CD Review “Disney Junior: DJ Shuffle”

Disney Junior: DJ Shuffle
Various Artists
Release Date: March 18, 2014
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Disney

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

When I saw that Disney Junior was released their first compilation CD, I figured that I already had all the previously released albums and don’t really need the same songs again…but boy was I wrong! “DJ Shuffle” is a really fantastic collection of classic and (most importantly) NEW songs that have never been released before on an album. I think that Disney Junior could have gotten away with just throwing previously released songs on this album and I am sure people would have bought it. If you are a fan of Disney Junior, they I cannot recommend this album to you anymore! It has literally been on loop for the last three days and I see no signs of it slowing down.

Parry Gripp gets the album started with the title track “DJ Shuffle”. My 22 month old daughter immediately started shaking her butt during this techno track. Then we go right into one of Disney Junior’s biggest new shows “Sofia the First”. There is the theme song included along with the fan favorite “Blue Ribbon Bunny”. Then there are two new songs that haven’t been released on an album yet “Friendship is the Formula” and “Hoppin’ Out With You”. These are great and very fun songs.

Next up we go to “Jake and the Never Land Pirates”. First we get the new Swashbucklin’ Version of their theme song, which is previously unreleased. I have been really digging this new slightly more heavier opening for the show. Then we have two of my favorite songs “Roll Up the Map” and “Bubbly Blue”. There is also a brand new song “Swamp Stop”, which is also unreleased. I love the characters Sharky and Bones. There music is always such a blast to listen to and contributes so much to the show.

“Doc Stuffins” is up right after that with all new songs. There is an updated extended take on “Time for Your Check Up”. The other new songs are “Ready for Action”, “Picture You” and “Stuffy the Great”. Personally I feel that “Picture You” really doesn’t fit in with the album since it a very slow and kind of a downer after “Ready for Action” but it is still a sweet song. My daughter was dancing like an ole fool until this track and then she got bored and distracted. Luckily she was quickly grabbed again by the next show’s songs.

Of course what Disney Junior album is complete without “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”. In fact now that they have ceased production on this series, I have that they still continue to support it with future DVD and music releases. What kid doesn’t go crazy to “Hot Dog!” “Choo Choo Boggie” is another great track from the show. Lastly there is an extended version of the “Minnie’s Bowtique” opening from the short series.

Now the next and last two of the album are the real draw for me on this album, the first is “Henry Hugglemonster”. There is the main title included, “I’ve Got Pizzazz”, “To Monsterschool” (stay in your head ALL DAY!), “The Hugglemonster Way” (one of Summer’s better songs) and lastly “Heromonsters Whoohoo!”. This show is so great and I hope to see Disney Junior releasing a solo album for this sometime this year…hint hint!

The last show included is also the newest, “Sheriff Callie’s Wild West”. This show features great music from singer Mandy Moore and Lucas Grabeel. The theme song kicks off the set followed by “Picture Perfect”, “Amazing Lucky Scarf” and “Ask for Help”. The one song I really was hoping for was “Horseshoe Peak”, which is not here. This show has so many great songs already and has only been on the air for a short time. So like “Henry Hugglemonster”, this show deserves a solo CD as well this year, no question!

Wrapping up the CD is four additional bonus karaoke instrumental tracks. They include “DJ Shuffle”, “Blue Ribbon Bunny”, “Jake and the Never Land Pirates (Swashbuckin’ Version)” and “Time for Your Checkup”. There is still more if you put the CD into the computer you will be able to access additional special content. Keep them coming Disney Junior!

Track Listings:
1. DJ Shuffle (Parry Gripp)
2. Sofia the First Main Title Theme (Sofia the First)
3. Blue Ribbon Bunny (Sofia the First)
4. Friendship Is the Formula (Sofia the First)
5. Hoppin’ Out With You (Sofia the First)
6. Jake and the Never Land Pirates (Swashbucklin’ Version) (Jake and the Never Land Pirates)
7. Roll Up the Map (Jake and the Never Land Pirates)
8. Bubbly Blue (Jake and the Never Land Pirates)
9. Swamp Stomp (Jake and the Never Land Pirates)
10. Time for Your Check Up (Doc McStuffins)
11. Ready for Action (Doc McStuffins)
12. Picture You (Doc McStuffins)
13. Stuffy the Great (Doc McStuffins)
14. Hot Dog! (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse)
15. Choo Choo Boogie (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse)
16. Minnie’s Bowtique (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse)
17. Henry Hugglemonster Main Title (Henry Hugglemonster)
18. I’ve Got Pizzazz (Henry Hugglemonster)
19. To Monsterschool (Henry Hugglemonster)
20. The Hugglemonster Way (Henry Hugglemonster)
21. Heromonsters Woohoo! (Henry Hugglemonster)
22. Sheriff Callie’s Wild West Theme Song (Sheriff Callie’s Wild West)
23. Picture Perfect (Sheriff Callie’s Wild West)
24. Amazing Lucky Scarf (Sheriff Callie’s Wild West)
25. Ask for Help (Sheriff Callie’s Wild West)
26. DJ Shuffle (Instrumental)
27. Blue Ribbon Bunny (Instrumental)
28. Jake and the Never Land Pirates (Swashbucklin’ Version) (Instrumental)
29. Time for Your Checkup (Instrumental)

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Filed Under: CD Reviews Tagged With: cd, disney, dj, junior, review, shuffle, ...

Lucas Grabeel chats about voicing Deputy Peck in Disney Junior’s “Sheriff Callie’s Wild West”

DISNEY JUNIOR/RICK ROWELL

Lucas Grabeel is known best for his role of Ryan Evans in the “High School Musical” series. Lucas is currently voicing the character Deputy Peck in Disney Junior’s newest series “Sheriff Callie’s Wild West”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Lucas about the new show and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: What do you enjoy most about being on a show like “Sheriff Callie’s Wild West”?
Lucas Grabeel: I have done a few voice-over guest spots here and there on other TV shows but this is my first series regular position on an animated series. I was a little nervous at first since I had never done something like this on a day-to-day basis. I had all this dialogue, singing and playing multiple characters. I was worried about it at first but I ended up working with Jessica DiCicco, who is a voice-over veteran and she taught me so much. She made me comfortable. Once we got in the studio, we were having fun and laughing. Due to that it was such a great experience and was so much fun. On the flip side, once it was all done and we started watching it, I was just blown away how quite the animation is, how clever the writing is and how everything just came together. It is not only a great show for kids; I sit down with my girlfriend as well and watch it. I am a little biased being in it but we laugh and have a good time.

