The national tour will be appearing at Central Christian Church on September 5, for two performances, produced by Big Idea Productions of Chicago.

From its inauspicious beginning in a spare bedroom in Chicago, Big Idea Productions Inc. was created by Chicago residents Mike Nawrocki (Co-Writer & Creator) and Phil Vischer (CEO). The company has grown to 175 employees who have produced 13 videos that have sold more than 25 million copies -- all in a few short years. Big Idea's VeggieTales has made its mark in the family entertainment industry with a simple formula: wildly entertaining stories that teach timeless values from the Bible. Kids and parents alike adore the wacky humor, infectious music and loveable characters.

"Our videos are intended to help parents teach values to their kids in a slightly offbeat, wacky way," said Phil Vischer, founder, CEO and chief creative officer of Big Idea Productions. Adding, "The VeggieTales Live tour gives us the opportunity to bring this concept to life on stage."

After amassing sales of more than 25 million videos as the number one-selling kids' direct-to-video series, consistent critical acclaim, major character licensing agreements, the release of their first feature film Jonah and a dedicated demographic that spans preschool to adults, VeggieTales creators are looking to have the same success with the live show.
Vischer was a computer animator in Chicago, working on commercials for Pop-Tarts and other products, when he came up with the idea for VeggieTales.

He says he noticed that children were attracted to "junk food" stories on television but bored by media that tried to convey a positive message. Vischer says he wanted to make something good for kids that they would actually like -- "to make an apple that tastes like a Twinkie."

His first cartoon character was a candy bar. "And then my wife said, 'You know, moms are going to be mad if you make their kids fall in love with candy bars,' " Vischer says.

So Vischer came up with another simple shape -- a cucumber with expressive eyes. And so Larry the Cucumber was born in 1991. He was soon followed by Bob the Tomato, whose red skin and squat appearance complemented Larry's long green shape in an Abbott-and-Costello-type act.

Vischer was joined by a friend, Mike Nawrocki. The two had met in Bible college in the Twin Cities and were on a puppet team that Vischer says had been "writing really goofy scripts and driving around northern Minnesota, scaring Baptists."
While other kids' shows such as Sesame Street and Barney feature secular messages about honesty and cooperation, VeggieTales clearly comes from a Christian perspective, says David Walsh, president of the Minneapolis-based National Institute on Media and the Family.

Seats are available through www.praisecalendar.com for $16.50 and $13.20 - with show times at 1:00pm matinee and 5:30pm.

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.