Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana, one of the leading international producers and distributors of children’s animated and live action content, has greenlit the third season of its hit series, Miss Persona (60×7 minutes). The new season of the live-action series will have longer episodes and new characters.
The enchanting third season will introduce new characters, music, themes and a returning cast featuring the legendary Fred Penner, Alyson Court (Big Comfy Couch), Joe Motiki (The Crawlspace), puppeteer Mike Petersen (Fraggle Rock, Toopy and Binoo) and former WWE wrestling champion Anthony Carelli (Santino Marella).
Of all new characters, there’s an adorable puppy, puppeteered by Ingrid Hansen (Helpsters). This season also features cameos by Emma Wiggle and Steve ‘Ed The Sock’ Kerzner playing Ted The Sock. With episodes featuring 60 original songs, the series is set to premiere in 2020 fall on Treehouse. More announcements are to be made soon.
Developed for children aged two to five, Miss Persona uses dress up and imagination to solve problems with her best friend, Brandon Bear, a shy teddy bear. Each new episode will include a narrative short, original song and crafting segment. The storylines will guide kids through the many ‘firsts’ of being a preschooler through the experiences of Brandon Bear, such as making his first friend, getting jealous for the first time, learning to share, and other early childhood milestones. Miss Persona helps kids grow emotional resilience and reduce any anxiety that comes along with new experiences – all while having musical fun along the way.
Nelvana president Pam Westman said, “After charming audiences on YouTube and growing into a linear success story on Treehouse in Canada, Miss Persona has quickly become a shining star within Nelvana’s catalogue, inspiring broadcasters and preschoolers alike. Our team is excited to be working closely with Kimberly Persona to produce an innovative third season filled with even more imaginative play, exciting surprises and guest appearances.”
Nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Preschool Series, and Winner of the 2019 Youth Media Alliance Award of Excellence for Best Digital First Content, Miss Persona was a top 20 series for preschoolers in Canada across all kids specialty networks on TV last spring (according to Numeris PPM Data, SP’19 (Dec 31/18 – May 26/19) confirmed data, 3+ airings, preschoolers=K2-5, AMA(000), English Kids Networks only, Total Canada) and has earned millions of views on YouTube since its launch in September 2018. Most recently, Miss Persona has also been nominated for a Kidscreen Award for Best Original Web/App Series.
“I’m so honoured to be working with Nelvana on my dream project. They provide unwavering support to produce a truly creator driven series, which means the show has a personal touch from my heart. There are so many diverse topics we explore this upcoming season and I’m proud to be telling stories that are fresh and authentic,” added Miss Persona creator and star Kimberly Persona
Building on its ratings success, Miss Persona launched a live tour past summer with a multi-week run at the Canadian National Exhibition, followed by five additional shows across Canada. The tour will resume in May 2020 and more dates are to be confirmed