The Toy Castle

{{Infobox television

| genre = Supernatural
Fantasy
Slice of life

| native_name = Le Château magique

| director = Katherine Jeans and David Langer

| producer = Neil Bregman

| narrated = Rick Jones and Marc Charbonneau

| composer = Andrew Huggett

| country = Canada

| language = English
French

| based_on = The Steadfast Tin Soldier by Hans Christian Andersen

| num_seasons = 3 + 1 pilot

| num_episodes = 65 + 1 pilot

| editor = Cheryl Gadoury
Kevin Kocvar

| location = Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

| runtime = 22 minutes

| network = {{Plainlist|

Treehouse TV (Canada English)
SCN (Canada English)
Access (Canada English seasons 2-3)
Knowledge Network (Canada English seasons 2-3)
TVOntario (Canada English season 3)
TFO (Canada French)
TQS (Canada French)

}}

| released = {{Start date|1992}}

| first_aired2 = {{Start date|2000|09|04|df=y}}

| last_aired2 = {{End date|2003|12|26|df=y}}

| company = Sound Venture Productions

| creator = Katherine Jeans and David Langer

| developer = Sound Venture Productions

| writer = Nancy Trites-Botkin
Rick Jones
Timothy Spain
Mike Laewen
Marc Charbonneau

}}

The Toy Castle ({{langx|fr|Le Château magique}}) is a Canadian children's television show that aired on Treehouse TV, SCN, Access, Knowledge Network, TVOntario and TFO.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tqs.ca/emissions/chateaumagique/index.html|title=Le Château magique|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040411015711/http://www.tqs.ca/emissions/chateaumagique/index.html|archive-date=2004-04-11|website=TQS}} It was aired from September 4, 2000 to December 26, 2003 and produced by Sound Venture Productions. It was inspired by Sound Venture's 1992 Christmas ballet special The Steadfast Tin Soldier, which starred Frank Augustyn and was based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale.{{cite journal|title=Hatzis turns to classifieds to get Spice of Life off the ground|journal=Playback Magazine|url=http://oldads.playbackmag.com/articles/magazine/19990614/25828.html|date=June 14, 1999|author=Swedko, Pamela|publisher=playbackmag.com|access-date=December 29, 2015|archive-date=August 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810210916/http://oldads.playbackmag.com/articles/magazine/19990614/25828.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |title=Theatrical child's play |url=http://jam.canoe.com/Television/TV_Shows/T/Toy_Castle/2000/08/04/pf-733130.html |date=August 4, 2000 |author=Armstrong, Dennis |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111123032/http://jam.canoe.com/Television/TV_Shows/T/Toy_Castle/2000/08/04/pf-733130.html |archive-date=11 November 2016 |url-status=dead}} It is now shown during the Christmas season on Treehouse, TFO and Noovo. Told through ballet and narration, the stories are about a group of toys in a toy castle that magically come to life when the children are asleep. This series won a Gemini Award in 2003 for "Best Preschool Series."{{Cite web|url=https://www.theartshoppingchannel.com/|title=Art: katherine jeans,Original,Prints;Decor,tote's, home,flowers,beauty|website=The Art of Katherine Jeans|access-date=2021-05-19|archive-date=2021-05-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519012640/https://www.theartshoppingchannel.com/|url-status=live}}

The series also aired on public television stations in the United States,{{Cite web|url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/05/prweb390519.htmp|title="The Toy Castle™" New DVD Series Presents Imaginative Ballet Stories and Encourages Creative Play|website=PRweb}}{{dead link|date=August 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} JimJam in Italy, TF1, France 3, M6 and Piwi+ in France and was rerun in French on TQS. It was distributed worldwide by France Télévisions.{{Cite web|url=https://www.repubblica.it/serietv/schede/the-toy-castle/7655/|title=THE TOY CASTLE|website=Repubblica|date=25 May 2022|access-date=21 January 2023|archive-date=21 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121181308/https://www.repubblica.it/serietv/schede/the-toy-castle/7655/|url-status=live}}

Premise

The Toy Castle is a show about a group of toys that magically come to life when their children are asleep. When the children are about to wake up, the toys dash around fast until they are back in their former positions. Each episode consists of three story lines, in which the toys all dance around the castle and get into situations which the viewer may relate to.{{Cite web|url=http://www.soundventure.com/ourportfolio/broadcast.asp|title=Sound Venture Productions|website=www.soundventure.com|access-date=2019-01-24|archive-date=2018-12-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181203060002/http://www.soundventure.com/ourportfolio/broadcast.asp|url-status=live}}

