Toy Play licensee for 'Maya & Miguel'
By Tanya K. Merritte -- Kids Today, 10/1/2004
New York — Scholastic Entertainment has named Toy Play master toy licensee for its animated situation comedy "Maya & Miguel," set to premiere this fall on the PBS Kids Go network. Items from the line will be unveiled at this month's American International Fall Toy Show in New York.
"Maya & Miguel" focuses on twin Latino siblings and their interaction with their family, friends and diverse community.
"Our partnership with Toy Play is intended to extend the 'Maya & Miguel' experience directly from the TV series and into the lives of children, who will come to know and love the characters," said Peter Van Raalte, vice president of consumer products with Scholastic Entertainment. "Maya and Miguel are quite the dynamic duo, and we're confident that Toy Play will produce an innovative and inspired line of toys that will showcase Maya and Miguel's true spirit of fun, playfulness and adventure."
The collection will launch with dolls and play sets, with a focus on Maya, said Dara Treu, marketing manager at The Betesh Group, Toy Play's parent company. Toy Play plans to market the line to mass merchants and specialty and toy stores. Retail price points range between $6.99 and $24.99, and the initial line is scheduled to ship fall 2005. Treu said the line will eventually expand to more elaborate play sets and electronic products.
Jonathan Breiter, vice president of new business development and marketing at Toy Play, said the company was excited about partnering with Scholastic Enterprises and the property.
" 'Maya & Miguel' encourages children's natural curiosity about the world around them and presents them with believable characters and story lines they can relate to, and that provides Toy Play with a wonderful opportunity to create truly distinctive toys for a multi-cultural audience," he said.
Sixty-five half-hour shows of "Maya & Miguel" are scheduled to air on PBS Kids Go. Well-known cast members include Lucy Liu as the voice of Maya's friend, Maggie, and Erik Estrada as the neighborhood mailman.
New York-based Toy Play is the licensee for several other properties, including the MiJos, Muppet Babies and Rainbow Brite. The company is opening its new showroom in time for the fall toy fair and will have several of its 2004 lines on display, including the Maya & Miguel property.
The Maya & Miguel collection, previewing at the fall toy fair, includes dolls and play sets. The line is set to hit stores in fall 2005.
