Nanna's Cottage

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Nanna's Cottage is a children's TV series created by husband and wife producing team Davey Porter and Karen Sponsler-Porter.

Nanna's Cottage
Format Children's television series
Created by Davey Porter
Karen Sponsler-Porter
Starring Rachael Rizzo
Greg Izay
Lauren Stone
Jason Booth
Gracie Porter
C.J. Walker
Carly Walker
Liza Clark
Lydia Hale
Austen Reeder
Country of origin United States
Production
Running time 30 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel Faith TV,
TBN,
Sky Angel Satellite Network
Original run July 1, 2006 – present

The show is about a 75-year old grandmother Abigale "Nanna" Macaroon, a world traveler and archeologist, who dispenses love and knowledge to her granddaughter and her friends about the world, and the importance of character. Every episode is filled with warmth, adventure, fun, music, valuable lessons and a little bit of magic.

The series can be seen on:

Contents

[edit] The Pilot Episode

The unaired pilot episode started production on September 25, 2005. The sets were smaller and some of the character costumes and makeup were different. Arbuckle's costume, for example, is completely different in the series episodes. The producers now refer to Arbuckle's pilot costume as "Puppy Arbuckle" since some scenes from the pilot have been incorporated into later episodes. The original Danny was played by Cameron Booth, and the original Anna Belle was played by Savannah Booth, who are the brother and sister of Jason Booth, who plays Arbuckle. Some of the scenes with Danny and Anna Belle from the pilot appear in episode #10 "Music! Music! Music!" and are renamed "Jimmy" and "Lola Belle" in the credits. The Little Harry puppet has also changed completely since the pilot.

[edit] First Season Episodes

(By Broadcast Order)

  • 1.1 "Welcome to Cottage Hamlet" (Air Date: 10/07/06)

Nanna (Rachael Rizzo) introduces the characters of Cottage Hamlet; the kids learn the importance of friendship when Nanna and the kids take a trip to Pluto on Danny’s rocket ship.

  • 1.2 "Time Well Spent" (Air Date: 10/14/06)

Nanna (Rachael Rizzo) stays home while the kids are on a camping trip; Marvin sends Nanna on a treasure hunt; and traveling salesman Gilbert Gadgetseller (Gaylord Walker) visits the Cottage.

  • 1.3 "Happy Birthday, Arbuckle" (Air Date: 10/21/06)

Arbuckle (Jason Booth) thinks everyone has forgotten his birthday; the kids learn about electricity; and comedy ensues as Nanna (Rachael Rizzo) plans a surprise party for Arbuckle.

  • 1.4 "The Great Cottage Hamlet Mystery" (Air Date: 10/28/06)

Danny (C.J. Walker) becomes a detective to help solve the mystery of Trudy’s missing idea. Little Harry helps Marvin find Nanna’s missing North Pole diamond.

  • 1.5 "Rushin' There and Russian Here!" (Air Date: 11/04/06)

Nanna (Rachael Rizzo) takes the kids on a trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, where they meet Sasha Playnowski (Spencer Hansen). Upon returning to the Cottage, they discover a certain stowaway in their luggage.

  • 1.6 "Tick Tock Travelers" (Air Date: 11/11/06)

Danny (C.J. Walker) invents a time machine to help Heather (Liza Clark) after she accidentally breaks Nanna’s priceless Babylonian urn. Misadventure ensues when they travel to Ancient Babylon.

  • 1.7 "Everyone's a Winner!" (Air Date: 11/25/06)

Trudy (Lauren Stone) learns a lesson about charity after winning a local sweepstakes; Heather (Liza Clark) discovers there’s more to winning than coming in first place.

  • 1.8 "Bookworms" (Air Date: 12/02/06)

During a book drive in Cottage Hamlet, Nanna (Rachael Rizzo) teaches the kids the importance of reading – and not judging books, or people, by their covers.

  • 1.9 "A Clean Sweep" (Air Date: 12/09/06)

A comedy of errors ensues when Nanna (Rachael Rizzo) gets a visit from an absent-minded chimney sweep (Jason Booth). Rosey (Gracie Porter) and Anna Belle (Carly Walker) discover that superstitions can cause misunderstandings.

  • 1.10 "Music, Music, Music!" (Air Date: 12/16/06)

Cottage Hamlet is filled with the sounds of music as Nanna (Rachael Rizzo) revisits some of her favorite musical numbers from Nanna’s Cottage.

  • 1.11 "Remember When?" (Air Date: 12/30/06)

Marvin (Davey Porter) and Little Harry (Dave Moppert) take a trip down memory lane as they recall their favorite adventures at Nanna’s Cottage.

