There's been more than a little talk as of late about the planned continuation of Mary Poppins for Mary Poppins Returns, which will cast Emily Blunt in one of the chief roles that made Julie Andrews such an icon. Today, however, brought news of Andrews herself, as she is planning a new project of her own with the streaming monolith known as Netflix. The streaming service announced today that they are teaming with Andrews and The Jim Henson Company to produce an original program for children called Julie's Greenroom. Here's how the press release summarizes the show:
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 theatre and its “Greenroom.”
Ms. Julie 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.
The series looks to debt sometime in early 2017, but it already qualifies as Netflix's most promising bit of children's programming thus far. It also immediately sounds like a more loyal take on Henson's creations than the current, disastrous Muppets program, even post-course correction. And if there's anyone who seems like a natural hand at mixing it up with a bunch of lively, eager puppets, its Andrews. Count me in.
