television
channel Sprout announced today that Mario Lopez (Extra, Dancing
with the Stars) will join the cast of its newest original series,
The Chica Show, as the voice of Stitches. Premiering
exclusively on Sprout later this year, The Chica Show is a mix of
live action and animation, starring Chica the Chicken, the popular
host from Sprout's hit The Sunny Side Up Show. Viewers can
also tune-in to The Sunny Side Up Show on Friday, June 29 at 9:00
a.m. ET when Mario will be joining his future co-star for a
guest appearance.
Designed with Lopez's personality in mind, Stitches is a lovable
rag doll who springs to life via animation as a warm, vibrant and
fun-loving boy. Stitches is a loyal friend to Chica and the
other characters on the show, as they take viewers on imaginative
adventures that promote social-emotional development in
preschoolers through creative play.
"I'm so excited to be on The Chica Show!," said Mario
Lopez. "Sprout is my daughter Gia's favorite network and she
absolutely loves The Sunny Side Up Show. We're big fans of
their programming and I hope to be working with Sprout for years to
come."
"It's been wonderful working with Mario to bring Stitches to
life," said Andrew Beecham, senior vice president of programming at
Sprout. "Sprout's programming is designed for parents and
their preschoolers to enjoy together and we know that viewers of
all ages will love the eclectic mix of funny, charismatic, charming
characters in this new original series."
The Chica Show is a mix of live action and animation that
follows the Chica the Chicken and her cast of friends as they
explore all the whimsical, humorous costumes and accessories in the
Costume Coop - a playful shop filled with every costume imaginable
- where Chica helps her parents. When it closes, she and her
friends magically transform into animated characters and set off on
adventures that offer teachable moments for preschoolers - whether
it's embarking on a voyage with Vikings to discover why manners are
important, or jetting off to a rock star concert to discover why
practice makes perfect. Each episode takes viewers on a
journey into Chica's imagination where problems are solved,
questions are answered and faraway lands are explored.
Chica first became a superstar on The Sunny Side Up Show,
Sprout's live morning program, and has quickly become one of
preschool television's most beloved characters. As host of
the show, Chica receives thousands of interactions from fans every
month in the form of emails, photos, birthday cards and weather
reports.
For additional information on Sprout programs or schedules, or
to play games, download free coloring pages or find great
activities for kids, visit SproutOnline.com. To find out
where Sprout is available in your area, call 1.8.SPROUT.411 or go
to SproutPlease.com.
About Sprout®
Available in over 50 million homes, Sprout is the first 24-hour
preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for
children ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers. The
24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along
with the website (SproutOnline.com), is the only channel that
follows the day of a preschooler from breakfast to bedtime with its
distinctive, interactive programming and original hosted
blocks. Sprout's VOD offering is the #1 on demand service for
younger children with over one billion views.
Sprout is a partnership among NBCUniversal, PBS, Sesame Workshop
and Apax Funds. Its program lineup of gold-standard,
curriculum-based preschool shows includes: Sesame Street®,
Bob the Builder™, Barney & Friends™, The Wiggles®, Caillou®,
Pajanimals™, Thomas & Friends™, LazyTown™, and more.
www.SproutOnline.com
www.facebook.com/Sprout
www.twitter.com/SproutTV
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Press Contact:
Jenni Glenn
Sprout
215-286-2703
jenni_glenn@sproutonline.com