DISNEY JUNIOR

MG: Where did you come up with the voice for Deputy Peck?
LG: They said in the audition that he was a Barney Fife kind of deputy. It is a country western. I am originally from Missouri. So I basically did an impersonation of my dad and I put it up a couple of octaves. This gave him that high energy frantic feel.

MG: There is tons of great music in the show, what has been your favorite song?
LG: I love getting to sing on the show. Jessica and I also get to do the prairie dog trio, which is kind of my favorite part of the whole job [laughs]. They are just so adorable and funny that I always laugh. We have been recording it for the last two years but the song always pops back into my head is [singing as Peck] “Those peppers, those peppers, those peppers can’t be beat!” I do not know why but it always comes back [laughs].

MG: Tell us about the recording sessions? Are the song recordings separate?
LG: I was always recording with Jessica. So we would come in and record a couple of episodes during each session, the prairie dog songs along with probably two or three songs as well. We would do the episode first then go through and do the music. It was tons of fun. Being with Jessica and the whole group in the booth, everyone was just so nice to calm me down and allow me to get into this comfortable place. We would just laugh and have so much fun the whole time. It is such a great job.

DISNEY JUNIOR

MG: What was your biggest challenge for this role?
LG: This is my most put-on voice that I have ever done. All of the other voices I have done were closer to my natural voice. Doing a voice with the dialogue is one thing but trying to figure out how to sing, laugh, run and yell all together is the part of voice over that I didn’t understand at first. But that is what this whole experience has taught me. It was cool to approach it like acting. You become the character and then think through and put your head into that space and see how it should come together.

MG: What can you tell us about the new single “135n8”?
LG: I just released the single “135n8” on New Year’s Day. It is currently available on iTunes. It is a loungey dance track that I have been working on for a while. The video just came out February 11th on Billboard and it is also available now on my new YouTube channel. I will also be releasing some cool behind-the-scenes videos and featurettes in the coming weeks as well. It was a really cool experience to make the video because I got together some “High School Musical” people including dancers, choreographers and crew. We just came together and I said “Let’s make something exciting and push each other”. I think we did it and I am really excited about the video and I hope that people like it also.

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Meet the New Characters from Disney XD’s “Star Wars Rebels”

In the last few weeks, we have been getting a chance to meet the new characters from Disney XD’s “Star Wars Rebels” including Chopper, the Grumpy Astromech Droid; Kanan, the Cowboy Jedi; Ezra, the Street-Smart Hero; Zeb, the Muscle; Sabine, the Explosive Artist; and Hera, the Pilot. This is really shaping up to be a really cool cast of new characters.

“Star Wars Rebels” is scheduled to premiere in fall 2014 as a one-hour special telecast on Disney Channel and will be followed by a series on Disney XD channels around the world.

Meet Chopper, Grumpy Astromech Droid

In “Star Wars,” droids are always eager to help out their human masters, drop whatever it is they’re doing when called upon, and sometimes even sacrifice themselves to save others. Right?

Not quite. Introducing Chopper, a lazy, cranky (if ultimately goodhearted) astromech droid, and the latest character revealed from the highly anticipated “Star Wars Rebels” animated series.

“If Artoo is the family dog,” said Dave Filoni, executive producer of the show, “Chopper is the cat.” Chopper is an essential crew member of the Ghost, tasked with keeping the starship running and operable for its band of heroes. In reality, thanks to his many “unique” upgrades and customizations, no other alien, human, or droid could handle the job.

The design of Chopper, a.k.a. C1-10P, takes cues from early Ralph McQuarrie concept art for R2-D2, especially the expressive arms that fold out of his head. As “Star Wars Rebels” takes place four years prior to the events of “Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope,” Chopper’s retro look creates an aesthetic continuity with droids of the original trilogy.

Meet Kanan, the Cowboy Jedi

Not every guardian of peace and justice was lost to the tragedy of Order 66. Introducing Kanan, a survivor of the Emperor’s Jedi purge and one of the main characters of Star Wars Rebels.

Kanan, voiced by Freddie Prinze, Jr., is a less traditional Force-wielder than fans are used to seeing. He carries a blaster, is a little sarcastic, and keeps his past a secret. “I like to call Kanan ‘the cowboy Jedi,’” says executive producer Dave Filoni. As shown in this video, his Jedi robes are long gone, replaced with armor and a holster, though a samurai-like ponytail hints at his Jedi Knight origins.

In Star Wars Rebels, set between Episode III and IV, Kanan has been underground for years, evading the Empire. If the Imperials become aware of his existence “he’s going to get killed,” says art director Kilian Plunkett. He still has his lightsaber, but no longer uses it for fear of revealing his true identity — and has ultimately forsaken the ways of the Jedi Order.

Star Wars Rebels will show Kanan’s journey as he rediscovers himself, just as a rebellion begins to form against the Empire. According to Filoni, “He’s a gunslinger that needs to put the gun away and pick up the sword again, and fight for noble causes and selfless causes.” But what will happen when he chooses to reignite his Jedi weapon, fighting once again for a greater purpose?

The video closes with a tease of what’s to come: an encounter with the nightmarish Inquisitor, the Empire’s Jedi hunter.

Meet Ezra, the Street-Smart Hero

In Star Wars Rebels, fans will see the rise of the Rebellion through Ezra: a 14-year-old con artist who learns to fight for a greater good. The seemingly-reluctant hero is revealed

Growing up on his own in the age of the Empire, Ezra has had to rely on his wit and cunning to get by. As voice actor Taylor Gray explains, “He’s very street-smart, he’s a pickpocket, he’s a little thief. But he’s doing it all because he needs to survive.”
Executive producer Dave Filoni adds that Ezra is not a bad kid. Although he may enjoy stealing from the Empire, his behavior has been influenced by the world around him – a world that is under Imperial control.

But his hard life has also made his world smaller. “He doesn’t really trust anyone,” says Rayne Roberts, creative executive of Star Wars Rebels. “That’s kind of his motto in life. He has that hard edge at times.” When audiences first meet Ezra, he is not yet a Rebel and is not yet interested in restoring freedom to the galaxy – but that will soon change when Ezra is introduced to his new surrogate family: the crew of the Ghost.

Greg Weisman, executive producer, says, “His eyes get opened to the fact that there are people who care, who are trying to fight the good fight. And he becomes one of them.” Still, there is more to Ezra than even he knows.

Ezra is Force-sensitive, Filoni reveals, though he is unaware that he is tapping into this mystical energy field. Ezra knows he has some strange abilities, but they’re “instinctive and reactionary.” It is only through his relationship with Kanan, a Jedi Survivor and crew member of the Ghost, that Ezra will learn the true nature of his power. Together, they will forge new paths and destinies – and a rebellion will rise.

