Give them a High 5!

They have been here for two sold-out shows and they are coming back for more!

Good news for kiddie fans: Hi-5 Operations and Vivre Fort Entertainment are bringing back Hi-5 in a brand-new live stage show titled Hi-5 HouseHits!, to be presented by HSBC and Magnolia Chocolait at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila from Dec. 19 to 21, with eight performances currently on sale.

Say hello again to Mary Lascaris, Stevie Nicholson, Tanika Anderson, Dayen Zheng and Ainsley Melham, the world-renowned Children’s Television Program & Pop Music Group launched in Australia in 1998 whose kiddie fans around the world range in age between one and eight years old. They offer a vibrant mix of stories, investigations, imagination and adventure, inviting children to actively share the excitement of exploring the world through movement, lots of catchy music and laughter. Joining the group are their puppet friends Chats and Jupjup. (In the Philippines, Hi-5 airs every day on Disney Junior.) 

A new addition to the Hi-5 family is The Chatter Box, a world where the chatty Chats with her puppet friends. With Chats, kids can uncover some cool new words and phrases and journey to some amazing places. Chats’ closest friend in the Chatterbox is Tinka, the Tin Toy Robot. Chats also introduces two other friends in her world, the wise old bookworms  Horace and Aristotle (Ari).

Conversations did an exclusive e-mail interview with the Hi-5 guys.

What do you find most enjoyable about being a Hi-5 member?

Mary: Being able to sing, dance and play every day with amazing kids! I love being able to make them happy.

Stevie: I love the interaction we get to have with our fans. It’s so special to be able to travel the world and meet so many amazing children. To be able to play a small part in entertaining them and bringing a smile to their lives is an incredible feeling.

Tanika: I love that we get to be ourselves and play all day every day.

Dayen: Apart from doing everything I love which is dancing, singing and acting and working with children, I love the charity work we get to do within the job being ambassadors for World Vision and Starlight Foundation. I’ve had the chance to experience things that I never thought I could experience. No words could describe what I felt during these visits and I get to share all the special memories with the other cast members which is extra special.

Ainsley: The most enjoyable part about being a Hi-5 member is meeting all the fascinating children from around the world. All of our fans come from different places in the world, different upbringings, and they watch Hi-5 for different reasons. I love to meet our young fans and listen to what they have to say.

Aside from the art of entertaining people, what have you learned from being a member of Hi-5?

Mary: I’ve learned that all kids just want to have fun no matter where they are in the world. A smile and some fun is the best gift any child can have and that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life.

Stevie: I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter how rich or how poor a child is, they all just want to have fun! I’ve also learned a lot from our audience and the importance of staying connected to our inner child as we grow older.

Tanika: I’ve learned about what’s really important in life and that is family. In Hi-5, we are all a family.

Dayen: I’ve learned a lot about myself not just as a performer but as a person I aspire to be. We get to travel all around the world and we get to meet so many children and families from all walks of life. This job has opened my eyes to what is important to me and what I strongly believe which in turn makes me constantly evolve and grow as a person.

Ainsley: One incredible thing I have learned from being a member of Hi-5 is how it is to always nurture your inner child, well into adulthood. The fans from around the world have shown me how much more enjoyable life can be if you are open to different ways one of which is through the eyes of an innocent child.

It must be more fun that you are yourselves, instead of playing characters.

Mary: Yes, we are completely ourselves! We have a great relationship with the writers and costuming and they work around what we like to do and wear, that way we are being ourselves so it’s all natural.

Stevie: I am playing myself on the show but maybe just a slightly heightened version. When I’m not on stage, I’m still a pretty happy, excitable guy so I wouldn’t say that there are too many differences.

Tanika: We are all ourselves and each of us has a different and unique personality which we share with our fans all over the world!

Dayen: I am exactly the same when I am with Hi-5 and when I’m out of it. The most important attribute a Hi-5 member must have is a bright and positive personality. You must be genuine. Children are so honest and pure, so we have to be honest with children and to do that, you must be able to bring out your inner child. Just have fun with them. During auditions, they test not only your skills as a performer, they also look at your personality.

Ainsley: Our roles in Hi-5 are really extensions of ourselves; we don’t play characters, we play ourselves. I do love music, I sing all the time and I love to go along and listen to different types of bands and music when I am in my hometown or overseas. The one difference I can say is that I have to do a lot more practice and research about the different instruments I use in Hi-5 because I don’t play them all naturally.

Who are your role models?

Mary: I get all my inspiration from the kids. Their energy and happiness is so contagious and never-ending. It’s all about the simple things in life and finding love and happiness in every second.

Stevie: I really look up to a lot of athletes, like Rafael Nadal. I admire their dedication to their craft and the discipline it takes to make the most out of your gifts. I also look up to my parents; they have been the best role models anyone could ask for.

Tanika: My mum and my nanny will forever be my role models.

Dayen: My parents. They inspire me so much and I really look up to them. They have taught me to always work hard and to be humble no matter how tough or good life gets.

Ainsley: The talented singers and dancers of the 1930s/’40s American musical era, most notably Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. They are talented and they did what we do today in film and theater, with half of today’s technology.

You have become like brothers and sisters. Do you, like typical siblings, sometimes have differences and how do you settle them?

Mary: What makes Hi-5 is that we are all different which is what we love about each other. We are all very lucky that we get along well and have so much fun together. We are all very honest to each other which makes our time together very enjoyable.

Stevie: We really spend most of our time off stage making each other laugh. We realize the importance of keeping our environment positive and are constantly working to keep each other “up.”

Tanika: We are with each other all the time so we know everything about each other. The key is just to have fun and share the love!

Dayen: The cast spends more time with each other than we do with our own families. So we are practically family. At the end of the day, we are all human and we do get tired. We all have our own personal things going on back home and we all deal with them differently. What is so special and good about the cast is that we are all very honest and open to each other and the truth is, nothing ever is really a problem.

Ainsley: You’re right. We are like brothers and sisters, and because of that we know when each other is tired or needs sometimes to be himself/herself. We are respectful of each other’s personal space and needs, especially when we spend a lot of time together on tour. We talk all the time honestly so we don’t really have any issues.

Any piece of advice to Hi-5 fans, especially the young?

Mary: Just keep having fun and do the things that make you happy no matter what!!!

Stevie: Keep dancing legends!

Tanika: Be yourself and never stop smiling. It’s good for you.

Dayen: Be yourself. Be individual. You were put on this earth to be you, not somebody else! So follow your dreams, believe in yourself and don’t be afraid to be different! Do what makes you happy!

Ainsley: It is so important to remember to look at life in a fun, imaginative and challenging way. We can achieve many things and if we put our minds to it nothing can stop us. Always stay positive, be thankful for each day, and strive for more.

(Tickets for Hi-5 House Hits! are available in all TicketWorld outlets and at Resorts World Manila box office. Use your HSBC credit card or debit card and save 10 percent on tickets. For more information, visit www.ticketworld.com.ph or call 891-9999.)

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