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All Music Guide:
Nostalgically named after the 80s children's PBS television series, and boasting a web address in dedication to the host (www.myspace.com/levarmotherfuckingburton, Reading Rainbow popped up on the skirt of the lo-fi indie trend in late 2009. Philadelphia transplants Robbie Garcia and Sarah Everton formed the band from the ashes of a screamy Richmond, VA no wave band called Forensic Teens. After their drummer bailed on a gig, Everton (a singer with limited musical abilities, who was essentially making noises on a circuit bent keyboard) turned to the drums herself, and learned how to play on a stripped-down kit comprised of merely a snare and a floor tom in about two weeks. Embracing minimalism, heavy reverb saturation, and an analog aesthetic, the duo started recording with an Tascam 388 eight-track reel to reel, and debuted with an EP of demos and a vinyl LP titled Mystical Participation before making plans to release Songs to Sing in early 2010.
Wikipedia:
Reading Rainbow is an American children's television series aired by PBS from June 6, 1983 until November 10, 2006 that encouraged reading among children.
The award-winning public television series garnered over 200 broadcast awards, namely scores of Emmy Awards, many of which were for "Outstanding Children's Series". The series was created under the leadership of Cecily Truett Lancit and Larry Lancit, at Lancit Media Productions in New York. The concept of a reading series for children was inspired by Twila Liggett, Ph.D., of Lincoln, Nebraska of the Great Plains National Instructional Television Library at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln; Paul Schupbach, director of the Great Plains National Instructional Television LIbrary; and Tony Buttino, of WNED-TV Buffalo, New York. The original team included Lynne Brenner Ganek, Ellen Schecter, and LeVar Burton as host.
Each episode centers on a theme from a book or other children's literature which is explored through a number of segments or stories. The show also provides book recommendations for kids to look for when they go to the library. It is the third-longest running children's series in PBS history, after Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and Sesame Street. It was also one of the first PBS shows to be broadcast in stereo.
Reading Rainbow has won a Peabody Award and twenty-six Emmy Awards, ten of which were in the "Outstanding Children's Series" category.
It was released on VHS by Children's Video Library, PBS Home Video, Schlessinger Media, and others.
Show details
Reading Rainbow was hosted by actor and executive producer LeVar Burton, who is also known for his roles in Roots and Star Trek: The Next Generation. It was originally co-created and produced by Lancit Media Entertainment from 1983 until 2000, and was produced by On-Screen Entertainment from 2000 through 2006.
A regular feature was a children's book narrated by a noted celebrity. Some of the celebrities who have read on the show include Philip Bosco (Barbara Bash's Desert Giant: The World of the Saguaro Cactus), Michael Ansara (Paul Goble's The Gift of the Sacred Dog, Sheila MacGill Callahan's And Still the Turtle Watched), Josie de Guzman (Leyla Torres' Saturday Sancocho), Jason Robards (Francine Jacobs' Sam the Sea Cow), Bill Cosby (Marc Brown's Arthur's Eyes), Eartha Kitt (Megan McDonald's Is This a House for Hermit Crab?) and Charles Kimbrough (David Wiesner's June 29, 1999). Another segment of the show featured Burton in different places talking to different people about their work and other contributions, focusing on the theme of each episode. (One episode even involved Burton taking the show behind-the-scenes for Star Trek: The Next Generation.) The final segment of each show, called Book Reviews, began with Burton's introductory phrase, "But you don't have to take my word for it," and features children giving capsule reviews of books they recommend. Burton ended every show with, "I'll see you next time."
The series' pilot, which aired as the show's eighth episode in 1983, featured the book Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, and was narrated by Doug Parvin. It was created and produced in 1981. Burton hosted the programme.
Its theme song was written by Steve Horelick, Dennis Neil Kleinman, and Janet Weir; Horelick also served as the series' music director and composer. The theme was sung by Tina Fabrique. The original opening, which depicted a cartoon butterfly transforming the surroundings of young children reading books into cartoon fantasylands, was used until 1999. Later episodes used a new opening, this time a live-action sequence in a space-themed environment with the same theme song performed by R&B performer Chaka Khan.
The daughter of producer Larry Lancit, Shaune Lancit, was often featured in the series, most notably as the child thanking the sponsors at the end of the show.
Reading Rainbow's last years
Original production was to have ended in 2005, with the show continuing to air in reruns, but host LeVar Burton said on February 7, 2006 that five new episodes of the show would be shot in 2006 despite the continuing financial troubles of PBS.
Educate Inc. recently announced a new corporate configuration spinning-off Reading Rainbow into a new products division. The future of the series is uncertain. Burton stated on February 18, 2009, that he is considering webisodes of "a new version of a Reading Rainbow-like show" for adults.
Relaunch
Former executive producer LeVar Burton announced on his Twitter feed on March 19, 2010, that "Reading Rainbow 2.0 is in the works." On March 4, 2012, he announced that it was the "last day of shooting before launch!"
Awards
List of Reading Rainbow awards and nominations
Animation producers
Feature Book filming
The photographing of the Feature Book segments was by:
Centron Films (1983–1987; renamed in 1986 to "Centron Productions Inc.")Loren Dolezal (1988–1998; renamed in 1995 to "Dolezal Animation"); Take Ten Animation teamed up with Dolezal from 1995–1998On Screen Entertainment (1999–2006)Roger Holden - www.rogerreadingrainbow.com - Designer of the digital animation photography system used by Centron Films to film the Feature Book segments (1983-1987)Funding
Corporate funding for Reading Rainbow is/was provided by the following:
National Science Foundation (1986–2002)The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations (1994–2002, 2006)National Endowment for the Arts (1983–2006)Corporation for Public Broadcasting (1983–2006)Public Television Stations/Viewers Like You (1984–2006)Ready to Learn Grants (2004–2005)United States Department of Education (2004–2005)Kellogg's (1983–84; 1989–1998)The Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation (1984–85)The Pew Charitable Trusts (1994–1998)Barnes and Noble (1998–2002)The Carnegie Corporation of New York (1986–1993)B. Dalton Bookseller (1985–86)Dayton Hudson Corporation (1987–88)New Funding (2012-present)