Characters

The Soldier (Jorden Morris) enjoys marching and dancing, and loves the lovely Ballerina. Judging by his accent, he is of British nationality (French nationality in the French-language version).
The Ballerina (Elizabeth Olds) enjoys dancing and loves the soldier. Judging by her accent, she is of French nationality (British nationality in the French-language version). She is best friends with China Doll and Rag Doll.
The China Doll (Jennifer Welsman) enjoys dancing and drinking tea. She is shy and prefers quiet activities. She is best friends with Ballerina and Rag Doll.
The Clown (Keir Knight) is a loud and wild toy. He likes joking around and playing. His best friends are Goblin and Rag Doll.
The Goblin (Yosuke Mino) enjoys playing pranks on people and teasing. His best friends are Rag Doll and Clown.
The Rag Doll (Sayaka Karasugi) enjoys twirling and playing. She dreams of being a pretty lady like Ballerina and China Doll. Her best friends are Goblin, Clown, Ballerina and China Doll.
The Sailor (Raven S. Wilder) likes to tell tales and sail the seven seas. His favorite dance is the jig.
The Strong Man (David Lucas) likes lifting weights and his stuffed cat, Meow Meow. He may be in love with China Doll, as they dated in one episode, but that was the only time it was shown.
Freida (Andrea Mislan) enjoys dancing the frog-a-doddle-five and playing with her twin brother, Fredrick. She speaks with a Southern accent (Meridional accent in the French version).
Fredrick (Sofia Costantini) enjoys dancing the frog-a-doddle-five and playing with his twin sister, Freida. He speaks with a Southern accent (Meridional accent in the French version).
Mama Mouse (Daiva Preston, Andrea Mistan) is shy. She is married to Papa Mouse, and has three children.
Papa Mouse (Micheal Flynn) is a caring man. He and his wife have three children.
Little Mouse (Corinne Vessey) likes playing and imagining he is riding a horse. He was named Baby Mouse in the first season, but with two new siblings coming, they quietly changed his name to Little Mouse.
The Mouse Twins - They are twins who both cry often. They enjoy quiet things and swinging. They have never been given official names, being referred to simply as 'The Mouse Twins'.
The Dolly Bird wears extravagant make-up and loves dancing for people. She tends to be insecure about her dancing. She has appeared in the fewest episodes and is never mentioned on the official site.
The Little Boy (Billy Jeans) sleeps in his bed while the toys are dancing and in motion, but when he turns his head around sleeping, the toys return to their former poses as regular figures. He is only shown in the series' opening, in the ending part of an episode, and in the credits background.
The Little Girl (Ivy Bregman) sleeps in her bed while the toys are dancing and in motion, but when she turns her head around sleeping, the toys return to their former poses as regular figures. She is only shown in the series' opening, in the ending part of an episode, and in the credits background.

Episodes

= Pilot (1992) =

{{Episode table|background=#150FFF|overall=|title=|director=|writer=|airdate=|altdate=|altdateT=French airdate|prodcode=|viewers=|country=French|episodes={{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = Pilot

| Title = The Tin Soldier

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans and David Langer

| WrittenBy = Rick Jones and Marc Charbonneau

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|12}}

| AltDate = December 1992

| ProdCode = 100

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #150FFF

}}

= Season 1 (2000) =

{{Episode table|background=#150FFF|overall=|title=|director=|writer=|airdate=|altdate=|altdateT=French airdate|prodcode=|viewers=|country=French|episodes={{Episode list

