HI-ENERGY FAMILY FUN HI-5 CAST MEMBERS TALK ABOUT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE POP ICONS AND ROLE MODELS.Byline: SANDRA BARRERA >LA.COM (1) (Computer Output Microfilm) Creating microfilm or microfiche from the computer. A COM machine receives print-image output from the computer either online or via tape or disk and creates a film image of each page. When the gang from TV's "Hi-5" was seen waving to fans from atop a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade three years ago, mass hysteria mass hysteria n. 1. Spontaneous, en masse development of identical physical or emotional symptoms among a group of individuals, as in a classroom of schoolchildren. 2. ensued. And that was just in the family of children's programming researcher Will Anderson. His daughter was 7 at the time. "I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. if it was retro in the eyes of second- and third-graders, but 'Hi-5' fever hit her school and so she started watching it in the morning. And since I'm the one that gets her to school, I started watching it, too," says Anderson, an assistant professor in the School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts at Central Michigan University Central Michigan University, at Mount Pleasant, Mich.; coeducational; est. 1892 as a normal school, became Central State Teachers College in 1927, achieved university status in 1959. The university maintains a forest that is used for botanical and biological research. . "But when they made a public appearance in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, that really threw it over the top." As further testament to its growing status as a pop-culture icon, "Hi-5" -- the hugely popular U.S. version of the Australian kids' variety show that unseated the Wiggles wiggles - [scientific computation] In solving partial differential equations by finite difference and similar methods, wiggles are sawtooth (up-down-up-down) oscillations at the shortest wavelength representable on the grid. from their throne -- has carved a niche for itself as a live concert experience. "Hi-5 Live!" rolls through Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. this weekend, with two performances today at the Grove of Anaheim and one Sunday at UCLA's Royce Hall Royce Hall is a building on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Designed by the Los Angeles firm of Allison & Allison (James Edward Allison, 1870-1955, and his brother David Clark Allison, 1881-1962) in the Italian Romanesque Revival style and completed . We asked original cast members Kimee Balmilero, 27, and Curtis Cagen, 30, about their hit series, now in its fifth year on Discovery Kids and The Learning Channel. When you started acting, did you ever think you'd be doing a kids' show? Balmilero: I don't think any of us ever expected to do a kids' show. But we've been doing it for five years now and it's been amazing. How so? Balmilero: It's just a big party. We sing really fun songs that the kids sing over and over again, and all of a sudden they've learned a new word, or they've learned how to count. It's a really cool way of approaching learning and all that good stuff. Cagen: And because of the mixed cast, it gives kids a great opportunity to become friends with somebody that might not look like them. What were you doing before "Hi-5" came along? Balmilero: I was in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of doing "Mamma Mia." Cagen: I was living in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. and starting to wonder, "Do I want to keep acting?" I had just gotten my real estate license. And on my first day, the phone call came through for the audition. I wasn't having much fun in real estate so I had a reason to really work hard on that audition. And it worked out. Three weeks later we were in Australia. What was that like? Balmilero: When we got to Australia? That's when we realized how much potential this show had because the Australian cast now has been doing it for 10 years. They're the No. 1 kids' show there. They're bigger than the Wiggles. I remember when they took us to this huge merchandise room and it was literally packed with "Hi-5" dolls, "Hi-5" tents, "Hi-5" sheets. And we were in there having just booked this job, and we were like, "Oh my goodness," you know? And now still to see our faces on shirts, or to see our dolls, or to see us on DVDs or backpacks or something, it's so surreal. What do you think the producers liked about you? Cagen: I think with this job in particular they were looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. a real person, not a character, mainly because kids see through a facade. Sounds like kids are a tough crowd. Balmilero: Yes, and because they can tell when you're not being honest, it was very important for the producers to find five people that could connect with kids. We're not just five actors who come on stage to sing and dance and then leave. We love to stay and meet our fans. We love to be role models. Have you always been a natural with kids? Cagen: Funny enough, I never had much experience with kids before this. I have a younger brother Wiki is aware of the following uses of "'Younger Brother":
