BWW Profiles: ODD SQUAD: LIVE! Tour in Stamford

Super WHY!, the PBS Kids show, got the perfect partner in televised education when Odd Squad made its debut two years ago. Both shows were revolutionary in getting kids to enjoy learning the basic skill sets of reading and math, going far beyond previous educational television. In these shows, entertainment is just part of the package.

While Super WHY!'s cast of familiar fairy tale characters drove the message that in order to solve a problem, "Look in a book," Odd Squad's characters force kids to look at things they might not otherwise be aware of in order to solve problems. The cast of young agents of the Odd Squad are smart and often serious, and always engaging, hard-working, and clean-cut - the kind of kids every parent wants his own child to befriend. Oddly enough, though, almost all the agents' names begin with the letter O.

Families in Westchester and Fairfield counties will have the opportunity to see Odd Squad: LIVE! at the Palace Theatre in Stamford on Thursday, October 6. The show, which kicks off its national tour in Stamford, has "Ms. O," the director of precinct #13579, instructing agents "Orion" (Cliff Sellers) and "Oleanna" (Jackie Reynolds) as well as onlookers (i.e., the audience) to solve a problem detective-style in an interactive adventure using math. By coincidence, the television series Odd Squad aired around the time that the Common Core State Standards kicked in. Say what you will about Common Core, but most states are participating in it, and it is what it is. But Odd Squad fosters the skills that make other lessons richer and more meaningful, such as art and music.

The show is written by the television series' creators, Tim McKeon and Adam Peltzman, and by Mark De Angelis. Their credentials for kids' TV are in a different stratosphere. Peltzman is the creator of Wallykazam and wrote for Blue's Clues, which was created by Super WHY's Angela Santomero. McKeon wrote for Gravity Falls and Adventure Time. De Angelis has been nominated for an Emmy and has written episodes for Dan the Mayor, Axe Lords, Bill & Son's Towing, and other shows. The music for the stage show is written by series composer Paul Buckley. The stage production is different in how math is used, but like the show, it has lots of high-tech gadgets. In the television series, the agents use geometry, patterns, sequencing, coding, analyzing, etc. to resolve problems.

Some of the writers' childhood experiences have worked their way into Odd Squad. Peltzman liked math, but said it wasn't one of his best subjects. "I was more of an English and type kid. I think my 8-year-old self would have really benefited from some Odd Squad episodes. McKeon adds, "I wish someone had told me about the weird side of math like Pi is a number that never ends? And the magic of Fibonacci numbers? I would have been hooked." The books they read also made an impression when they created Odd Squad. The Hardy Boys stayed with Peltzman, but McKeon "devoured Goosebumps," which he says "probably accounts for some of the oddness in Odd Squad."

McKeon and Peltzman met high school, but didn't know each other that well. They reconnected years later at a friend's wedding. Although they lived on opposite coasts, they got to work on a few projects, including the PBS hit series, The Electric Company. "PBS Kids was looking for a math show and we decided to work together on a pitch," recalls Peltzman. "We talked about a few different ideas but our favorite was an idea bout an organization run by kids that investigates oddness. We liked the idea of a show in which the kids were in charge. We were also excited about the idea of doing a live action show. We wrote up a treatment and submitted it to PBS and thankfully they liked it and asked us to write a script." McKeon notes that the show has gotten a lot odder since we first conceived it. A lot of that is due to the unique, talented kids we cast. They can do anything. And they are always demanding more jokes, more stunts, more weird[ness]. In a polite way. They are all very polite."

Fans of Odd Squad also enjoyed the movie, which was shown on television. It wasn't about repurposing material. The creators "wanted the agents to dance through lasers to ragtime piano music, which can only happen in a movie," explains McKeon. Peltzman says, "We had a blast writing it and figuring out how to translate the television show to the stage along with our great director, Darren Katz. I think it will be a really fun show for the whole family. Where else can you go to see music, dancing, villains and math all in one show?"

What advice would they give to aspiring children's television writers and producers? "It's important to get to know your audience," says Peltzman, "but it's also important to write stories and characters that interest you or make you laugh. I think you have fun writing a show if kids are going to have fun watching it." McKeon recommends, "Don't talk down to kids and don't be preachy, especially with an educational show. Try to wrap up the lessons you are teaching up in jokes and action and oddness. When in doubt, slime someone."

Take your kids to see the Fall 2016 - Spring National Tour of Odd Squad: LIVE! On Thursday, October 6 at the Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic Street, Stamford. The show starts at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $15.00-50.00. For $50.00, you can meet the stars of the show at a post-performance reception. Visit www.stamfordpalace.org for more information. You can also find a complete list of tour dates at www.oddsquadlive.com.

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