Planet Pink by Nancy Hahn
Today, I catch up with our friend, Nancy Hahn, of iRead2Know and American Busker iHeart Radio. Since my first interview with her on the Pittsburgh Beautiful podcast, this dynamic women has been busy! Let’s catch up with her below:
Chris:
Nancy, you created and developed 150 Characters, wrote 12 Children’s Musicals, wrote 50 Award Winning Children’s Books, that are all published and in libraries and sold in big box stores globally. You have been in the TV business for 25 years, as an Owner, Operator, and Founder. You now Own and Operate and create all the content (Music, Stories, Plays, Musicals) for all your iHeart Radio Children’s Networks, that have millions of daily listeners for 8 years now. You have written, directed and produced LIVE stage shows nationally, where your characters come to life with music, songs and dances you create. What on earth is next, Nancy?
Nancy:
Thanks Chris! You have a great memory from our last Podcast Interview: A Star Yes You Are. What’s next hopefully are featured TV Cartoons and Mobile Games! TV is deeply rooted in my DNA, and I have been involved in every premutation of TV and Media. I love every minute of it. From the first point of creation, I always see the TV cartoon. It’s always a musical with big production numbers, and of course lots singing and dancing. I also want to reach the rest of the world with my Children’s Radio Content. My iHeartRadio Children’s Stations on the iHeartRadio Platform are in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, New Zealand, and Australia. So, there is a lot of opportunity for distribution in other countries. I also think there is a huge opportunity, now as all the streaming networks grow. multiply, compete and are having some audience exhaustion, to bring back a brand-new slate of SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS on NETWORK TV. In other words, merge the best of all worlds and reach the most children possible with compelling edutaining content, every Saturday morning.
My Planet Pink Mobile Game will be ready for distribution in mid-September.
This is an immersive Educational STEM and Earth Space Science Game with strong Social and Emotional Elements. The Game Points and Rewards are Kindness Coins, and you grow your Heart Ears by doing kind things on Planet Pink. The Planet Pink Mobile Game also delves into WhoHood and Self-worth.
It is a very unique property and has many bells and whistles as well as lots of music and fun. Planet Pink Mobile Game is predicated on my Planet Pink Award Winning Book Series and The Planet Pink iHeartRadio Story Series on all my Children’s iHeart Radio Stations. I designed a safe fun game whereby children are nurtured to Play to Learn & Earn reward points.
Chris:
Saturday Morning Cartoons again on Network TV! I love it. Brings back many fond memories. The Planet Pink Mobile Game sounds wonderful! What a welcomed relief for parents to not have to worry about any violence, or scary stuff that you hear so much about in mobile gaming. All healthy content for kids! And the children learn about science and KINDNESS! Wow! One thing we talked about in our previous interview is all this work you do and of course it is a gift, but you also are doing the job and workload of 50 people. How do you create all this content? How does it come about? What is the process?
Nancy:
Funny you should say that because a Disney Exec called me a “One-Woman Disney”. My iRead2Know iHeartRadio Station is also in the top hit Children’s Station’s iHeart Premiere Group along with Radio Disney. As the Thomas Edison quote says, “one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.” Yes, it is a rare blessing to have the imagination and creativity, but if you don’t have the work ethic for all the labor it entails, it is all for not. I can be hiking, biking, walking my dogs, cooking or swimming and the Character, Song, Dance and Story just come to me. I find inspiration everywhere! But then of course comes the long journey of all the intensive labor involved. There is a lot of music, dancing and singing in my home, especially in the kitchen! People in my extended family were Italian Opera stars and play classical music and have beautiful singing voices.
Chris:
Nancy, how old were you when you wrote your first song?
Nancy:
My very first song was a poem and a song I wrote at 6 years old for my parents’ anniversary. I made them a card with the poem and sang the song and made up a dance to it. But like I said in my last interview with you, my parents loved all that, but they did not make a big fuss. But I remember their big smiles to this day, when I performed my song and dance! I then branched out to writing Birthday Songs and Christmas poems for my Grandma, Uncles and Aunts. One very cherished sentimental memory is that when my father died, way too young, I found every card, poem, story, drawing I made as a child, in his drawer.
Chris:
That is a beautiful memory. A real Pittsburgh story as well as a universal story. So how has Pittsburgh impacted all you have done and continue to do?
Nancy:
Ready for another FUN FACT? I actually grew up in Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood! I lived very close by his house. Pittsburgh is historically where Children’s Television was born with the iconic Fred Rogers: Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood!
Chris:
What is the favorite part of all this for you? You’re not just sitting on a beach, relaxing somewhere…What keeps you going?
Nancy:
Actually, when I am in water or by water, I am creating a massive amount of material. Water really inspires me! I am very grateful to be able to create content for children. As you know, before I built the TV Station, I taught elementary school, I taught ballet to children and then I was an on-air talent for KDKA-TV/CBS Award winning children’s Trolley Show. I ran the College Dance Department for our largest Community College: CCAC, all campuses. I taught dance for college credit, being almost the same age as my students. I was doing TV Commercials on the side then as well. I had so many jobs, which led me here and I work with amazing people, like 10-time Grammy winner Jose Feliciano, Broadway Stars and Grammy winning Music Producers. After one of my live stage shows in New York: The Adventures of Eshe The Ethiopian Elephant a 7 year old boy walked up to me and said, “I LOVE Eshe! Did she come out of your brain?” I laughed and said, “yes she did.” He said, “Well, I love your brain! ” And I said, I love your brain, more!”
Children are so pure and all the love you pour in, all the warmth, all the emotion, all the heart and soul, the blood sweat and tears, they feel it. They truly get it! That’s the amazing part. To be perfectly honest, I’m still the little 6-year-old girl singing and dancing for my parents, feeling so happy I made them smile.
Chris:
Thanks Nancy! Children are very lucky to have you.
See ALL of Nancy Hahn’s Out of This World Content
A Star Yes You Are American Busker Play To Learn Metaverse Planet Pink Mobile Game iRead2Know Workshop Water is Life EDU-CAKE
