Nick Jr. Takes Preschoolers on a Musical Adventure Through Outer Space on a New Special Episode of The Backyardigans Featuring Alicia Keys

Nick Jr. Takes Preschoolers on a Musical Adventure Through Outer Space on a New Special Episode of The Backyardigans Featuring Alicia Keys

Grammy Award-Winning Recording Artist Guest Voices and Sings on 'Mission to Mars,' Premiering Columbus Day, Monday, October 9 on Nick Jr.

'Mission to Mars' to Roll Out on Multiple Platforms Including Wireless Carriers, Broadband Video Play on Nick Jr. Video, and to Be Released on DVD and Home Video Tuesday, October 10

*(DVD's and artwork available upon request)

NEW YORK, Sept. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Everything is 'boinga' when nine-time Grammy award-winning recording artist Alicia Keys joins Nick Jr.'s five backyard pals on an epic musical adventure through outer space. Keys guest stars as the animated Mommy Martian along with her niece, Shakyra Lipscomb, who plays baby Martian Boinga, in a new special episode of The Backyardigans entitled, "Mission to Mars," premiering Columbus Day, Monday, October 9 at 10:30 a.m. (ET/PT). In addition to voicing the bright green extraterrestrial, Keys sings an original song entitled, "Almost Everything is Boinga Here."

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060919/NYTU023 )

The second season of The Backyardigans will kick off with a special week of premiere episodes from Monday, October 16 through Thursday, October 19 (10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., ET/PT) on Nick Jr. The top-rated, half-hour CGI- animated series regularly airs at 10:30 a.m. (ET/PT) weekdays on Nick Jr.

Nick Jr. will roll out content from "Mission to Mars" across the following Nickelodeon Preschool platforms:

* Beginning Monday, October 2, Nick Jr. Video, Nick Jr.'s broadband video
service available on Nickjr.com, will begin streaming clips and music
videos from "Mission to Mars."

* Beginning October 2, clips and music videos from "Mission to Mars" will
be available on wireless carriers.

* On Tuesday, October 10, Nickelodeon Home Entertainment and Paramount
Home Entertainment will release a DVD and VHS entitled, "Mission to
Mars" which will feature the title episode in addition to three other
The Backyardigans adventures. The DVD will also include two dance-along
music videos, and a free The Backyardigans "Super Space Facts" poster.
In addition, the recently released CD, The Backyardigans "Groove to the
Music," also includes music from the "Mission to Mars" episode.

Additionally, on September 29, Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn(R) in Orlando will provide its guests with a 'sneak peek' of the full episode of "Mission to Mars," as part of the hotel's Nick Jr. Month celebration.

In "Mission to Mars," Tyrone and Tasha are Mission Control specialists who send their brave astronauts Uniqua, Pablo and Austin on a mission to find life on Mars after hearing a strange sound -- "boinga, boinga!" -- coming from outer space. A Kenyan High Life soundtrack moves the gang along as they blast off into space. Upon arrival, they hop on board their Mars Rover, an unusual contraption made of part-car, part-robot and part-dog to explore the red planet and find out what's making that "boinga!" sound. The astronauts soon discover an underground Martian city and meet an adorable little Martian named Boinga and her mommy (ALICIA KEYS) who explains through song that "Almost Everything is Boinga Here" on Mars.

"After speaking with kids who said they loved The Backyardigans, I knew this would be a great project for me to get involved in," said Alicia Keys. "Working alongside my niece was so much fun and the people at Nick Jr. helped to make it a great experience. I can't wait to see it all put together to make one great episode."

"In this episode, the Backyardigans experience the wonders of space travel -- mission control, space suits with built-in walkie-talkies, weightlessness and the amazing topography of Mars, 'the red planet.' The show's creators researched the smallest details of actual NASA flights to create a very special atmosphere," said Brown Johnson, Executive Creative Director, Nickelodeon Preschool Television. "As counterpoint, the Backyardigans sing and dance to 'African Highlife' music, with its gentle, funky beat. We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with the very talented Alicia Keys."

Nick Jr.'s award-winning website (http://www.nickjr.com/) will feature an interactive game and activities to complement the premiere of The Backyardigans special episode "Mission to Mars." Beginning September 15, Nick Jr.com will feature a "Mission to Mars" game where kids can embark on their own outer space mission to help The Backyardigans find the missing broken pieces to their space ship. Additionally, beginning September 15, Nick Jr. Parents TV will stream an on-camera interview with Alicia Keys. NickJr.com will also feature space-themed printables, crafts, E-cards and more.

In every episode of The Backyardigans, five high-spirited neighbors meet in their adjoining backyards and use their imaginations to transform themselves into different locations for epic adventures. The Backyardigans are: Pablo, an energetic, enthusiastic and excitable penguin; Pablo's best friend Tyrone, an easy-going, confident young moose; Uniqua, a one-of-a-kind character with an adventurous nature; Tasha, a deceptively sweet and girlish hippo; and Austin, a resourceful and shy kangaroo.

Each half-hour episode of The Backyardigans features a unique music/dance genre with four original songs, along with real choreographed movements recreated in animation. The animated dance steps are choreographed by Beth Bogush, a former director of the Alvin Ailey Dance School's children's program and performed by real dancers whose movements are then recreated in animation. The show's rich animation style features lush, fantasy backgrounds created with CGI and 3D techniques.

The Backyardigans was created by Janice Burgess, who joined Nick Jr. in 1995 as a production executive for the award-winning series Blue's Clues and Little Bill. Burgess also serves as Executive Producer. Robert Scull is Executive Producer, and Jonny Belt is Co-Executive Producer and Supervising Creative Director. Scull and Belt also teamed up for Little Bill and Whoopi's Littleburg, both on Nick Jr. The Backyardigans original music is composed by accomplished musician Evan Lurie, one of the original members of the eclectic New York group "The Lounge Lizards."

The Backyardigans is a co-production with Nick Jr. and Corus Entertainment's Nelvana. Nelvana Limited is one of the world's leading international producers and distributors of children's programming and products. Nelvana is owned by Corus Entertainment, a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in both specialty TV and Radio. The company's other interests include music, television broadcasting and advertising services. A publicly traded company, Corus is listed in the Toronto (CJR.B) and New York (CJR) Exchanges. Corus' website can be found at http://www.corusentertainment.com/

Nick Jr. is a specially designed programming block airing on Nickelodeon weekdays from 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (ET/PT). Completely dedicated to preschoolers ages 2-5, Nick Jr.'s Emmy, Peabody and Parents' Choice Award-winning programs are curriculum based, fun and commercial free. At Nick Jr., kids play to learn with innovative, original shows created just for them.

Nickelodeon, in its 27th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 90 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for more than eleven consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B).

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060919/NYTU023
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN4
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Nick Jr.

CONTACT: Sharyn Traub, +1-212-846-6381, Sharyn.traub@nick.com, or
Heather Brown, +1-212-846-6240, Heather.brown@nick.com

Web site: http://www.nickjr.com/
http://www.corusentertainment.com/

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