Meet Zeb, the Muscle

Every team needs a tough guy. Introducing Zeb, the (smart) muscle of the Ghost crew from Lucasfilm’s upcoming animated series Star Wars Rebels. He is revealed for the first time in this video, featuring concept art, clay sculpts, and final renderings of the character, in addition to creator interviews.

Zeb is a well-trained honor guard and is highly educated, according to executive producer Dave Filoni, which juxtaposes his brutish, alien appearance. He’s voiced by Steve Blum, who says, “He’s got a bit of a chip on his shoulder, hates Chopper and is starting to build a relationship with Ezra, begrudgingly.”

Zeb’s favorite pastime: beating up Stormtroopers, or bucket heads, as he’s heard calling them. He’s an agile fighter, using his hands, feet, and acrobatics. But there is more to Zeb than pounding Imperials. “It’s just going to be exciting to develop him and his bizarre new species,” says Filoni, “and to explain to the audience where he came from.”

Meet Sabine, the Explosive Artist

Sabine is a key member of the Ghost crew in Star Wars Rebels. As seen in this special video, featuring early design concepts, animation tests, and final art, Sabine is unlike any Star Wars character – especially in her love for blowing things up and tagging her work with graffiti.

Dave Filoni, executive producer of the animated series, discloses that Sabine is a Mandalorian. She has a great understanding of weapons and combat like few others, and has turned against the Empire. “She is spunky, she’s feisty, she’s got a little bit of attitude,” says actress Tiya Sircar, who is voicing the character. Additionally, Sabine is an artist, which is reflected in her hair, personalized armor, and graffiti calling cards. After the Ghost crew hits the Empire, Sabine makes sure the Empire knows who did it. Concept artist Amy Beth Christenson says that the Star Wars Rebels animation team has created a library of graffiti tags for Sabine, and is constantly adding to it.

In the end, Sabine is a strong, no-nonsense heroine. As Sircar says, “I think she’s kind of an inspiration.”

Meet Hera, the Pilot

Hera is the heart of the Ghost crew from Star Wars Rebels. The Twi’lek is an ace pilot, able fighter, and is revealed to fans in this behind-the-scenes video featuring creator interviews, character sketches, and animation previews.

Hera is voiced by Vanessa Marshall, and is an especially gifted pilot. “I think she really makes flying the Ghost look easy,” says Joel Aron, CG supervisor. And while she’s strong-willed, Hera also keeps the group together, and can be warm and nurturing. “She knows how to talk to them to get the best out of themselves and to be part of that team,” Aron says. “That to me is the commander of a ship.”

Hera wears “utilitarian flight gear,” orange in color, with her Twi’lek head-tails hanging down her back. She’s not particularly glamorous, and is just focused on getting the job done. Like every member of the Ghost team, she has her reasons for rebelling against the Empire. Uncovering those reasons will be part of the Star Wars Rebels story, says executive producer Dave Filoni.

“Every time we get a script,” says Marshall, “I am breathless with anticipation. I cannot wait to read what’s next because I want to see where we’re going, too.”

Meet the Inquisitor, the New Face of Evil

The next great villain from a galaxy far, far away is here. Fans attending Lucasfilm’s Star Wars Rebels panel today at New York Comic Con got the world’s first look at the Inquisitor, a black-clad, intimidating figure who will play a prominent role in the upcoming animated series.

In a new video screened at the end of the panel, Star Wars Rebels executive producer Dave Filoni officially revealed the character, showing design sketches, a sculpted maquette, and disclosing that the Inquisitor is “tasked by Darth Vader to hunt down the remaining Jedi Knights.”

The panel, hosted by Lucasfilm’s Pablo Hidalgo, focused on the Empire and how it is central to the story of Star Wars Rebels. Hidalgo revealed that the series takes place about 14 years after the events of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, a time in which the Emperor’s rule is secure and the Empire is seeking to expand its power to Outer Rim territories. Further details about the panel can be found on www.starwars.com.

If anything was made clear at today’s panel, it’s that the Empire is back — thanks to Star Wars Rebels.

Here are some other really cool behind-the-scene look videos from “Star Wars Rebels”


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Filed Under: Misc, TV Headlines Tagged With: characters, disney, meet, rebels, star, wars, ...

Disney Legend, Floyd Norman talks about his work on “The Jungle Book”

Animator, Floyd Norman was named a Disney Legend in 2007. His first feature for Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty”. He worked under Walt’s personal supervision on story sequences for “The Jungle Book”. In 1997, Norman moved to Pixar Animation Studios where he joined the story crew for “Toy Story 2” and “Monsters, Inc.”. He continues to work for The Walt Disney Co. as a freelance consultant on various projects. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Floyd about “The Jungle Book” and working personally with Walt Disney.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us what it is like to see a film like “The Jungle Book” restored and presented on high definition Blu-ray?
Floyd Norman: It is delightful to know that people still appreciate this film. It continues to amaze us that worked on it nearly 50 years ago that it is still loved by audiences. It seems to have a life of its own and I love that.

MG: Have you seen it yet and if so how do you feel it looks having worked on it?
FN: I do not really see that much of a difference. I know that the film looks clean and pristine. The guys who did the restoration have done a terrific job, so no complaints there.

MG: You worked under Walt Disney’s personal supervision on story sequences including the song “Trust in Me”, tell us about that process?
FN: It was very simple [laughs]. In a way it was simple, yet also very complex. When I began working on this particular sequence, I was handed some rough notes from Larry Clemmons, who was credited on the film for the story. I called him our writer because he has an actual typewriter and that made him a real writer [laughs]. So he wrote me notes about the sequence and for this one it was going to be Mowgli’s meeting with Kaa the Snake. So that is pretty much all I got. We were told that Kaa was going to try and hypnotize him and then funny stuff would happen. So that is what I had to go with “funny stuff was going to happen”. I had to come up with that “funny stuff”. So like I said in one sense it was a very simple job as well as being very complex because we had to figure out what was that funny stuff and how was it going to happen. They just kind of turned you loose and let you do your job.

MG: How long did a scene like that take to complete?
FN: It is difficult to remember. I would say a few weeks, maybe three weeks to completely storyboard that sequence. That was considered normal during that time. I had no real rush because Walt Disney was either in Europe or working on other matters and wasn’t able to review it right away. So I definitely had amble time to work on it.

MG: Did you find that working directly with Walt Disney did you have any creative freedom or did you follow a set path?
FN: Oh no, I found that I had a good deal of creative freedom. Surprisingly more than I ever realized. I initially came in expecting to be told exactly want to do and that was not the case at all. I came in and they said “Here is the sequence and just go do it” [laughs]. So given very little guidance or direction, I just went off and did what I had to do. The good news was that whatever I did, they seemed to like it [laughs]. The main thing, and the most critical, was that Walt liked it. So as long as Walt likes it you are safe [laughs].