  • 1.12 "There's Never Enough Gus" (Air Date: 01/06/07)

A showcase of Gardener Gus’ (Greg Izay) favorite visits to Nanna’s Cottage.

  • 1.13 "The Ones You Like the Best" (Air Date: 01/13/07)

The children of America pick their favorite segments of Nanna’s Cottage in this delightful episode.

[edit] Second Season Episodes

(By Broadcast Order)

  • 2.0 "Spring Has Sprung" (Air Date: 04/07/07)

This special Easter episode features beautiful countryside as Nanna (Rachael Rizzo), Rosey (Gracie Porter), Gus (Greg Izay) and Christopher (Ben Ballard) enjoy a beautiful spring day - complete with bunny rabbits - at Nanna's Cottage.

  • 2.1 "A Lazy Day" (Air Date: 08/04/07)

Nanna (Rachael Rizzo, Gus (Greg Izay), and Rosey (Gracie Porter) spend a leisurely day at the cottage doing arts and crafts. Gus introduces Tom and Marge, animated characters who live on a sheep farm in New Zealand. We meet 12-year-old Brendan Kraiker and his family when they journey to the Arctic for a month-long look at nature.

  • 2.2 "A Really Busy Day" (Air Date: 08/11/07)

Nanna (Rachael Rizzo) is roped into agreeing to a remodel of the cottage when Gus (Greg Izay) learns the local kids in Cottage Hamlet are without a playroom of their own. Marvin (Davey Porter) and Little Harry (Evan Kossow) watch the trains go by at the CH Railway Depot. The conclusion of Brendan's trip to the Arctic includes a breathtaking encounter with the caribou.

  • 2.3 "Rosey's Friends" (Air Date: 08/18/07)

Rosey (Gracie Porter) tells Nanna about her imaginary friend, Frances. Nanna and Rosey take turns riding wagons down a grassy hill. Five-year-old Cameron Moore from Boston takes us on a trip to the beach for some kite flying, and 4-year-old Enya Wein from New Hampshire draws and reads her delightful story, Hippily Bunny.

  • 2.4 "The Cartoon Carnival" (Air Date: 08/25/07)

Rosey (Gracie Porter) hooks up with Marvin (Davey Porter) for a drawing contest to see who can create the best animated cartoon.

  • 2.5 "Gus Fixes Everything" (Air Date: 10/27/07)

While Gus (Greg Izay) continues the big cottage renovation, Nanna (Rachael Rizzo) is relegated to the porch as the rain pours down. But that's just fine with her as she introduces Bumblz the Bee and his insect friends, as well as the show's first completely open-captioned show for the hearing impaired friends of the cottage.

  • 2.6 "Heather Horsetrotter" (Air Date: 11/03/07)

Nanna (Rachael Rizzo) focuses on our friend Heather's best moments at the cottage, including wonderful scenes of Heather with her horse. Part two of Bumblz continues with their insect adventures.

  • 2.7 "Danny O'Hara" (Air Date: 11/10/07)

The second in a series of special Mini Episodes is shown when Nanna runs "Danny the Detective" (originally part of an earlier episode called "The Great Cottage Hamlet Mystery"), as well as the conclusion of Bumblz and Friends. Animator Jordan Cutler's "Girl Meets Robot" is projected inside Danny's (C.J. Walker) laboratory, and our good friend Peter Weatherall's "Weather Song" cartoon is shown.

[edit] Cast

[edit] The Adult Characters

Character Actor Description from Series Writer's Guide
Abigale "Nanna" Macaroon Rachael Rizzo Age seventy-something, Nanna Macaroon is an insightful, caring and “fun” grandmotherly character. But she's no slouch! Having lived a full and adventurous life, Nanna has traveled the world over. She has led archeological digs, has enjoyed friendships with kings, queens and presidents, and has circled the globe on a tramp steamer, the S/S Hawaiian Pilot.
Gardener Gus O'Hara Greg Izay Nanna's good friend and traveling companion, the Irish-born Gus is Nanna's “Man Friday,” a spirited fellow who lives down the lane with always a watchful eye on Nanna's Cottage.
Arbuckle Jason Booth Arbuckle is a big, dumb, dopey dog who just happens to be the kindest, sweetest canine standing on four big legs. If there is a single word to describe Nanna's canine protector, it is LOYALTY. Arbuckle is fearless (to a point), smart (uhmmm... to a point!), and honest.
Gertrude "Trudy" Hazelnut Lauren Stone Nanna's next door neighbor, Trudy is the life of the party and is an often and welcome visitor to the Cottage. Trudy is an adult contemporary of Nanna's, and affords Nanna's character someone who is her direct opposite to play off of.

