What it takes to bring ‘Cocomelon’ to the stage
Sure, it’s a kids’ show, but that doesn’t mean the parents can’t enjoy themselves, too.
In conceptualizing “Cocomelon: Sing-A-Long Live”—a touring original live production inspired by the children’s entertainment franchise of the same title—director Josh Blackburn made sure to include more “universal songs from the classic nursery rhyme catalog.”
The parents may not know what “Freeze Dance” or the “Rocketship Song” is—maybe they already do and they just don’t realize it—but how can they not chime in or harmonize with their kids when “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” or “Itsy Bitsy Spider” comes on?
“This is what we always say: The kids love it, the parents don’t hate it,” Blackburn, also the senior creative producer for the production company Round Room Live, told Lifestyle in a Zoom interview. “Even if they don’t watch the show, once we add those familiar songs, it automatically gets the parents engaged because they sing them to their children anyway.
A show like “Cocomelon”—with its fun and catchy music designed for early childhood education—becomes an even more effective learning tool when the family shares the experience together. And for a music-loving father like Blackburn, there’s nothing quite like watching kids discover the magic of live entertainment with their parents by their side.
“I think that’s super important when it comes to learning. Having these shared experiences in a live theater setting is really important to me. Many of these kids are seeing live entertainment for the first time ever. It’s really important to open their eyes to the world, and show them something new and how cool and interesting the world can be,” he said.
And true enough, a joyful chorus of laughter and song—from parents and children alike—filled the New Frontier Theater as the beloved “Cocomelon” characters JJ, Nina, Cody, Cece, and Ms. Appleberry took the stage at the show’s two-day Manila stop last April 26 and 27.
Presented by Wilbros Live, Round Room Live, and Moonbug Entertainment, “Cocomelon: Sing-A-Long Live” took local audiences on a musical field trip of sorts to the Melon Patch Academy, which made for an eye-catching backdrop for games, performances, and interactive activities.
Immersive but not overstimulating
The production was vibrant and immersive—but not overly so that it distracted from learning. A LED screen set the scene for the adventure, but the animations displayed were minimal, ensuring that the viewer’s focus was on the characters and storytelling. There were lightworks, but mostly for occasional flourishes—“no crazy, splashy rock and roll lights.”
Overstimulation is a genuine concern for parents, and that’s something the production team takes into consideration. “We have been very careful with that… We made sure the animations were just additive; same goes for the lighting, which gives only added texture, if you will.
“We only do what’s necessary to tell the story of the show… so that we’re focused on the characters’ movements or singing,” Blackburn said. “It’s super important that the kids can pay attention to the songs without being all over the place. We’re intentional with what we do.”
So how does he hold a young crowd’s interest without resorting to visual saturation? As one might expect, a kid’s attention and energy level can drastically fluctuate at any given minute. But if there’s one thing Blackburn has learned from producing family entertainment over the years is that pacing—alternating bursts of activity with strategic slowdowns—is key.
The show features more than 20 songs, all of which introduce lessons about colors, shapes, or numbers. A frontloaded set may leave the kids feeling spent just midway through. Give them too many downtimes, however, and you risk boredom.
“You want to focus on the flow and grab everyone’s attention—teaching them a new dance move and a new song—so that they’re immediately engaged, physically and mentally. But we can’t keep their attention at the highest level the whole time, so we make sure that the fans have time to rest a little, before they get back up again,” Blackburn said.
Another challenge in adapting a popular, almost ubiquitous animated program like “Cocomelon” (192 million subscribers and 199.8 billion views on YouTube) for a live concert is replicating the characters’ looks and personalities down to the T.
Staying true to the handbook
Kids are some of the most discerning viewers, Blackburn said—they will find jarring the slightest of deviations from the original. If something doesn’t look or sound like what they’re used to, they will know—and boy, they will let you know. “The kids won’t hold back their feelings when they feel like they’re being cheated,” he said.
As such, the Round Room Live team does painstaking research, consulting the “Cocomelon” handbook every step of the creative process. They work closely with digital animation teams, and “watch and watch lots and lots of ‘Cocomelon,’” to make sure that nothing feels amiss.
“For instance, JJ is the leader of the pack, so his movements are a bit stronger, a little bolder. Nina is a bit more nervous, so she can be shy at certain times. Those small details make a really big difference at the end of the day,” said Blackburn, who has also produced live shows for other popular kids’ titles like “Sesame Street,” “Baby Shark,” and “Peppa Pig.”
Of course, all the groundwork wouldn’t matter if the actors—who don heavy costumes onstage—don’t have the chops to convincingly embody the material. “We cast very experienced performers who can deliver. These people need to wear very large costumes and that in itself requires a very specific skillset,” he pointed out.
Indeed, the carefree and feel-good energy a kid’s program radiates often belies all the nitty-gritty and hard work behind it. Making something fun is no laughing matter. But any opportunity Blackburn gets to get the kids singing and dancing is a good day for him.
“I love children and I have been working around them for a long time. I want to help shape their love for the arts and entertainment from a very young age. And if the parents are happy with what’s being presented onstage, without their kids running around going crazy, everyone leaves the show with an enjoyable experience,” he said.
Blackburn’s daughter is still a baby—still too young for “Cocomelon,” he said. But who knows, maybe in a few years time, she will be bragging to her friends that her father is a ‘Cocomelon’ show director. “That and the fact that her dad personally knows JJ,” he said, laughing.