MG: Can you compare your work on “The Jungle Book” to some of your other earlier films including “Sleeping Beauty”, “The Sword in the Stone” and “Robin Hood”?
FN: It was actually totally different because on those films, I was actually working on the animation. For “Robin Hood”, I was an animator and didn’t do any storyboard work at all. It was just animation. Having said that, I feel that the story in “Robin Hood” was pretty terrible [laughs]. I can afford to say that because I didn’t story work on “Robin Hood” [laughs]. But I did have a lot to fun animating it. I worked on animation also with “The Sword in the Stone”. The cool thing about that project was that I got to work personally with Milt Kahl, who was acknowledged as being one of the finest Disney animators of all-time. Milt is a giant in the world of animation, so that was a big deal for me. I was still a kid when I worked with Milt; I was only in my 20’s. Milt was a tough guy but it was such a great experience.

MG: Unlike some animators you embraced the digital age by working at Pixar and definitely software for animation; tell how you feel animation has changed?
FN: Oh, there is no doubt that animation has changed. Once again, following in Walt’s philosophy, “You have to embrace change, not run from it”. When I saw what Pixar was doing, I thought that I had to work for these guys. So when the opportunity came for me to go to Pixar in 1997, I was ready to pack up and go. Not everybody was, mind you, Pixar was at that time not a well-known studio. They only had made one film, which was “Toy Story”. I think that you have to move forward as Walt believed “Don’t fight technology. Embrace it and learn how to use it”. That is what Pixar did and they are continuing to do that. Certainly that would have been what Walt would have done as well.

MG: Do you still do any animation for Disney today?
FN: No animation. But I have worked on Disney storybooks from time to time. As I have time I work on Disney projects. Generally, I wait for them to call me. I don’t go looking but every now and then someone will call me. I had the opportunity to work on an electronic device that they were developing. I asked one of the Vice President’s how did they get my name and they said “John Lasseter recommended you”. I do not think that you can do any better than that getting a recommendation from John Lasseter [laughs].

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: book, disney, floyd, jungle, legend, norman, ...

Disney Legend, Bill Farmer talks about voicing Goofy and new Disney Junior series “The 7D”

You may not know the name Bill Farmer but you will certainly know his voice. He has been voicing Goofy and Pluto for nearly 30 years and was named a Disney Legend in 2009. Bill also has voiced tons of other notable characters including Foghorn Leghorn, Sylvester the Cat and Yosemite Sam in the film “Space Jam”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Bill about his voice roles and what we can expect from the new Disney Junior series “The 7D”.

Mike Gencarelli: You’ve been voicing Goofy and Pluto for nearly 30 years; what is it like hold these reigns for so long?
Bill Farmer: I think for any voice actor you can consider it a great honor to get a long lasting character. It is very competitive out here. Especially to get one of the Disney characters, I think it is one of the highest honors you can get in animation. Goofy was also my favorite Disney character growing up as a kid, which only made it that much sweeter that I ended up voicing him all these years.

MG: Do you feel that voicing characters like Goofy have changed for you the years?
BF: Voicing Goofy has certain changed my LIFE for the better. I first came to California as a stand-up comic. I had no idea that I would be voicing a character like Goofy. The audition came to me and it was very out of left field. I got a tape of Pinto Colvig and practiced it over the weekend. Then I went in and laid it down at the agency and about a month later they told me that I was going to get to do a Goofy job. I didn’t know if it was going to be more than one but after 27 years they are still using me. So (in Goofy’s voice) “Gawrsh, I guess I got lucky”.

MG: You are named a “Disney Legend” five years ago; tell us about receiving this amazing achievement?
BF: This actually came out of left field also; I had no idea that I was even being considered for this. I got a letter from Bob Iger in the mail saying “Congratulations on being nominated for the 2009 Disney Legend Award”. It is the greatest honor you can get from Disney. The ceremony was the first one ever in front of the public at the 2009 D23 event in Anaheim, CA. There were over 500 people in the audience, so that was very exciting. I got to get the award alongside Tony Anselmo, the voice of Donald Duck; Betty White and Robin Williams. It was overwhelming but also very exciting. I guess if you wait around long enough good stuff happens [laughs].

MG: You announced that “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” was canceled on your Twitter page; why did the show end after seven years?
BF: The show isn’t canceled from being on the air but we have finally recorded the last episode. They will still be coming out for a while. I do not even think that they started releasing the fifth season yet. We did record a fifth season but it takes so long for them to animate it. The production has ceased but it will be quite a while before the show runs out of new episodes for TV. We have been on the air consistently since 2006 and we started recording in 2004. So there is always a long lead-in time between recording and seeing it on TV. So don’t worry more is still to come, we just are not making any more.

MG: Can you give us a sneak to what we can expect coming up?
BF: One of my favorites in the last season, we are looking for Goof Beard the Pirate, who is Goofy’s grandfather. He is voiced by Dick Van Dyke. So that is a very exciting episode. And there are plenty more to come.

MG: You are currently also voicing Goofy in “Mickey Mouse” shorts; how does that differ for you?
BF: They are really radical. They are totally going in a different character direction then some of the previous stuff that we’ve done. But they are very funny and it is refreshing as an actor to not have to do the same thing over and over. I find it a lot of fun to do and get to stretch the character to new places that he has never been before.

MG: What other characters do you voice that people may not realize?
BF: Well yes actually, in the movie “Space Jam”, I voiced Foghorn Leghorn, Sylvester the Cat and Yosemite Sam. In episodes of “Robot Chicken”, I did Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. We have a new series called “The 7D”, it is like a reinvention of the Seven Dwarfs and in that I voice Doc. With the traditional Seven Dwarfs, I voice Sleepy. Horace Horsecollar got his voice in “The Prince and the Pauper” and I have gotten to voice him ever since. So yeah, there are a lot of little voices that you may not know about that I get to do.

MG: You beat me to it but I was going to ask you about the upcoming Disney Junior show “The 7D”; can you give us a sneak preview?
BF: “The 7D” is directed by Kelly Ward, who directed all six/seven years of “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”, so I know him very well. Tom Ruegger, who did “Animaniacs”, is the producer. It is kind of a prequel in the way to “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”. So there is no Snow White. They look much different as well from what you would expect with the classic Dwarfs. They decided to reinvent them since the things that they do are in a more modern fairy tale land. So rather than have the traditional dwarfs change their characters, they started from the ground up and came up with a new incarnation of these dwarfs. They are very well written and we have an amazing cast. It is definitely the who’s who in the voice over world including Maurice LaMarche, Kevin Michael Richardson, Billy West, Scott Menville, Stephen Stanton, Dee Bradley Baker and many more. We just finished recording the first season of 20-30 episodes and it was such a blast. They are being animated as we speak and it should hit the air somewhere around June this year. So I get to voice Doc and also a new dog character named Sir Yips A-lot, which was cool since I go to do more dogs besides just Pluto.

