ICKY: A Radio Musical

Created During the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown

The Children’s Hour Inc. presents…

ICKY: A Radio Musical

Way back in the days before the end of The Big Sick, students everywhere were forced to stare at computer screens featuring live video feeds of their classmates. This was happening in bedrooms, living rooms, and kitchens across the country and the world.

With the help (and the subconscious musings) of a dreamer named Halley, a team of super heroes discover that unity and togetherness can get them through any sicky situation.

ICKY runs 35 minutes.

Poster art by Noe Barnett

© 2020 The Children’s Hour Inc. All Rights reserved. 

ICKY: A Radio Musical poster art by Noe Barnett © The Children's Hour Inc.

ICKY: A Radio Musical

by The Children's Hour

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LEARN MORE: ICKY Learn-Along Guide

Download: ICKY Learn-Along Guide
Download: ICKY Coloring Book

Credits

Starring

Illuminata, Maya F, Airdrie, Flo, Kodiak, Corbit, Maya M., Melissa, Amadeus, Zen, Isaac, Thaniel, Xander, Kalum, Lucas, Sasha Menéndez,
Tania Hopkins & Katie Stone

Creative Team:

Produced by Katie Stone
Directed by Jonathan Dunski

Written by Sarin Monet West
Composed by Jules Latimer Warren
Lyrics by Hakim Bellamy
Assistant Direction by Nicholas Main
Musical Direction & Arrangement by Sage Sarason
Recording Engineering by Andrés Martínez
Scoring by Robb Janov
Sound Design by Jen Kraus
Poster & Coloring Book Art by Noe Barnett

The ICKY Band:

Guitar by Kyle Malone
Violin, Robb Janov
Drums & Percussion, Josh English
Keyboards, Shaun Hettinger
Bass, Paul Hunton
Ukelele, Maya Malone

A grid of photographs of Mrs. Michael's Classroom on Zoom.
A grid of photos of the team listed in the credits, from Katie Stone through Mr. Anonymous who donated technical support.

Making ICKY during the COVID pandemic lockdown

How did we make ICKY during a pandemic lockdown in New Mexico?

The Children’s Hour Radio Musical Players are children from our Kids Crew and a few parents. We met weekly online together with our professional creative team and learned about how everyone was coping with the pandemic lockdown. Our creative team asked us to think about how we might envision an end to COVID-19. The ICKY story came out of these online weekly workshops, including quotes taken directly from our conversations.

Our creative team worked to write the story, musical compositions, and lyrics. The Kids Crew was presented with a script and songs which we practiced together on Zoom.

 

Recording During Lockdown

One cloudy day, we recorded ICKY in person, gathering in a field next to our Sunspot Solar Studio. Each member of the cast was in their family’s car, with a wireless microphone coming through a window. We wore headphones that carried the sound of all our voices, plus the soundtrack instrumentals.  Our director Jonathan was in the back of his convertible giving us instructions and keeping the recording moving along.

Because there was a restriction on having more than 5 people together at once, our music director Sage, composer Jules and writer Sarin were with us online, and they could speak to the children through the soundboard connected to a laptop. The only people not in cars were the guys on our engineering team, our photographer Sam, and Katie Stone. Photos here were taken by The Children’s Hour.

Read More About It!
A screen shot of a technical rehearsal on Zoom.
A lot of cars parked on an empty, dry field. One person is standing between two cars looking busy.
another view of the grid of cars on the field.
A view of the engineering table with two men standing in front of soundboards while cars are on a grid in the field in the background beyond the soundboard table.
A woman standing next to a car in the field adjusting a microphone stand.
Another view of the cars on the field.
A child smiling into a microphone while sitting in the back of her car. Child is wearing headphones and we see her from the front.
A child smiling while sitting in the front passenger seat of a car. Child is wearing headphones and we see her from the side looking directly at the camera.
The director sitting on the back of his convertible car, bundled up because it is cold and cloudy, with a microphone in front of his mouth and wearing a mask.
A child smiling and singing into a microphone while sitting in the back of her car. Child is wearing headphones and we see her from the side.
A close up view of the soundboard with the script for ICKY on the table in front of the soundboard.
A child singing into a microphone while sitting in the back of her car. Child is wearing headphones and we see her from behind.
A child singing into a microphone while sitting in the back of her car. Child is wearing headphones and we see him from the front.
A child singing into a microphone while sitting in the back of her car. Child is wearing headphones and holding a script.
A child singing into a microphone while sitting in the back of her car. Child is wearing headphones and we see him from the side through an open car window.
A woman in the driver's seat in front of a microphone wearing headphones.
A child sitting in front of a microphone while sitting in the back of her car. Child is wearing headphones and we see her from the side.
A photo of the ICKY t-shirt and script with a Children's Hour 4 color pen atop the pile.
A child in a car wearing headphones and reading a piece of paper.

ICKY: Art Contest Winners

1st Place

“Visitation”
Xander, 8

2nd Place

“Boredom”
Valerie, 16

3rd Place

“Sorrow”
Maya, 8

ICKY In The News

The Paper

Katie Stone guest writes a column all about ICKY and how it came to be. What inspired it and how all the creatives were assembled to create a once-in-a-lifetime creation. She explains how this musical opens up conversations about COVID-19 and kids’ concerns about it.

New Mexico In Focus

Katie discusses ALL THINGS ICKY with Gene Grant from New Mexico in Focus, A Production of NMPBS. Watch the interview in its entirety here online. Find out how this sick icky came to life.

Hear the Podcast of the interview!

New Mexico Living

Katie zooms with Flavia Costa to discuss how ICKY came to be and how you can find it! Find the interview here

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