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Home , Deborah Mailman, Noni Hazlehurst

PLAY SCHOOL IS FIFTY

To mark Play School’s impressive milestone, the ABC will present a range of special content and events designed to help celebrate the occasion with three generations of Australians who have grown up with the program as an essential part of their childhood. LOOK OUT FOR Since its initial broadcast on July 18, 1966, Play School has MORE EXCITING been entertaining preschoolers, providing them with new ANNOUNCEMENTS experiences and learning opportunities through music, crafts, ABOUT PLAY stories, games and ideas. Play School aims to encourage a SCHOOL’S child to wonder, to think, to feel and to imagine. 50TH BIRTHDAY DURING 2016 The program strives to reflect a modern diverse Australian society with a range of family situations and experiences and is constantly evolving to ensure that it remains relevant to contemporary audiences, introducing new presenters, commissioning new episodes and expanding upon its digital offerings. We would love to make Play School’s 50th birthday a national celebration – please use our official hashtag #PlaySchool50 to join the conversation! Post a birthday message or share your favourite Play School memory. IN 2016, THE ABC CELEBRATES PLAY SCHOOL’S 50 YEARS ON AIR AS THE NATION’S MOST RESPECTED AND TRUSTED CHILDREN’S PROGRAM.

1966 Play School was first broadcast in Australia on July 18 1976 1983 1992 2006 The first colour episode The first range of A through-the-windows Play School is inducted into of Play School is broadcast Play School character segment shows an early the Logies Hall of Fame on 28 June. In the same year toys is licensed performance the song Bananas of The Wiggles in Pyjamas is first used in the program 1976 2006 2010 2012 2015 Play School gets brand Play School’s first spin Eddie Perfect and Miranda new opening titles off series, Little Ted’s Big Tapsell are announced Adventure airs as Play School’s newest presenters

2006 2015...

THERE ARE 1821 SONGS LISTED IN THE PLAY SCHOOL INVENTORY. THE ROCKET THE MOST FREQUENTLY CLOCK AND THE PL AY SUNG SONGS ARE: FLOWER CLOCK HUMPTY DUMPTY, ARE NOW PART TWINKLE TWINKLE, OF THE NATIONAL WHEELS ON THE BUS, MUSEUM OF IF YOU’RE HAPPY AND AUSTRALIA’S THE ORIGINAL SCHOOL YOU KNOW IT AND I’M COLLECTION LITTLE TED A LITTLE TEAPOT MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARED IN 1973 AND WAS NEVER FUN SEEN AGAIN TH ERE HAVE BEEN 6 DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE FACTS PLAY SCHOOL OPENING TITLES THE PLAY SCHOOL THEME SONG WAS COMPOSED IN 1966 EVERY YEAR, PLAY BY ROSEMARY SCHOOL UPCYCLES MILNE & RICHARD APPROXIMATELY 850 BOTTLE TOPS, CONNOLLY THE FIRST 720 CARDBOARD TUBES, 600 CARDBOARD BOXES, PLAY SCHOOL THE ABC PRESENTERS ON 330 PLASTIC BOTTLES, 290 PLASTIC TUBS, HAS MADE AIR WERE DIANNE APPROXIMATELY DORGAN AND 300 EGG CARTONS AND 420 FOOD BOXES 2250 EPISODES ALISTER SMART OF PLAY SCHOOL BEHIND THE SCENES MAKING A SERIES OF PL AY SCHOOL MAKING

Week 3: Series PRE-PRODUCTION: Week 1: brainstorm Choosing a series theme The Series Producer works with the team to Play School’s Executive Producer, Series Producer, Outliner set out a summary of the aims and objectives and an Early Childhood advisor identify a theme to model for the series. All the possibilities of the theme a series around. Themes are chosen for their relevance and are explored and a rough structure for the five ability to engage the pre-school audience. They also need to episode series is plotted out. Subthemes, books be suited to the craft, story, song and Windows segments that and stories and ideas for songs and activities are the fabric of Play School. are considered. Weeks 10 – 13: Refining the episodes Scripts are edited and an overview of the series is compiled. Props are tested, facts are checked and rewrites are made. The Director plots the draft shots for rehearsal and the design team are briefed. A rehearsal script is issued to the cast, the pianist and the Early Childhood Advisor. Weeks 5 – 9: Plotting out individual episodes The Outliner prepares a detailed suggestion for each episode and presents it to the Series Producer, Writer and Early Childhood Advisor. This includes samples of crafts or other makes for the program. Following a team discussion, a final outline of the series is sent to the Writer and the Series Producer, and the Writer then transforms the outline into a script. Weeks 16 – 17: Post Production Following the studio record, all segments of the series are compiled in a rough edit, together with completed windows films. Additional editing of the segments is completed and reviewed by the Series PRODUCTION: Week 14 –15: Producer and Executive Producer. The series is then Rehearsals and Studio Record sent off for audio mix. Finally, it is delivered to the ABC tape library where it awaits its broadcast. Music and scripts are rehearsed, scenes are blocked through with and logistics and props are checked to get an idea of how things will work for camera. Adjustments for timing and camera shots are made and scripts and props are refined. The presenters memorise their lines and the technical producer and lighting director are briefed ahead of the final studio record that will take place the following week.

TOYS OVER THE YEARS 2006 2016

PROPS OVER THE YEARS

45% of Australian parents with Since 2001, more than preschoolers own a 1 million children have play school product*. In 2015, Play School had 10 *Jigsaw Research, August 2015 experienced the magic million program views in KIDS of a live Play School Concert. iview, while free-to-download apps ‘Play School Art Maker’ and ‘Play School Play Time’ have had over 90 million sessions and 550 million screen views since their launch.

PLAY SCHOOL PRESENTERS

Don Spencer OVER THE YEARS, PLAY SCHOOL HAS FAMILIARISED VIEWERS WITH SOME OF THE COUNTRY’S TOP TALENT AND LANDING A ROLE AS A PRESENTER ON THE SHOW IS WIDELY CONSIDERED BY PERFORMERS AS ONE OF THE HARDEST GIGS TO GET!

MIRANDA TAPSELL AND EDDIE PERFECT CURRENT PRESENTERS

ABI TUCKER ALEX PAPPS ANDREW MCFARLANE EDDIE PERFECT EMMA PALMER JAY LAGA’AIA JOLENE ANDERSON

HUGH SHERIDAN JONNY PASVOLSKY JUSTINE CLARKE KAREN PANG LEAH VANDENBERG LUKE CARROLL MATT PASSMORE MICHELLE LIM DAVIDSON

MIRANDA TAPSELL RACHAEL COOPES RHYS MULDOON SIMON BURKE SOFYA GOLLAN TAKAYA HONDA TEO GERBET ZINDZI OKENYO

SOME PAST PRESENTERS

BENITA COLLINGS JAN KINSBURY JOHN HAMBLIN JOHN WATERS (1969 – 1999) (1970 – 1999) (1972, 104 EPISODES)

ANNE HADDY GEORGE SPARTELS MONICA TRAPAGA (1985 – 1999) (1998 – 2001) (1990 – 1998)

DONALD MCDONALD & TRISHA GODDARD PHILIP QUAST (1978 – 2001) (2006 – 2012)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, IMAGES AND INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES PLEASE CONTACT:

SAFIA VAN DER ZWAN Publicist, TV Marketing, ABC [email protected] or 02 8333 3846 www.abc.net.au/abcforkids/sites/playschool

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