MG: Tell us about your involvement with the documentary “I Know That Voice”?
BF: John DiMaggio put this thing together, who voices Bender on “Futurama” and many other shows like “Adventure Time”. He put this documentary together and asked me if I would be in it. So they came over to the house and filmed for about an hour. They also filmed about another 100 voice over actors. The documentary is wonderful and is really the who’s who in voice over world. So if you ever want to know anything about voice over actors, you can go on iTunes and a few other places and download this documentary since it is really worth seeing.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: 7d, bill, disney, farmer, goofy, series, ...

Product Review “Disney Infinity Figures: Rapunzel & Wreck-It Ralph”

Disney Infinity Series
Platform: Nintendo Wii, Wii U, 3DS, Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3
Disney Interactive Studios
Exclusive Release

Rapunzel: 4 out of 5 stars
Wreck-It Ralph Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Since the release of Disney Infinity late August, I have been obsessed with this game. There are so many endless possibilities and Disney has been releasing so many great characters this year. Two of the latest figures released are Rapunzel & Wreck-It Ralph. They are also from two of my favorite movies of all-time…yes all-time! My daughter seriously watching “Tangled” at least 3-5 times a week and I try and watch “Wreck-It Ralph” at least once a month. I was really excited to give these characters a go in the Toy Box mode in Disney Infinity. They do not have their own world’s like “Toy Story” and “The Lone Ranger” but you can at least transform your Toy Box into their respective themes since both “Tangled” and “Wreck-It Ralph” has Texture and Terrain Power Discs, which were available in Series 1. I would highly recommend both of these characters.

What is great about these both is that they speak to both male and female audiences. Obviously Wreck-It Ralph is no question going to be over so well with the “boys” and Rapunzel will be a must for the “girls”. My daughter in fact loves both of them equally…given she is only 18 months old but from the minute I took them out of the box she is carrying them around (even in the car) when I am not playing them in the game.  Wreck-It Ralph has a really cool special attack, in which he throws cherry bombs that when hits the ground or it’s target explodes and looks like something from an old 8-bit game. Ralph also runs and pounds the ground with his fists and he destroys everything or everyone in his path. Rapunzel is quite fun as well, she has a killer special move, which is a called Frying Pan Bash. Frying pans…who knew right? Sorry I’ve seen this movie was too many times. Plus there is nothing cooler than see Rapunzel piloting a Recognizer from “TRON” personally (another favorite of mine).

Overall, they are really well designed and look quite amazing. I love Rapunzel’s animated look and I also love her pose as well. That seen in the movie when she gets to the town and gets her hair braided is so sweet. Wreck-It Ralph has little subtleties as well that I love that he a really cool 8-bit sound when his attacks are done. Totally cool for a retro gamer like myself. There is tons of fun to have with these characters and I have a feeling that I have only just began to explore the many possibilities to enjoy with these.  I really can’t wait to see what they have planned for 2014 because this year will be very hard to top. Currently the Wreck-It Ralph and Rapunzel figures are sold exclusively at certain retail stores. Wreck-It Ralph is available only at Best Buy and Rapunzel is only available at Wal-Mart…if you can find them due to the holidays.

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Filed Under: Game Reviews, Toys Tagged With: disney, figures, infinity, product, ralph, rapunzel, ...

Book Review “Disney Frozen: Royal Sisters – A Dress-Up Book and Magnetic Play Set”

Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Series: Book and Magnetic Play Set
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Disney Press
Release Date: October 1, 2013

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

One of the coolest things of having an 18 month old kid is that I am able to play with things that I haven’t been able to since I was a kid. I grew up in the 80’s and I used to LOVE playing with Colorforms! All you 80’s babies out there know that I am talking about! When I saw this book, I had a flash back of being a kid and playing with those. On top of that, “Frozen” is no question my favorite film to date of 2013 and our family cannot get enough of this film. The characters, the colors, the music, the design…it is absolutely perfect. As is this book, which is a not only a book but also a magnetic play set and a dress-up book as well.

Inside this book you literally get transported into the wonderful the magical world from Walt Disney Animation Studio’s “Frozen”. Included inside this great handy plastic carrying case are two storybooks, two magnetic dolls, six play scenes, and over 60 magnets. The play scenes are really sharp and quite colorful. The magnets are spot and represent the film very well. There is a ton of fun to have with this set and is also a great way to get kids imaginations going. Seeing my daughter play with this set, I knew that she was having a real blast and she is still technically too young for this. I can only imagine how much she will enjoy as she gets older. Highly recommended, very reasonably priced and will make a great holiday gift this year! If your kids are fans of “Sofia the First”, there is also a great set for that show as well.

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Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: book, disney, dressup, frozen, magnetic, play, ...

2013 Disney Blu-ray Holiday Gift Guide

Are you looking for great holiday gifts, as we enter the shopping season? Well don’t worry since Media Mikes is providing you the best choices in terms of Blu-ray and DVD released by Walt Disney Home Entertainment! Be sure not to miss any of these great releases this Fall! Your friends and family will be thanking you later!

Iron Man 3 – September 24
Marvel Studios’ Iron Man 3 pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. Available on 3D Super Set, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, Digital Copy & On Demand September 24, 2013.

Bonus features include: Deconstructing The Scene – Jump into action with the stunt-team skydivers in this close-up look at creating one of the movie’s most memorable scenes; Exclusive Behind-The-Scenes Look at Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World; Marvel’s Iron Man 3 Unmasked—Join cast and crew for a crash course in epic movie-making, Marvel style; Gag Reel; Deleted & Extended Scenes and Audio Commentary with Drew Pearce & Shane Black.

The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition 3D – October 1
The timeless story of the Little Mermaid is making its Diamond Edition debut this October. The Blu-ray contains oceans full of bubbly bonus features including an All-New Music Video by Carly Rae Jepsen singing “Part Of Your World,” featurettes including @ Disney Animation which speaks with current Disney animators who were inspired by the film, a Deleted Character, The Real Little Mermaid: Live Action Reference Model, Part of Her World: Jodi Benson’s Voyage To New Fantasyland, Howard’s Lecture, Crab-e-okee along to your favorite songs and all the classic DVD bonus features. Availbale on 3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + Music Download) for $49.99 SRP and 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack with Digital Copy (Blu-ray + DVD/ Digital Copy) for $44.99 SRP.