[edit] The Puppet Characters

Character Actor Description from Series Writer's Guide
Marvin Davey Porter Marvin can be loud, obnoxious, selfish, and is known to throw tantrums and pick his nose in public. Marvin provides conscience and lessons of right and wrong for our viewers and visitors to Nanna's Cottage.
Little Harry Dave Moppert A bad little puppet who gives Marvin bad ideas. He tries to get Marvin to do bad things, and to tell big lies. He usually succeeds, until Marvin learns his lesson and tells Harry, “I’m not gonna do it!!!”

[edit] The Kids

Character Actor Description from Series Writer's Guide
Rosey Smartidoodle Gracie Porter Seven-year-old Rosey is Nanna's granddaughter, and is a ball of happy, friendly energy. Rosey lights up any room she enters. Rosey is friend to all, and looks forward to enjoying the kind of life her Nanna has lived.
Danny O'Hara Cameron J. Walker Nephew of Gardener Gus, Danny is a genius. His many inventions are legendary in Cottage Hamlet lore. Kind of shy and soft-spoken, Danny is living proof that those who do the right thing, always try their best, and consider other people's feelings will get ahead in life.
Heather Horsetrotter Liza Clark Heather is an expert horsewoman who competes, competes, competes! With her gentle interaction with Nanna, Heather learns that competition isn't half the fun as the game itself. Heather has a crush on Danny, which he never quite realizes because he's so involved in his inventions and experiments.
Fu Cheng Lydia Hale Fu Cheng appears to be the calm center of the room, but there is an impish glee that comes from Fu Cheng just as easily! She is as smart as they come, and she is very musical!
Andy Puddlesplash Austen Reeder Andy is the cynic of the group. He can't believe that trains can travel to an island, that Rosey can talk to Arbuckle, that Gus can grow a whole shade tree in five minutes, or that Nanna's living room clock carries on conversations. Yet... much to Andy's surprise, these things actually seem to happen at Nanna's Cottage.
Anna Belle Jingleheimer Carly Walker Related to the John Jacob Jingleheimer-Smith's of camp song notoriety, Miss Anna Belle is the inquisitive best friend of Rosey. Anna Belle keeps a journal of the many adventures of Nanna and company, and wants to be a newspaper reporter when she grows up.
Bunny Hoppergrass Bethany Smith Bunny is a sweet, loyal, practical 7-year-old who is the doer of the group. She takes care of the details and makes sure all the kids are wearing their coats and galoshes. She helps Nanna in the kitchen and Gus in the garden. She tells it like it is and definitely knows right from wrong, and keeps everyone on track.
Sasha Playnowski Spenser Hansen When Nanna and the Kids return from a trip to Russia, they discover Sasha Playnowski hiding in their baggage. Sasha wants to play all the time. ALL THE TIME! This can be a problem when there are chores to do and projects to accomplish at the cottage. Sasha needs to learn how to balance work and play, and how to pay attention to his surroundings and listen!
Christopher the Georgraphy Boy Ben Ballard Christopher is a recurring character. Wherever the group travels, Christopher is there to greet them, dressed in native costume, and speaking with a local accent. Christopher gives the group insight into other countries and faraway places.
Nice Nick Micklewhite Griffin Moser Marvin's older brother.
Operissimo Ben Taube Cottage Hamlet's professional Opera singer.

[edit] Recurring Guest Stars

Character Actor Description from Series Writer's Guide
Larry Letterleaver / Gilbert Gadgetseller / Train Conductor Gaylord Walker Character actor, Gaylord Walker, plays the entire town of Cottage Hamlet (almost). Each time Nanna and the Kids visit a Cottage Hamlet merchant, it is Gaylord who is in make-up and costume. Roles to date include: Arlo Cartunpacker, Franklin Ticketaker, Larry Letterleaver and Gilbert Gadgetseller.
Captain Carsten Macarooni Tom Snyder Whenever Nanna and the Kids go back in time via Danny's Time Machine, they usually stop aboard the S/S Hawaiian Pilot and visit with Nanna's late husband, the famous Captain Macaroon. It was aboard the tramp steamer that Nanna met Captain Mac, and found a little puppy in the cargo hold named Arbuckle.

[edit] Monster Sunday School

Main article: Monster Sunday School

Monster Sunday School is a series of shorts seen on TBN, filling the commercial breaks of Nanna's Cottage, featuring a basic Bible story lesson. The shorts are generally two minutes in length, with three featured per episode. Nanna's Cottage's Marvin and Little Harry also appear. The shorts began airing with TBN's broadcast of Nanna's Cottage on October 7, 2006.

Monster Sunday School expanded into a full-length spin-off series, which began airing on Faith-TV in April 2007. It is also seen on Kid & Teens, Cornerstone, CTN and Familyland.

[edit] External links