Video: Vincent Rodriguez III Performs Birthday Song in KINDERGARTEN: THE MUSICAL Clip

BroadwayWorld is excited to debut an exclusive clip from a new episode of the animated Disney+ series Kindergarten: The Musical. The preschool show follows 5-year-old Berti and her new friends as they navigate the experiences that come with starting school for the first time. In the clip, the character of Radish celebrates his birthday with a special song between him and his dad, voiced by Vincent Rodriquez III of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

The clip is taken from the episode “Piñata With the Fringe on Top” in which Radish brings in a gecko piñata for his birthday but doesn’t want the class to break it open. The new episode hits Disney+ tomorrow February 5. 15 episodes of the series are already available on the streamer.

Each episode of Kindergarten: The Musical features at least six Broadway-style song and dance numbers, with titles that are twists on musical theatre shows and lyrics, such as "There's No Place Like Kindergarten / We're Off to Get a Sticker" (The Wizard of Oz) and "One Singular Self-Portrait / Don't Cry for Me Kindergarten" (A Chorus Line/Evita). The main title theme song is performed by GRAMMY® Award-winning and Tony® Award-nominated actress and singer Eva Noblezada.

The songs are written by the acclaimed music team of Michelle Lewis, Kay Hanley, Dan Petty (who together wrote all the original songs in Disney Jr.’s Peabody Award-winning series “Doc McStuffins”) and Charlton Pettus (current touring guitarist, producer and co-writer for Tears for Fears). 

The celebrity voice cast includes Gina Torres (“Suits”) as kindergarten teacher Ms. Moreno, popular entertainers Aloe Blacc and Ana Isabelle as Berti’s Papi and Mami, singer-songwriter Leona Lewis as Hedgehog Holmes and Vincent Rodriguez III (“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”) as Radish’s dad.

The series regular cast also includes Andrea Rosa Guzman as Berti, Zander Chin as Radish, Leah Newman as Rose, Shyam Balasubramanian as Tej, Tandi Fomukong as Abigail, Kailen Jude as Kenji, Randy Perrine as Jamil and Alice Halsey as Kat and Ellie. 

The art style of the show occasionally switches from CG to 2D animation to indicate a shift into the characters’ imaginations, giving them a platform to showcase their emotions. The series highlights themes of self-expression, developing friendships, having confidence in social situations, cultivating teamwork, the importance of imaginative play and the power of music.  

“Kindergarten: The Musical” was created by Michelle Lewis and Charlton Pettus, who also serve as executive producers along with Kay Hanley and Dan Petty. Emmy® Award-nominated producer Tom Warburton (“Muppet Babies”) serves as executive producer and supervising director. Humanitas Prize winner Laurie Israel (“Sofia the First”) is co-executive producer and story editor. The series is produced by Oddbot Animation in association with Disney Jr.