Monsters University – October 29
This Fall, Disney Pixar celebrates homecoming with the release of “Monsters University” on Digital HD and Digital HD 3D on October 8, 2013, followed by the 4-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, 3-Disc Collector’s Edition Blu-ray Combo Pack, 3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and On-Demand on October 29, 2013. Lots of bonus features, go behind the scenes on Pixar’s real life campus with multiple featurettes, view “Deleted Scenes” and featured is the animated short “The Blue Umbrella”.

Mickey’s Christmas Carol 30th Anniversary – November 5
Ring in the holidays with a new 30th Anniversary Special Edition of Mickey’s Christmas Carol. Disney’s timeless tale sparkles like never before on Blu-ray and Digital Copy, with fully-restored classic holiday shorts, plus all-new bonus features!

Make the season merry as Mickey, Goofy, Donald and all their pals star in a heartwarming retelling of Dickens’ unforgettable holiday tale. Ebenezer Scrooge (Scrooge McDuck) is far too greedy to understand that Christmas is a time for kindness and generosity. But with the guidance of some wise ghosts (Goofy and Jiminy Cricket) and a bunch of newfound friends, Scrooge learns to embrace the spirit of the season. Share this wonderful holiday treat with the whole family! Bonus features include: Mickey’s Christmas Carol, Yodelberg, Pluto’s Christmas Tree, Art of Skiing, Corn Chips, & The Hockey Champ. Available on Blu-ray Combo Pack (BD+DVD+eCopy), DVD (+ eCopy), or Digitally.

Winnie The Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year – November 5
Get ready to ring in the season with a full-length adventure straight from the heart of the Hundred Acre Wood. Join Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Roo and the whole gang in Winnie The Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year – now on Blu-ray™ and Digital Copy for the very first time. Newly re-mastered in digital high definition, this sparkling holiday classic is an inspiring celebration of friendship. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but Rabbit will only discover the true spirit of the season after his pals make misguided New Year’s resolutions to change – with hilarious and heartfelt results! Featuring beloved characters, delightful songs and fun-filled bonus goodies, this special Gift of Friendship Edition is sure to become a shared family tradition for generations to come! Bonus features include Disney Intermission: press “pause” and see the characters break into song and dance. Available on Blu-ray Combo Pack (BD+DVD+eCopy), DVD (+ eCopy), or Digitally.

Planes – November 19
Disney’s heartwarming family comedy, PLANES, revved up with high-flying action and adventure, lands in homes and mass retailers nationwide on November 19th. This endearing underdog story about a crop dusting plane named Dusty with sky-high dreams touches down on Blu-ray, DVD, Digital HD and On-Demand featuring a cargo hold full of exciting bonus features. Guaranteeing hours of fun, PLANES is the perfect gift for “ladies and gentle-planes” of all ages this holiday season.

Iron Man & Hulk: Heroes United – December 3
Marvel makes history again with one of the greatest Heroic team ups in the universe. Hulk’s brute strength and Tony Stark’s high-tech intellect come together to create a powerful duo necessary to face off against one of the most dangerous enemies.

When “Zzzax,” a seemingly invincible, energy devouring monster threatens to destroy the planet, these two Avengers are mankind’s only hope. Alone, neither can defeat the awesome power of Zzzax. As a team, they just might have a chance – if they can find a way to work together without smashing heads before time runs out! This Marvel

Mary Poppins 50th Anniversary – December 10
Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke bring this timeless classic to life for the first time on Blu-ray. Bonus highlights include: “Mary-oke” an interactive segment that allows viewers to sing-along with famous songs from the film, “Becoming Mr. Sherman,” Saving Mr. Banks’ Jason Schwarzman reveals what it was like to take on the shoes of famed Disney musician Richard Sherman and the making of the Broadway musical.

The Lone Ranger – December 17
Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer star in The Lone Ranger, from Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Director Gore Verbinski. It’s a wild ride of high velocity action, explosions and gunfights that brings the famed masked legend to life through brand-new eyes. The Lone Ranger (Hammer), the last of his kind, teams with Tonto (Depp), a dark and mysterious vigilante, to seek vengeance after justice has failed them. It’s a runaway train of epic surprises, as these two unlikely heroes must learn to work together before the ultimate showdown between good and evil explodes.

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Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: 2013, disney, guide, holiday, shopping

Win Family Four Pack of Tickets to See Disney Junior’s Choo Choo Soul LIVE in Miami, FL [ENDED]

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED AND WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL. PLEASE CHECK BACK EACH WEEK FOR NEW GIVEAWAYS!

ALL ABOARD!!! Calling all parents who have kids that love Disney Junior and the fantastic music of Choo Choo Soul. If you live in Miami, Florida and would like to attend a live show Genevieve and DC on Saturday October 26th, you came to the right place since Media Mikes are giving about a family four pack of tickets. If you would like to enter for your chance to win this great prize, please leave us a comment below or send us an email with your favorite Choo Choo Soul song. This giveaway will remain open until October 25th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to our readers in the state of FL or those looking forward to traveling. Tickets will not be mailed but will be picked of at the event. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

Choo Choo Soul will be performing LIVE at South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center as part of the Family Series on Saturday, October 26 at 11am. Tickets are $10. To purchase tickets visit www.smdcac.org or call the Box Office at 786-573-5300. The Center is located at 10950 SW 211 Street, Cutler Bay.

Featuring the musical adventures of singer/train station manager Genevieve Goings and dancing/beatboxing engineer DC, Choo Choo Soul takes kids to the jungle, the sea and magical locales while performing songs from classic Disney films including “When You Wish Upon A Star,” “Hakuna Matata,” and many more! Kids should come dressed as their favorite Disney character for the costume contest.

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Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: choo, disney, ended, family, fl, juniors, ...

Event Review “Disney on Ice: Princesses & Heroes” Amway Center – Orlando, FL

“Disney on Ice: Princesses & Heroes”
Produced by: Feld Entertainment
Amway Center
Orlando, FL
September 13, 2013

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

I have been attending Disney on Ice events ever since I could barely walk.  Now with a 15 month old daughter of my own, I have new reason to enjoy and experience these shows. Last year, I was blown away with Feld Entertainment’s presentation of Disney On Ice with “Rockin’ Ever After”, which was a blend of hip music with Disney classics, basically it was like a big dance party. Tons of fun. The latest show “Princesses & Heroes” sang a bit of a different tune. It was much more minimalist performance. Each set was quite simple and there wasn’t much in terms of a big production. Don’t get me wrong we were still singing along and having a grand ‘ole time but the “WOW” really wasn’t there for this show.