| NumParts = 3

| EpisodeNumber = 1

| Title_1 = Cinderella

| Title_2 = Duck, Duck, Goose

| Title_3 = Cake Walk

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans

| WrittenBy = Rick Jones

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2000|9|4}}

| AltDate =

| ProdCode = 101

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #150FFF

}}

{{Episode list

| NumParts = 3

| EpisodeNumber = 2

| Title_1 = A Ragdoll's Gift

| Title_2 = A Party for One

| Title_3 = I'm the Boss

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans

| WrittenBy = Nancy Trites-Botkin

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2000|9|9}}

| AltDate =

| ProdCode = 102

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #150FFF

}}

{{Episode list

| NumParts = 3

| EpisodeNumber = 3

| Title_1 = A Frog is a Frog

| Title_2 = Sailor's Delight

| Title_3 = Goldilocks

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans

| WrittenBy = Nancy Trites-Botkin

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2000|9|10}}

| AltDate =

| ProdCode = 103

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #150FFF

}}

{{Episode list

| NumParts = 3

| EpisodeNumber = 4

| Title_1 = London Bridge's Falling Down

| Title_2 = Pirate Pshaw

| Title_3 = Bubble Ballet

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans

| WrittenBy = Nancy Trites-Botkin

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2000|9|11}}

| AltDate =

| ProdCode = 104

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #150FFF

}}

{{Episode list

| NumParts = 3

| EpisodeNumber = 5

| Title_1 = Itsy Bitsy Spider

| Title_2 = Bluebird

| Title_3 = Strong Not Strong

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans

| WrittenBy = Timothy Spain

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2000|9|16}}

| AltDate =

| ProdCode = 105

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #150FFF

}}

{{Episode list

| NumParts = 3

| EpisodeNumber = 6

| Title_1 = Spring Junk Band

| Title_2 = Funny Man

| Title_3 = Camp Out

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans

| WrittenBy = Rick Jones

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2000|9|17}}

| AltDate =

| ProdCode = 106

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #150FFF

}}

{{Episode list

| NumParts = 3

| EpisodeNumber = 7

| Title_1 = Poor Invisible Me

| Title_2 = Cricklecrack Thoozelah

| Title_3 = Mary Had a Little Lamb

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans

| WrittenBy = Timothy Spain

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2000|9|18}}

| AltDate =

| ProdCode = 107

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #150FFF

}}

{{Episode list

| NumParts = 3

| EpisodeNumber = 8

| Title_1 = Private Rag Doll

| Title_2 = Cirque de Ballet

| Title_3 = Lost My Head

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans

| WrittenBy = Nancy Trites-Botkin

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2000|9|23}}

| AltDate =

| ProdCode = 108

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #150FFF

}}

{{Episode list

| NumParts = 3

| EpisodeNumber = 9

| Title_1 = Be My Valentine

| Title_2 = Best Friend Ballet

| Title_3 = Perhaps Forever

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans

| WrittenBy = Nancy Trites-Botkin

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2001}}

| AltDate =

| ProdCode = 109

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #150FFF

}}

{{Episode list

| NumParts = 3

| EpisodeNumber = 10

| Title_1 = Angel Wings

| Title_2 = Copy Cat

| Title_3 = Three Cool Pigs

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans

| WrittenBy = Nancy Trites-Botkin

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2000|9|25}}

| AltDate =

| ProdCode = 110

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #150FFF

}}

{{Episode list

| NumParts = 3

| EpisodeNumber = 11

| Title_1 = Sugar Plums Fairly

| Title_2 = Alone Not Lonely

| Title_3 = Blunder Bluff

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans

| WrittenBy = Timothy Spain

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2000|9|30}}

| AltDate =

| ProdCode = 111

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #150FFF

}}

{{Episode list

| NumParts = 3

| EpisodeNumber = 12

| Title_1 = Bo Bo's

| Title_2 = Dance With Me

| Title_3 = Hide and Seek

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans

| WrittenBy = Timothy Spain

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2001}}

| AltDate =

| ProdCode = 112

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #150FFF

}}

{{Episode list

| NumParts = 3

| EpisodeNumber = 13

| Title_1 = Little Miss Muffett

| Title_2 = Little Frog

| Title_3 = Musical Chairs

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans

| WrittenBy = Rick Jones

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2001}}

| AltDate =

| ProdCode = 113

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #150FFF

}}

{{Episode list

| NumParts = 3

| EpisodeNumber = 14

| Title_1 = Perfectly Perfect Party

| Title_2 = Tea Calamity

| Title_3 = Pick a Picnic

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans

| WrittenBy = Mike Laewen

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2001}}

| AltDate =

| ProdCode = 114

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #150FFF

}}

{{Episode list

| NumParts = 3

| EpisodeNumber = 15

| Title_1 = Tea Party

| Title_2 = Waltz for Three

| Title_3 = Phish Phobia

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans

| WrittenBy = Nancy Trites-Botkin

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2001}}

| AltDate =

| ProdCode = 115

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #000000

}}

{{Episode list

| NumParts = 3

| EpisodeNumber = 16

| Title_1 = Twinkle Twinkle

| Title_2 = She Shoots She Scores

| Title_3 = Just Say No

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans

| WrittenBy = Nancy Trites-Botkin

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2001}}

| AltDate =

| ProdCode = 116

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #150FFF

}}

{{Episode list

| NumParts = 3

| EpisodeNumber = 17

| Title_1 = The Pied Piper of Glum

| Title_2 = Anything You Can Do...

| Title_3 = Giggle Girl

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans

| WrittenBy = Timothy Spain

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2001}}

| AltDate =

| ProdCode = 117

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #150FFF

}}

{{Episode list

| NumParts = 3

| EpisodeNumber = 18

| Title_1 = Nutcracker Sweet

| Title_2 = Twelve Days of Christmas

| Title_3 = Season of Lights

| DirectedBy = Katherine Jeans

| WrittenBy = Timothy Spain

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2001}}

| AltDate =

| ProdCode = 118

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = #150FFF

}}

References

External links

{{IMDb title|0283805}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20060101110601/http://www.thetoycastle.com:80/InstallFlash.asp The Toy Castle website archived by the Wayback Machine]

Category:PBS Kids shows

Category:First-run syndicated television shows in Canada

Category:Canadian children's fantasy television series

Category:Treehouse TV original programming

Category:TVO original programming

Category:TFO original programming

Category:Television series about sentient toys

Category:2000 Canadian television series debuts

Category:2003 Canadian television series endings

Category:2000s Canadian children's television series

Category:Television series about toys

Category:Fictional fortifications