'Word Party' Season 4: Release date, plot, cast, trailer and all you need to know about the Netflix kids' show
Also known as Jim Henson's 'Word Party', the animated children's television series started airing on Netflix in 2016.
The 20-episodic series is a vocabulary-building program that first premiered on July 8, 2016, and is narrated by Patina Miller. The episodes help toddlers learn social skills and increase their vocabulary.
Halle Stanford, President of Television, The Jim Henson Company said, "Kids and parents have been asking for more 'Word Party' fun and our new episodes will deliver with a new baby, Tilly the Tortoise, and more original dance party songs."
Revealing what's new for kids this season, he added, "There’s a new baby coming to the playroom! Our new episodes will tell stories, sing songs, and teach words that can help our young audience grapple with the complex emotions around the arrival of a younger sibling."
"We'll also introduce a new dual-language format, which is especially exciting since the earlier you introduce a second language, the easier it is for a child to pick up its unique sounds. Parents and kids will join us in celebrating the joy of learning words in two languages."
Release date
Three seasons of 'Word Party' are already out on Netflix and Season 4 is all set to release on January 21, 2020.
Plot
Meet Bailey the Elephant, Franny the Cheetah, Kip the Wallaby, and Lulu the Panda. They're adorable baby animals, and they want you to join the party and help them learn! The vocabulary-building program features four young animals "who love to sing, dance and play".
This season, the Babies welcome Tilly, a new baby tortoise character that will be part of the show's new dual-language format, teaching Mandarin in English-speaking countries, and English in non-English speaking countries.
Tilly and the other Babies will directly ask for help from the Big Kids at home, granting the audience authority to guide the action, as well as providing a context for vocabulary acquisition. Ten short-form music videos that will reflect the show's curriculum with fun and catchy original songs will also be featured.
Cast
Patina Miller
Actress Patina Miller is the narrator on the show. She played a disco diva wannabe Deloris Van Cartier in 'West End' and Broadway productions of 'Sister Act' and earned a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for playing the lead in the 2013 revival of 'Pippin'.
Miller also starred as Commander Paylor in 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay' and is known for playing Daisy Grant in the CBS political drama 'Madam Secretary'.
The characters have four lead voice artists: Dorien Davies as Lulu the Panda, Victor Yerrid as Bailey the Elephant, Donna Kimball as Franny the Cheetah and John Tartaglia as Kip the Wallaby.
Director/Writer
Alex Rockwell created the educational show for little kids. The series has been produced by The Jim Henson Company using Henson Digital Puppetry Studio. Lisa Henson, Halle Stanford and Rockwell are executive producers.
Trailer
A 56-second trailer was released on YouTube and captioned, "Cue the music: It's time for a party! Join animal babies Franny, Bailey, Kip, Lulu and their new friend, Tilly, who's teaching them words in Mandarin. Word Party Season 4 arrives on January 21 only on Netflix!"
Where to watch
You can stream the first three seasons on Netflix and watch Season 4 once it airs on January 21, 2020.
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