Disney Junior has something new coming this fall. Today, the network announced James Van Der Beek and Lauren Graham will voice characters in the upcoming TV show Vampirina.
The animated series follows Vampirina, “a lovable young vampire girl, who is facing the joys and trials of being the new kid in town when her family moves from Transylvania to Pennsylvania.” The voice cast also includes Isabella Crovetti, Patti LuPone, Wanda Sykes, and Brian Stokes Mitchell.
Read more details and see more photos from Disney Junior below:
James Van Der Beek (“What Would Diplo Do?”) and Lauren Graham (“Gilmore Girls”) will voice the roles of Vampirina’s parents, Boris and Oxana Hauntley, in Disney Junior’s animated series “Vampirina,” premiering this fall on Disney Channel, Disney Junior and the new Disney NOW app. Twelve-year-old Isabella Crovetti (“Colony”) stars as the voice of Vampirina (aka Vee), a lovable young vampire girl, who is facing the joys and trials of being the new kid in town when her family moves from Transylvania to Pennsylvania.
The recurring guest voice cast includes Tony-award winning Broadway performers Patti LuPone (“Evita”) and Brian Stokes Mitchell (“Kiss Me, Kate”) as Vee’s grandparents, Nanpire and Grandpop, and Wanda Sykes (ABC’s “Black-ish”) as Vampirina’s cantankerous yet loyal gargoyle sidekick Gregoria.
Featuring music by Broadway composers Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond (“The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes”), the series will include original songs in each episode performed by the talented voice cast. Van Der Beek, Graham and Crovetti perform the series’ theme song.
Set in an urban Pennsylvania neighborhood, “Vampirina” is centered around Vee as she settles into her new surroundings, including making friends and attending a new school. Excited to experience everything that the human world has to offer, Vee will learn that while it may be easier to blend in with her peers, it’s important to celebrate the differences that make everyone unique. Always by her side, Vee’s mom and dad are also adapting to their new life as proprietors of the local Scare B&B, a bed and breakfast for visiting ghouls and goblins.
Rounding out the voice cast are: Mitchell Whitfield (“My Cousin Vinny”) as playful ghost, Demi; Jordan Alexa Davis (“Sofia the First”) as Vee’s best friend and next-door neighbor, Poppy; ViviAnn Yee (“The Boss Baby”) as another one of Vee’s close friends, Bridget; Dee Bradley Baker (“Phineas and Ferb”) as Vee’s teacher, Mr. Gore, and the Hauntley’s dog, Wolfie; Benji Risley (“If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”) as Poppy’s twin brother, Edgar; Cree Summer (“A Different World”) as Poppy and Edgar’s mom, Edna; and Ian James Corlett (“Dinosaur Train”) as Chef Remy Bones, the Scare B&B’s comedic skeleton chef.
Inspired by Disney Publishing’s popular children’s book series “Vampirina Ballerina,” the show brings together many of the key creative team behind Disney Junior’s Peabody Award-winning animated series “Doc McStuffins,” including executive producer Chris Nee and co-executive producer Norton Virgien. Nicky Phelan (“Octonauts”) serves as director. The series is produced by Academy Award(R)-nominated animation studio Brown Bag Films in association with Disney Junior.”
What do you think? Are you a fan of James Van Der Beek and Lauren Graham? Do you think kids will watch Vampirina?