WarnerMedia Kids & Family and Stampede Ventures upcoming CGI animated rock opera, based on Mo Willems’ best-selling book, will feature the voices of Jordan Fisher, Yvette Nicole Brown, Kate Micucci, Kevin Michael Richardson and Carol Kane; the musical adventure hits the newly launched preschool animation block on HBO Max in 2022.
WarnerMedia Kids & Family and Stampede Ventures have unveiled the cast of their upcoming Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Underground Rock Experience. Based on popular kids’ author Mo Willems’ best-selling book and the sold-out theatrical rock experience, the one-hour CGI-animated rock opera (animated by Oddbot Animation Studios) features the voice talents of:
- Jordan Fisher as Wilbur, the sensitive, curious, and brave mole rat
- Yvette Nicole Brown as Grande, a member of Mole Rat society’s popular crowd and front mole of the Tunnel’s Rock Band
- Kate Micucci as Tall, a rule-follower with a heart of gold
- Kevin Michael Richardson as Venti, a big lug that needs just two things in life: rocking out with his bandmates and being stark raving naked!
- Carol Kane as Grand-Mah, the larger-than-life matriarch of the Mole Rat society.
The additional voice cast includes Ron Funches as Les Pants the Weather Mole, Thomas Lennon as Stark Naked the News Mole, and Jenna Ushkowitz as the Secret Service Mole. The special will hit Cartoonito on HBO Max next year.
Mole Rat and all his Fellow Mole Rats in the Tunnel have always been, well… naked. But when Wilbur discovers clothing and a love for style, the Tunnel turns upside down! An animated hour of “underground” music and comedy about being comfortable in your own skin, this adaptation of the popular theater experience will knock your socks on!
Willems and Tom Warburton co-wrote the script with original tunes by Willems and composer Deborah Wicks La Puma. Willems and Warburton will executive produce alongside Stampede Ventures’ Greg Silverman and Jay Judah, with OddBot Animation Studios serving as animation house. Megan Alrutz will also serve as producer on behalf of the Mo Willems Workshop. Songs are produced by Dan Petty, Doug Petty, and Michelle Lewis.
Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Underground Rock Experience is part of WarnerMedia’s multi-year deal with Willems and producing partner Stampede Ventures to create live-action Storytime Specials and multiple animated and live-action series based on the author’s popular children’s books. Willems’ first HBO Max live-action special, Mo Willems and The Storytime All-Stars Present: Don’t Let the Pigeon Do Storytime! received wide acclaim, garnering multiple award nominations including a 2021 Writers Guild Award and two 2021 Daytime Emmy Awards – it is now available for streaming on HBO Max.