The show starts off with just Mickey and Mickey introducing each set along with Tinker Bell to sprinkle her fairy dust. We to see our favorites like Aladdin, Jasmine and the Genie from “Aladdin”, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Belle from “Beauty and the Beast”, Ariel, Ursula and Prince Eric from “The Little Mermaid”, Tiana from “The Princess and the Frog”, Sleeping Beauty and Maleficent, Cinderella and closing the night with Rapunzel from “Tangled”. Easily the best out of these in terms of production was Maleficent’s dragon, which looked great and, of course, breathed fire. My person favorite was Rapunzel, I love this movie and I am glad that they have my best for last. The others like Tiana and Snow White were very simple and didn’t really seem to catch the audiences attention.

If you are looking for a more contemporary Disney experience with the classic stories and songs, then you should enjoy this show but those looking for a fun and exciting experience, I found myself checking my email a few times throughout.  My 15 month old daughter enjoyed herself but after Tiana leading into Cinderella, she definitely started to loose interest, despite the fact that it was past her bedtime. I hope that Feld Entertainment is planning on bringing the Sofia The First and Jake & The Never Land Pirates – Disney on Ice show to Orlando soon because we will be first in line and running to the merchandise stands for sure.  Till next time, see ya real soon!

If you are interested in catching this great event while it visits the Amway Center in Orlando FL from September 13h-15th, 2013.  Click here for tickets and more details.

 

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Filed Under: Theatre Reviews Tagged With: amway, center, disney, event, fl, heroes, ...

Jeffrey Hornaday talks about directing Disney Channel’s “Teen Beach Movie”

Jeffrey Hornaday has work choreography with tons of great talent including Madonna and Michael Jackson, as well as tons of films including “Dick Tracy”, “Flashdance”, “A Chorus Line”. His latest film is  the Disney Channel film “Teen Beach Movie”, which he is toke on the role of both director and choreographer.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Jeffrey about “Teen Beach Movie” and its impact on pop culture this summer.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about how you became attached to the Disney Channel film “Teen Beach Movie”?
Jeffrey Hornaday: I had worked with Disney Channel before on a film called “Geek Charming”. It wasn’t a musical but it was a romantic comedy. It got really good ratings and I got nominated for a Director’s Guild Award. So we all came away very happy with how it went. So when this came up given Disney’s background and mine also with musicals, it was a natural fit.

MG: Tell us about your approach to making this a true summer film?
JH: When you look back at the old beach party movies from the 60’s, you think about those and get this sort of nostalgia and warmth. If you go back and look at them now, they are kind of flat [laughs]. The choreography is kids basically dancing a little at the beach. They are not full blown production numbers. We decided instead of trying to clone what those used to be, let’s do something that makes you feel like when you think about that nostalgia feeling. We sort of took the gloves off and gave ourself the right to go past what the original genre was. We really tried to tap into what it is feels like to think about those movies.

MG: Tell us about your approach to the music in the film?
JH: The music department was really great and wanted to approach it like a Broadway show. Rather than giving them a laundry list of catalog songs, we got together with the composers on number and really talked about it and work-shopped the ideas. It was really like we were putting on a Broadway show and that was really fun.

MG:  How was it taking on the role of both director and choreographer on this project?
JH: Because my background is in choreography in Los Angeles not Broadway, I learned about design choreography for camera, which is a very different world. I was lucky that I got to work with really good directors in the past. So it is kind of coming full circle and having more control it actually made the process easier to translate to someone who doesn’t have the choreography experience. I also had help with the choreography from a brilliant young guy, Christopher Scott, he was just incredible to work with. It was a great collaboration and we had this unspoken connection. He came into the project with a lot of ideas. That made it really fun and easier to share the load.

MG: What was your most challenging song to film?
JH: The physical aspect of just shooting on the beach was first a big challenge. Working with sand is not easy. It is hard enough to walk or even run on the beach yet alone dance. There is a number called “Crusin’ for a Brusin'”, which was challenging but in a fun way. There is a song from “West Side Story” called “Cool” and I had that as a prototype in my mind. You could really feel the cinematographer’s hand in the song and it was an homage to that. It was very carefully designed and quite the challenge.

MG: Let’s talk about the success of the film since it has aired on Disney Channel?
JH: It is hard to predict that type of success, especially in pop culture. I remember when I choreographed “Flashdance” at the time and we just thought we were doing this little movie but had no idea that it was going to touch a nerve on pop culture. The thing that was interesting to me was the connection of the old school American musical. You wonder about if the younger audience was going to be able to connect to this, especially since this film deals with aspects from the 60’s. But they have been really able to connect to it.

MG: Any plans to for a follow up to “Teen Beach Movie”?
JH: There has been no confirmation yet. I know that they are certainly thinking about it and their story department has it in development. It would be a no-brainer for me. So I am on-board. I am also currently writing a screenplay for Disney right now. It will have music but is also a contemporary piece. So I am hard at work right now.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: beach, channels, directing, disney, hornaday, jeffrey, ...

Win Tickets Family of Four Pack to Disney On Ice Presents Princesses & Heroes in Orlando, FL [ENDED]

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED AND WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL. PLEASE CHECK BACK EACH WEEK FOR NEW GIVEAWAYS!

Enter a world of wonder where heroes and hearts prevail.  Join Ariel as she yearns to explore the world above the waves and Prince Eric breaks Ursula’s slithering spell to reclaim his one true love. See Prince Philip defeat the evil Maleficent as she transforms herself into a fire-breathing dragon in a race against time to rescue Sleeping Beauty’sAurora. Be there to discover a whole new world with Jasmine and Aladdin. And, watch in awe as the dreams of Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, Rapunzel and Tiana all come true. High flying jumps, daring acrobatics, breathtaking skating and lovable Disney friends are just a wish away!  See Disney On Ice presents Princesses & Heroes where believing is just the beginning!

To celebrate the arrival of  Disney On Ice Presents Princesses & Heroes in Orlando. FL, Media Mikes is giving away a family of four pack to attend the show, which runs from September 13-15th at the Amway Center.  If you would like to enter for your chance to win one of these great prizes, please leave us a comment below or send us an email indicating your favorite Disney Princess or Heroes. This giveaway will remain open until August 23rd at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to all fans of Media Mikes, worldwide!! One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

September 13-15, 2013

If you would like to purchase additional tickets feel free to use our discount offer to save $4 on select performances. Click here and enter the Promo Code MOMDOI to take advantage of this great deal. The discount is valid for Sat 11am, Sat 7pm and Sun 5pm. Offer not valid on Front Row or VIP Seats. Not valid day of show.

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Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: disney, family, fl, heroes, ice, orlando, ...

Disney On Ice Presents Princesses & Heroes Comes to Orlando, FL This September!

