``Blue's Clues'' Welcomes Joe to the Stage; Nickelodeon and Clear Channel Entertainment Re-Team For Smash Tour of ``Blues Clues Live! - Blue's Birthday Party''

Business Wire, Nov 14, 2002

Entertainment Editors

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 14, 2002

Nickelodeon and Clear Channel Family Entertainment have re-teamed to bring the theatrical production of "Blue's Clues Live" to the stage featuring the new host Joe from Nickelodeon's critically acclaimed and award winning preschool television show "Blue's Clues." "Blue's Clues Live! - Blue's Birthday Party," the biggest birthday party ever, is scheduled to perform in approximately 50 markets across the United States. The national tour officially kicks off February 7, 2003 at the Patriot Theater in Trenton, N.J.

Featuring familiar songs, a fun storyline and all the characters children love, "Blue's Birthday Party" celebrates Blue's birthday with her friends, best-buddy Magenta, next-door-neighbor Periwinkle, Tickety Tock, Slippery Soap, Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper and, of course, Joe (played for the first time by Meyer deLeeuw), as they search for clues to discover what Blue wants for her birthday.

"'Blue's Clues' is one of the most popular preschool shows on television and it continues to grow its audience on Nick Jr. and on CBS on Saturday mornings," said Stuart Rosenstein, vice president of Nickelodeon Theatricals. "Viewers have responded so favorably to the introduction of Joe on air that we jumped at the opportunity to add him to this live stage production. Now fans of the show get to play `Blues Clues' `live' in their own hometowns."

The live theatrical presentation transforms the television show by challenging kids' imaginations and senses while celebrating the wonder of learning. "Blue's Birthday Party" invites kids to be entertained while enjoying an unprecedented level of audience interaction. Each child attending the show receives a free handy dandy notebook and crayon to follow along as Joe finds Blue's clues.

"'Blue's Clues Live!' is a family touring franchise," said Joanna Hagan, senior vice president, Clear Channel Theatrical Production - Family Entertainment. "With the addition of Joe to the cast, families will get to see their favorite new character live on stage for the first time."

"Blue's Birthday Party" is a collaboration with co-author Angela C. Santomero and co-author and director Gip Hoppe, who first worked together on "Blue's Clues Live!" Santomero also serves as the co-creator, co-executive producer and head writer of the television show. Hoppe wrote and directed the Broadway play Jackie: An American Life. He is a founding member and co-artistic director of the Wellfleet Harbor Actor's Theatre.

"Blue's Birthday Party" features set designs by David Gallo, recently represented on Broadway by "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown," "Lion In Winter," "Little Me" and "Thoroughly Modern Millie." He also was production designer for "Jackie: An American Life." Costume Designer Gregg Barnes' Broadway credits include: "Flower Drum Song," "Side Show," "Rugrats - A Live Adventure," "Radio City Music Hall Christmas Show" and Madison Square Garden's "The Wizard of Oz." Traci Paige Johnson, the TV Series' co-creator, co-executive producer serves as the visual consultant for the tour. Yvette Helin, whose credits include significant contributions to "The Lion King" on Broadway, "The Wizard of Oz" National Tour and "Toy Story on Ice," is the puppet designer. Mike Rubin and Nick Balaban of Murmur Music, composers of the "Blue's Clues" television series' music, collaborate on the original score of "Blue's Clues Live!"

Ford Division returns as the title sponsor of "Blue's Birthday Party." Ford and Nickelodeon will use the tour to promote the Clue in to Safety national children's safety campaign and the campaign's official Web site www.clueintosafety.com.

The focus of the campaign centers around Safety Blue and Safety Joe educating children on the importance of safety belts and being properly restrained in the back seat. Children also learn about safe behavior outside the vehicle in other every day places. Parents can find important information on a wide range of topics to help keep their family safe.

In selected cities across the country, Nickelodeon and Ford will present "Ford & Blue's Clue-Into-Safety Auditions" where one child will get an opportunity to perform on stage with Blue, Joe and the entire cast.

For more information about the national tour of "Blue's Birthday Party" and Ford & Blue's Clue-Into-Safety Auditions, log onto www.nickjr.com.

About "Blue's Clues"

Winner of the 2002 Peabody Award and one of the most watched preschool shows on television, "Blue's Clues" challenges and empowers preschoolers while making them laugh. In each episode, Joe invites young viewers into his computer-animated storybook to help him and Blue solve the day's puzzles. "Blue's Clues" continues to draw acclaim by educators for its unique interactivity that has changed the way kids watch television. The series, now in its sixth year, has raised the bar in preschool television by exploring advanced subject matter such as sign language, geography, physics, emotions and anatomy.