Johnny and the Sprites ready to visit your house

Johnny and the Sprites is a wonderful show on The Disney Channel’s Playhouse Disney morning line up that works to teach children 2-5 some important lessons, while providing entertainment from some of the best talent on Broadway. It’s a recipe that bakes up some of the best magic on The Disney Channel in years. The first season is now available on DVD so you can watch this show with your children at any time.

The DVD features two bonus features. One a magical sing-a-long segment and the other the original shorts that served as interstitials on the Disney Channel and proved the popularity of the show. There are lots of wonderful gems just in the shorts.

What I like most about Johnny and the Sprites is that it’s the show of today that comes closest to the shows of my youth that told fun, but helpful, stories through song and puppeteering. Those were my favorite shows and I’d have to place Johnny and the Sprites: Meet The Sprites in that same echelon.

The full press release is below the cut:

Johnny and the Sprites: Meet the Sprites

Playhouse Disney’s hit sensation comes to Disney DVD for the first time!

What critic’s are calling “Everything a show for kids should be” – Barry Gordon, HollywoodReporter.com is Disney’s hit series which debuts on DVD with Johnny and the Sprites: Meet the Sprites March 18, 2008. Meet Johnny and the magical and friendly sprites – Ginger, Lily, Root, Basil and all of their friends – in the enchanted woods of Grotto’s Grove. With music, laughter and a sprinkle of magic, Johnny and his new-found friends experience the fun of friendship and learn to be accepting of others.

Episodes “Ginger’s Antenna Dilemma”, “Root’s Dadoots”, “Where the water, Lily?”, “Basil’s Band” and “The Sprites and the What?!” take viewers on a magical journey through Grotto’s Grove. Each episode is filled with music and spritely mischief! Along the way, Ginger learns it’s ok to be different, little Root gets the hiccups and Basil discovers the importance of keeping promises when he joins a band and forgets about his friends.

Johnny and the Sprites stars Tony Award Nominated John Tartaglia and features musical numbers written by various notable Broadway composers such as Gary Adler, Bobby Lopez, Laurence O’Keefe and Michael Patrick Walker. This series aims to expose preschoolers to the beauty of music from a young age, as well as teach lifelong lessons about friendship and tolerance.

Since premiering as a full series in January 2007, Johnny and the Sprites has become one of Playhouse Disney’s top rated preschool series with over 17.6 million unique viewers. Additionally, it ranks in the top 10 among basic cable morning programs with kids 2-5 – proving that anyone can be a Sprite!

Johnny and the Sprites: Meet the Sprites is available from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

Available: March 18, 2008

Aspect ratio: Full Frame Aspect Ratio (1.33:1)

Run time: Approximately 57 minutes

Sound: Dolby® Digital 2.0 Sound

Languages: English