Enter a world of wonder where heroes and hearts prevail.  Join Ariel as she yearns to explore the world above the waves and Prince Eric breaks Ursula’s slithering spell to reclaim his one true love. See Prince Philip defeat the evil Maleficent as she transforms herself into a fire-breathing dragon in a race against time to rescue Sleeping Beauty’sAurora. Be there to discover a whole new world with Jasmine and Aladdin. And, watch in awe as the dreams of Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, Rapunzel and Tiana all come true. High flying jumps, daring acrobatics, breathtaking skating and lovable Disney friends are just a wish away!  See Disney On Ice presents Princesses & Heroes where believing is just the beginning!

September 13-15, 2013

If you would like to purchase additional tickets feel free to use our discount offer to save $4 on select performances. Click here and enter the Promo Code MOMDOI to take advantage of this great deal. The discount is valid for Sat 11am, Sat 7pm and Sun 5pm. Offer not valid on Front Row or VIP Seats. Not valid day of show.

 

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Filed Under: Featured, Headlines Tagged With: disney, fl, heroes, ice, orlando, presents, ...

Kiara Muhammad talks about her role on Disney Junior’s “Doc McStuffins”

Photo Credit: DISNEY JUNIOR/TODD WAWRYCHUK

Kiara Muhammad is the voice actor, who gives live to the lovable Doc on Disney Junior’s hit series “Doc McStuffins”. The show recently completed its first season and has become a worldwide phenomenon from merchandise to phone apps. The series has already spawned a new short-form spin-off called “The Doc Files”, which starts airing on July 22nd. and recently released its first season soundtrack, “The Doc Is In”. Kiara took out some time to chat with Media Mikes about her work on the show, its new spin-off series and also what we can expect from season two this Fall.

Mike Gencarelli: How does it feel to have become such a big role model for kids?
Kiara Muhammad: It is pretty amazing. I didn’t realize that for some kids that “Doc McStuffins” is there favorite show on TV and they watch it every day. So I think it has just recently hit me that so many people like it.

MG: What do you enjoy most about voicing Doc McStuffins?
KM: I think that is it just really fun. I am able to have some freedom on the show. If there is a line that I change a little and they end up liking it better they will actually keep it that way. I think that is really cool and adds some nice freedom to the role. Also you don’t have to dress-up and wear make-up for the role. You can just go in your pajamas. So that is cool!

MG: When you record are you with the other actors?
KM: No actually, I am in the booth by myself. Chris (Nee), the creator and Maria (Estrada), the director are in the other room and they give me their direction while I am doing all of my lines.

MG: Do you get to see any animation while you are recording?
KM: Normally when I am doing a regular episode, there is not any animation. But if we were to go back and do a commercial they sometimes have the animation already done and I have to time my voice to the commercial.

MG: How does it feel to see all the show expanding from TV to the Disney Parks, stores and mobile apps?
KM:  It is pretty cool. I didn’t even know they had some of the stuff they do. I am at my grandmothers house right now and she has a Doc puzzle. I thought that was really cool.

MG: I love the songs in the show, do you enjoy singing on the show?
KM: I do love singing on this show. Michelle (Lewis) and Kay (Hanley) are really good. They wrote the songs and have done such a great job. My favorite was when we got to do a reggae song from the first season. It was a really diverse song and I loved it.

MG: Tell about about the new spin-off series “The Doc Files”?
KM: It is about Doc reviewing her day with the toys that she saw. It is really cool 2D animation. It looks different that the normal series. It is really cute.

MG: What can we expect from season two this Fall on Disney Junior?
KM: I think you just need to keep watching. Chris is just so great and has so many wonderful ideas about these toys and situations that can happen. There is going to be so many different things that you aren’t going to expect. So definitely stay tuned!

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: disney, doc, kiara, mcstuffins, muhammad, role, ...

Sabrina Carpenter talks her role of Princess Vivian on Disney Junior’s “Sofia The First”

Sabrina Carpenter is a 13 years old actress and a very talented musician. She is a Hollywood Records artist and her song “Smile” was released on “Disney Fairies” CD. She was also recently cast in the series pilot for “Girl Meets World”, the sequel to “Boy Meets World”. In Disney Junior’s “Sofia The First”, she voices and also sings for the role of Princess Vivian. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Sabrina about her role in “Sofia The First” and her passion for music.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you land the role of Princess Vivian on “Sofia The First”?
Sabrina Carpenter: There were so many great roles that were sent over to audition for including Princess Chloe, Princess Hildegard, Princess Amber and of course Sofia. Then Princess Vivian came along and for my audition, I recorded a voice over in my studio and it just clicked. So we sent it in and a couple of weeks later, I got the call. I was just really surprised and excited. I really wanted to be a part of “Sofia The First”. It is such an adorable show and I knew it was going to be a hit for young girls (and boys). I am really glad I got the chance to be apart of it.

MG: What was it about Princess Vivian that you connected with?
SC: She is so different from me, which I think is very cool. I have never played a character that is very shy. So adjusting my voices to that was very fun. She also stutters and has confidence problems, so it was a great challenge for me to create these sounds and feelings that she makes. It was really fun for me.

MG: “All You Need” is one of my favorite songs from the show; where you aware of the song when you got the role?
SC: Yes I was, it was in the script. I was very excited that she had a song. Some of the characters on the show don’t sing and I was very fortunate that she did. Once I heard the song, I knew that little girls were going to love it. Since then I hear that a lot actually. I am told constantly how much people love the song and I am really glad about that. I think it sounds great for the duet with Sofia (played by Ariel Winter) and they match very well together.

MG: Can we expect to see more Princess Vivian in the coming episodes?
SC: I think you will definitely see more Princess Vivian. Right after “The Shy Princess”, the episode “Blue Ribbon Bunny” aired and Princess Vivian was in that one also. She had some cameos with her dragon, Crackle, who is a fabulous character. she is so fun and energetic and brings a lot of what Princess Vivian doesn’t have to reality. So I think in the upcoming months you should be seeing more of Princess Vivian. There will be another new song as well from Princess Vivian, so keep an eye out for that as well.

MG: You have a beautiful singing voice; tell us about what inspires you most about music?
SC: Wow, so many things inspire me. There are so many different great songs and artists in this world. I know that I am still very young but I have always loved singing older songs. When I sing, I just poor my heart and soul into it and hope that it comes out. I am very fortunate so far that a lot of people are supporting me on YouTube.

MG: You have released music on the “Disney Fairies” & “Sofia The First” CDs; can we expect a solo album in the future?
SC: I am actually working on my EP right now as we speak. I am very excited for everybody to hear the new music that we have been working on. “Smile” on the “Disney Fairies” CD was such a great experience for me. It was my first song released through Hollywood Records. Now we are just working to make new music for everybody and I hope that they are going to love it!

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: carpenter, disney, juniors, princess, role, sabrina, ...
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