917-679-7583 • bill@billweberstudios.com
LOGLINE On his journey to become the world-famous dove of peace, an enthusiastic young bird learns how the diverse cultures of the world contribute to him, and how he can contribute right back.
CHARACTERS
Avery Avery is a creative, earnest optimist who wrangles an island full of lovable weirdos as they solve common problems.
“Increase the peace!”
Rosalia
Rosalia is a confident, capable “can do”-er who loves all things feminine, colorful and musical. Hola! Come sing and dance with me!
Ragnar “Usch! I would rather stay home with the olive pits.”
Ragnar is a selfish, fussy, stubborn crank with a hidden heart of gold.
Lakpa “Mewsh!”
Lakpa is a precocious, eager-to-learn, eager-to-please kitten with a feral streak.
6
Ricotta & Jubnah Ricotta Van Cheddars is a serious, resourceful, and always-honest scientist. Jubnah is a fidgety, funny daredevil full of energy and questions. “We love problems. Send ‘em to us!”
“Come home for more than food – friends and dreams are here to meet you.”
Grandma Bibi is wise, patient, strong, and extremely stylish.
Grandma Bibi
Why this show? Why me? Why now? The world needs leaders.
Bill Weber is an award-winning artist and writer who works with non-profits to improve the lives of families around the world. Bill was privileged to be mentored by Marvin Hamlisch, Shari Lewis, John Burstein (aka Slim Goodbody) and Bill Gile, and has designed for Broadway, film, and television. He has held leadership roles in national children's media organizations, and has written many published articles, including “Anti-Bias: The Next Step Forward in Children’s Programming.” But the achievement he is most proud of is being the father to two Latinx children adopted from South America. He is committed to building a world where people are celebrated for the contributions they make, not judged by their racial or cultural background.
FORMAT Each half-hour episode contains two complete and separate 11-minute adventures.
I’m a giraffe and I like to laugh
The world travel of Doki, the team-building of WonderPets The adorability of Hello Kitty with a big, original heart.
STORIES Avery’s New Address
Try On My Hat!
Avery gets lost on the island on his way to visit Rosalia. And when he is lost, he finds out that others are lost, too! The landscape has changed – trees have grown new branches, the mice have built new contraptions, and Ragnar’s garden is overgrown – so Avery can’t rely on his old landmarks. Avery gathers the gang to work on the problem. Rosalia suggests running colorful ribbons between every house, but Lakpa gets all tangled up in them. The mice offer to bulldoze wide paths (after building a bulldozer), but no one wants their favorite tree or bush to be squished. Grandma Bibi’s idea to put apples as trail markers only works until Ragnar decides to bake apple pies. Avery remembers what the people of England did when he lived there. They made signs and named their houses after natural landmarks so people could remember where to find them. So Ragnar’s house would become “Garden House” and Ricotta’s house by the river would become “River House,” and so on. While singing “My Cozy Own Home,” a Gilbert-and-Sullivany song, the gang makes signs for all the houses. In gratitude to Avery, they re-name the island and make one big sign that says “Avery’s Island.”
Avery and Rosalia love dancing together in the clouds. One day, the sun blinds them and they tumble out of the sky. Rosalia needs a hat, but won’t wear one because it squishes her headfeathers and gives her “hat hair.” Avery insists that the right kind of hat for her must exist – one that looks good, keeps the sun out of her eyes, and won’t give her hat hair. The two birds interview everyone on the island and learn about the different hats they wear. Rosalia tries on Jubnah’s keffiyeh, Ragnar’s jachthoed, Lakpa’s douli, and Ricotta’s capello estivo, but none of them fit right. When Rosalia is about to give up and never dance again, Grandma Bibi offers to make her a gele – a custom African headwrap. Grandma Bibi tells a story about how geles are good for everything in Africa – even dancing! After Rosalia gets a beautiful gele that fits perfectly, the animals sing “Try On My Hat” while dancing and swapping hats to an African beat.
Rosalia’s Ride Sharif, a visiting seagull, cannot fly because his wing is in a sling, and doesn’t know how he is going to get home.. Rosalia is reminded of growing up in Bogota, Colombia. When Rosalia was too young to fly, her mother carried her in a “Maya wrap” decorated with “Mola” figures. Her mother hitched rides for them on bicycles and homemade carts in the city’s protected bike lanes. Rosalia describes the tranportation of Bogota – beautiful “Chiva” buses and tall buildings with glass elevators on the outside. Back in the present, Ricotta makes a Maya wrap for Sharif, and hoists Sharif onto Ragnar’s back by way of a rope and pulley “elevator car.” Ragnar gives Sharif a ride while everyone sings the latino “There’s Always a Way Around!”
Ragnar’s Breakfast Mix It’s breakfast time. Ricotta wants Kiwi. Rosalia wants corn flakes. Lakpa wants ricecakes with jam. Avery wants bananas. Ragnar wants dates. But the cupboards only have crackers!
True to form, Ragnar says that it is too far to go to get what they want. Kiwifruit is from New Zealand, dates are from Egypt, cornflakes are from Iowa, ricecakes are from China, and bananas are from South America. Ragnar explains “How the Kiwi Left New Zealand” and into the hearts of people around the world. Back home, Avery explains that crackers come from all over the world, too. Knackebrot from Scandinavia, lavosh from India – even animal crackers from the U.S.! Mma Gaboon slithers around Ragnar’s chair and finds a big box of dates under the cushion. The gull was being selfish! After an apology from Ragnar, Lakpa swings in like a monkey and starts handing out the dates. Soon everyone is eating a cracker (with smashed date spread) and singing and dancing to the nordic “World Mix” song.
Contribution