Whoopi's Littleburg
| Whoopi's Littleburg | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Genre |
Children Preschool |
| Created by | Johnny Belt Robert Scull |
| Written by | Alan Katz |
| Directed by | Robert Scull Tim Hill |
| Starring |
Whoopi Goldberg Sean Curley Sofie Zamchick Mary Birdsong Dr. John |
| Composer(s) | Whoopi Goldberg Dr. John Guy Davis |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 3 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Johnny Belt Robert Scull |
| Producer(s) | Whoopi Goldberg |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Lil' Whoop Productions |
| Distributor | MTV Networks |
| Release | |
| Original network | Nickelodeon |
| Original release | January 18 – June 7, 2004 |
Whoopi's Littleburg is an American musical children's television series originally airing on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. It was created by Johnny Belt and Robert Scull, the latter of whom co-directed the show along with Tim Hill.Littleburg uses a blend of puppetry and live-action characters.
The series focuses on a four-year-old piglet named Spencer, who has recently moved to the town of Littleburg. Toddlers and puppets make up the majority of the population and hold the community's jobs. The only major adult characters are Spencer's mother and Mayor Whoopi Goldberg, whose behavior resembles that of a preschool teacher. The setting was modeled after a nursery school classroom. Multiple original songs are woven into each story, normally in conjunction with the episode's moral.Whoopi Goldberg, Dr. John, and Guy Davis composed the theme music.
Rosie Perez,Mary Testa, and Sandra Bernhard made guest appearances on the show.
The series lasted for one season, consisting of three specials. A pilot episode was also produced.
Whoopi's Littleburg was first announced at Nickelodeon's upfront presentation on March 24, 2003. In June, it joined the channel's 2004–05 programming slate. It was advertised as a series of specials. Episodes were aired sporadically throughout 2004, with reruns shown once weekly. During its run, VITAC representatives deemed Littleburg "educational enough" to receive free closed captioning and subtitling. In 2006, the series' soundtrack was released to Nick Jr. Radio, a webcasting station featuring songs from preschool-oriented programs.
The series received positive reviews from critics, many of which praised its music and appeal towards multiple age groups. The Hollywood Reporter's Marilyn Moss stated that Whoopi's Littleburg was "a lively and educational adventure into a friendly television space" and that the series was "likely to attract a wide audience." Writing for The New York Times, Kathryn Shattuck called the series a "saga of empowerment" and dubbed the series' songs "fanciful." Lynne Heffley of the Los Angeles Times praised the show's music, saying that it "is a standout component, woven deftly throughout." In his review for The Christian Science Monitor, M.S. Mason noted that "this amusing, sweet-natured show for tiny tots will earn kudos from parents as well. Whoopi Goldberg has a wonderful ability to make kids giggle with the aid of puppets." Jacqueline Cutler of the Hays Daily News lauded Goldberg's performance in particular and felt that "Goldberg emanates no-nonsense warmth. When she talks to the puppets, she neither camps it up or talks down, and that even approach makes the show work."
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