Are you a fan of Pinna Original Hey Story Go!?
If so, you’re in for a treat! Today, we’re talking with co-creators Carly and Marc about how the show came to be.
(Actually, our Q&A session is with Carly, but you’ll hear interesting tidbits and anecdotes from Marc sprinkled throughout the entire interview!)
If you haven’t heard this preschool hit, you’re definitely missing out. It’s quirky, fun, and sure to get your little one off the couch!
Check out our chat with Carly below and then be sure to tune into Hey Story Go! on Pinna.
Let’s jump in!
An Exciting Q&A With Fan-Favorite Carly From Pinna’s Don’t Break The Rules and Hey Story Go!
Why don't you tell us a bit about yourself and how you came to work with Pinna?
Hi! I'm Carly! I live in Brooklyn and I love to ride my bike, hike upstate, and make things with people. I've been working in kids' media for the last ten years. I got my start as a host and writer on a live morning TV show for preschoolers called Sunny Side Up on Sprout. Since then, I've hosted and written for a few more TV shows and thanks to Pinna, I now play in the podcast space too!
My first Pinna experience was as the host of the improv game show Don't Break the Rules!. I loved EVERYONE I interacted with from Pinna and immediately got my wheels turning to try and pitch them something. Luckily, my dear friend and former Sprout colleague Marc Cantone and I had been working on something — Hey Story Go! — that ended up being a great fit!
How did you come up with the idea for the podcast?
Marc and I love writing music together and we knew we wanted to create a show that would allow us to get some fun original songs into the world. Marc is a brilliant musician; he's written songs for Sprout, Universal Kids, Nick Jr., and more. He wrote Sprout's “Days of the Week" song — it has 15 million views on YouTube because he's a genius like that.
Before I worked in television, I spent many years as a teaching artist facilitating creative writing and theatre workshops in public schools. I also worked at an early childhood enrichment center teaching yoga and creative movement classes. I'm always looking for ways to connect storytelling and movement. With Hey Story Go! we game-ified an immersive type of storytelling that I find really works with kids. We also love the challenge of taking an audio experience and making it physically interactive. We wanted to try something that we hadn't heard before!
Please share what Pinna projects you’ve worked on. We’d love to hear!
I'm the host of Don't Break the Rules, an improv game show for kids. Listen to all three seasons, especially our (short but sweet!) third season, recorded in front of a live audience right before the pandemic.
Marc and I co-created and co-write Hey Story Go! and I also host the show beside my other amazing former Sprout colleague Kaitlin Becker!
Marc can also be found in the Pinnaverse as a writer for Quentin and Alphie's Alphabet Adventures.
What led you to this career choice? Any advice for our readers who may be interested in pursuing this path?
After college, I pursued acting and comedy in Chicago, but the way I paid my rent was always through teaching jobs. I was working with kids by day, acting in plays and performing improv at night.
I got an audition to host a live preschool TV show called Sunny Side Up. I'd never heard of it but I got the job, left Chicago, and realized that making kids' media is THE MOST FUN!
If you're interested in our magical little slice of the media industry, my first tip is always check out the Children's Media Association. It's a great foundational resource. I don't know how Marc got here but we found each other at Sprout and that's all that matters.
Growing up, what was your dream job? How does that compare to what you're doing now?
When I was 8, I made my siblings participate in a DIY version of Where in the World is Carmen San Diego, hosted by me. So, I think this was my destiny?
What (or who!) inspires you? We'd love to hear more about your creative process!
I have a little piece of paper at my desk with all the names of the folks that inspire me for different reasons. They're cross genre!
Kaitlin Prest, Latif Nasser, Mindy Thomas, Rebecca Sugar, Ilana Glazer, Adam Wade, Chris Nee, JJ Johnson, Ursula Le Guin, Mary Oliver, Ann Marie Thomas, Cat Jaffee and so many more.
Anyone who's out there taking risks and making thoughtful, original stuff inspires me to do the same.
If you could travel anywhere in the entire world, where would you go and why?
Ohhh some place close to the Arctic! I want to see the Northern Lights. And I want to kayak beside glaciers.
Or I want to spend a month in Thailand at a boxing training camp.
Marc said he would travel to Delaware to visit my family (I'm the oldest of seven kids and he's heard many tales of our shenanigans, so I get it).
Do you have any furry (or scaly!) friends keeping you company while you work? If so, feel free to share a picture too!
Marc has two Yorkie rescues and they are incredibly adorable and important. I have no pets...YET.
Let's talk food! If you could only eat one thing every single day for the rest of your life, what would it be? Why?
The cavatelli from Frankie's in Brooklyn. It is the best pasta dish in the history of humankind. It's the last thing I eat before I leave town for any reason and the first thing I eat when I return home.
Marc would eat pizza forever and he gave me no further specifics.
What do you enjoy listening to — music, podcasts, audiobooks? Can we get a sneak peek at your playlist? ;)
For music, right now I'm really loving Valerie June, Hiatus Kaiyote and anything soul.
For pods, I love Ten Percent Happier, On Being with Krista Tippet, Levar Reads, Unexplained and anything about writing.
I love audiobooks. I'm listening to Braiding Sweetgrass right now and it's so, so good!
Wrapping up, can you share where our readers can follow you to keep up with your work?
Carly: @carlyciarrocchi on IG/Twitter and www.carlyciarrocchi.com is getting an upgrade soon so that'll be a good resource in 2022.
That’s a Wrap!
We’re so grateful to Carly and Marc for answering our most pressing questions. If you enjoyed this interview as much as we did, be sure to check out Hey Story Go! on Pinna.
We’re all ears!
What is your favorite fun podcast to get kids up and moving? We’d love to hear from you! Find us on all our social platforms – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest – or email us at contact@pinna.fm.