And unlike the Wiggles, you all look so young. Cagen: I think that was a deliberate choice by the producers. The Wiggles have been very successful, but I think our producers wanted to separate "Hi-5" from the Wiggles by getting a mixed cast, both racially and gender-wise, and also to go for that older brother, older sister character on the program as opposed to the friendly uncle. Are you ever approached on the street by fans? Cagen: Every now and then when I'm walking down the street, two moms with strollers will be like, "Curtis, we love you!" It's great. The fans do love you. Cagen: They do. And you know in some of the other celebrity worship that goes on, I think people adore certain celebrities for all the wrong reasons. But this is a very honest, straightforward and truthful job. And so I feel very comfortable in saying hello and accepting their love because it's reciprocated. So, it's safe to assume that you're still enjoying it after five years? Cagen: I am. It's really been a cool experience to see so many families and to see what that means because I don't have kids. I just got married a month ago. So, it's been very eye- opening. You think you'll have kids of your own one day? Balmilero: Yes, but not just yet. I'm having too much fun with my little brothers and sisters all over the country. Sandra Barrera (818) 713-3728, sandra.barrera@dailynews.com The wheels on these tour buses go 'round and 'round all summer long ... and into the fall >LITTLE EINSTEINS Little Einsteins is an animated television series on Playhouse Disney created by a team headed by Eric Weiner of Dora the Explorer fame, Emmy Award winning Director Olexa Hewryk, and produced by Curious Pictures, The Baby Einstein Company and Disney Channel. The Los Angeles City Ballet teams up with Disney's puzzle-solving gang to celebrate the release of the Little Einsteins' latest DVD DVD: see digital versatile disc. DVD in full digital video disc or digital versatile disc Type of optical disc. The DVD represents the second generation of compact-disc (CD) technology. at the Walt Disney Concert Hall This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. Please help Wikipedia by adding references. See the for details. This article has been tagged since September 2007. , from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday. BP Hall, 141 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Free and open to the public. >THE DIRTY SOCK FUNTIME BAND Considered by some to be the Rolling Stones Rolling Stones, English rock music group that rose to prominence in the mid-1960s and continues to exert great influence. Members have included singer Mick Jagger (Michael Phillip Jagger), 1943–; guitarists Brian Jones of the preschool set, the Dirty Sock Funtime Band rocks preschoolers at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts The Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (or CCPA) is a 154,000 square-foot entertainment and music venue located in the Cerritos Towne Center of Cerritos, California. on Sept. 16. $12.50 to $20. (800) 300-4345 or www.cerritoscenter.com. >PLAYHOUSE DISNEY LIVE! ON TOUR Sing and play with Little Einsteins and your other favorite Playhouse Disney pals at the Kodak Theatre, from Sept.21 to 23, and at the Fred Kavli Theatre at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza is a performing arts and administrative center located in Thousand Oaks, California. It was built in 1994 on the former site of "Jungleland" at a cost of $63.8 million. , from Sept. 28 to 30. (213) 480-3232 or www.ticketmaster.com. >HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL Dubbed "The Ice Tour," the live show that celebrates the music of the original Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel movie and its sequel features a mix of songs, dance and lots of team spirit. Coming to the Staples Center on Oct. 4 and 5; the Long Beach Arena, Oct. 6 and 7; L.A. Sports Arena, Oct. 9. (213) 480-3232 or www.ticketmaster.com. >S.B. HI-5 LIVE >When & Where: 1 and 5 p.m. today at the Grove of Anaheim, 2200 E. Katella Ave.; 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Royce Hall, UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX , Westwood. >Tickets: $25 to $45 at the Grove, $23 to $36 at Royce Hall through Ticketmaster, (213) 480-3232 or www.ticketmaste.com. Or, for the Grove box office, call (714) 712-2700. CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- cover -- color) GIVE THEM A HAND STARS OF KIDS' TV SHOW HI-5 HIT L.A. (2 -- color) no caption (Hi-5) Box: The wheels on these tour buses go 'round and 'round all summer long ... and into the fall (see text) |
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