A lot of people have asked me:  “What program out there best resembles The Kitty Landers Show?”  And I can’t answer them – simply because there is no show currently on television for ages 6-11 quite like Kitty!  I believe that there some great educational programming out there, and it’s never been our intent to compete with these tried and true institutions; there’s really no need, they have that department covered brilliantly.  But what there doesn’t seem to be is a program that allows a young audience to simply observe the content without either feeling like they are being force-fed information or being inundated with hypnotic images that momentarily grab their eye, but are not rooted in anything of particular value.  It is also impossible to find a kid’s show that isn’t filled with one-dimensional characters who behave and interact without any real sense of depth or humanity.  They just don’t act like people you can connect with or relate to, instead they act more like a bunch of salesmen trying to put on an act in order to sell you something (which are usually piles of toys and merchandise affiliated with their show).           

If you have children or if you have spent any amount of time in their presence, it is crystal clear that they are keen observers of human behavior.  They pick things up much quicker than adults.  The children that I’ve been fortunate enough to interact with know when they are being talked down to and instinctively react in a much more guarded and detached way.  I think that goes the same for TV or anything else aimed at entertaining kids.  So I ask: “Why not create a kids show that is set in a world where characters actually think and behave like real human beings?”  Where there are decisions, opinions, consequences and mistakes.  Where a character’s flaws and quirks can be both funny and also problematic, but not necessarily wrong.  Where things aren’t wrapped up nicely into a bow at the end and questions aren’t always answered, but rather considered.  And a place where characters sing and dance, not to impress and show-off, but to genuinely express themselves, even if they are off-key or have two left feet.

With an economy more and more driven by technology and rate of consumption, we continuously prize result over process.  “The Kitty Landers Show” excites me because of the eclectic and colorful world these characters inhabit – a world that resembles the one we actually live in (for the most part).  By presenting the world in real time, and showing real shifts in emotion, as well as cause and effect -- we recall the spontaneity and substance that makes live theatre so vital.  This realism that pervades critically acclaimed programming for adults can also serve the imaginations of children who are well aware of video cameras.  Breaking the 4rd wall gives kids a chance to comprehend a story within a story as they stay grounded in the dynamic and funny characters that populate Kitty’s life.

I do not claim to be an educational specialist.  However, having worked as a nanny for many years (in addition to spending time with my own nieces and nephew), I have discovered that when it comes to entertaining and interacting with kids, they are only as engaged and invested in a story as the person who is telling it.  And I am proud to report that everyone involved in “The Kitty Landers Show” is overwhelmingly committed and passionate about the story we are telling.  That being said, it’s my hope that above all else, kids will be empowered by their own ability to tell stories, and to find inspiration in everyday life and everyday people.  I’d like to think “The Kitty Landers Show” provides kids with an option other than the next home-video-game-mega-machine – where the world is filled with a sense of esteem and wonder, and much like our own world – we can use what we have right in front of us to explore, express and entertain.

In Kitty We Trust,
Regina Taufen

Pilot Synopsis