The UK premiere of BLIPPI The Musical is touring to the Apollo Theatre 16 August – 4 September.
Blippi is a global TV and internet sensation – he is one of the most successful YouTube stars in the world. He has a total of 37 million YouTube subscribers and one billion views per month, 6.3M video views every day and 9.5k new subscribers every day.
In 2020, Forbes reported that Blippi was the eighth highest-earning YouTuber in the world, with a net worth of $16 Million. It is an international children’s brand streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Kids+, Hulu, HBO Max, Peacock, Kidoodle.TV, Roku, and due to its high demand is available in Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Italian, Hebrew, Arabic, Swedish and Polish so it can be watched and enjoyed all over the world.
Blippi is a live action YouTube channel targeted at kids up to 5 years old. It follows Blippi, a curious and enthusiastic children’s character and educator, who makes learning fun. Blippi is aimed to encourage children’s growth and development by introducing them to new vocabulary, activities and ways to engage with empathy.
It’s a channel that turns the ordinary into the extraordinary for young children, and a welcome change from the usual selection of animated nursery rhymes and repurposed kids’ television programming online. The Blippi-Sphere also sells all kinds of merchandise with rucksacks, shoes, cutlery, socks – kids can even dress up like their favourite YouTuber with a blue t-shirt and a bright orange bowtie and braces.
The Artiscape interviewed Josh Blackburn on the upcoming live production.
Can you tell us what children will enjoy with Blippi the Musical?
Blackburn: Blippi The Musical brings the fun and joy of watching Blippi on screen to the stage with the magic of live theatre! Children and families will love singing, dancing, and exploring with Blippi, Mo the Mechanic, and the Blippi buddies as they encourage families to participate and play along. Blippi The Musical has been delighting children in North America since beginning touring in 2020, and we’re thrilled to be able to bring the show to the UK and the West End for the first time this summer!
What can they expect to see?
Blackburn: Children and families can expect to see a one-of-a-kind show! Children are encouraged to stand-up, sing, and dance along with Blippi, to both new and old favorite songs (including the popular “Excavator Song”!). We’ve been honoured to have many children experience Blippi The Musical as their first live show, and inspire a love of live theatre that we know will carry on as they grow. Kids will be amazed to see their favourite character onstage, live in front of them, and be able to join in with him along with many other children and families in an in-person, memorable experience we know many families have been craving.
What are the challenges in producing theatre for children?
Blackburn: With children, we ensure that the show will be entertaining and engaging and will also encourage audience participation – we know children can’t sit through a traditional, adult-focused show where they might be expected to be quiet for hours on end! We also always want to make sure that our shows embody the world-class production values that Round Room Live is known for, and ensure our shows are appropriate for all ages, and emulate the joy, energy, and values that parents have come to expect from the brand! One of the bigger challenges is that kids are used to watching and interacting with Blippi in a very specific way through their screen and we as producers have to deliver that same feeling while also expanding on it in a way that engages those same feelings in the live space.
Why do you think Blippi is such a massive hit with children?
Blackburn: Blippi, while an adult, speaks to children on their level, and inspires children’s natural curiosity for the world around them. He encourages learning through doing, playing and exploring, and children are delighted to learn alongside him. Even Blippi’s outfit has become iconic, with the blue and orange instantly recognizable, making it easy for children to dress just like him. We’re thrilled to allow children to experience Blippi in a new way that we’re sure they’ll love and remember forever!
