DreamWorks Animation today magicked up the official trailer for its whimsical new preschool animated series, Dew Drop Diaries, which will premiere July 24 exclusively on Netflix. The 28 x 11′ CG-animated show follows the adventures of a trio of tiny fairies as they use their unique powers to help humans in any little way they can.
Synopsis: Dew Drop Diaries follows a group of three-inch tall family fairies — or as they’re known in the fairy world Dew Drops — who live inside teensy fairy houses on brownstone balcony gardens in “The Big City.” They have been assigned to human families to secretly help out around the house with the little things that can often fall through the cracks, like making sure your first lost tooth actually makes it under your pillow before bedtime or your favorite toy doesn’t get left behind at the park.
Dew Drop Diaries features the voices of Scarlett Estevez as Eden, a Dew Drop who can talk to animals; Viviann Yee as Athena, who has supersized strength; Sydney Mikayla as Phoebe, whose fairy-bility is creating magical music; Zehra Fazal as Dr. Tracy Ryan; Spencer Moss as Harper Ryan, Jakari Fraser as Marcus Greene; Olivia Trujillo as Cassie Cortez-Chang; Nick Kishiyama as Dylan Cortez-Chang; Olivia Daniels as Lola Cortez-Chang; Reggie Watkins as Dr. Damon Greene; Bob Bergen as Hammy the Hamster; Bill Farmer as Wilford the Dog; Dee Bradley Baker as Qwak the Chipmunk and Ruffles the Bird; and Brec Bassinger as Willow.
The series is created and executive produced by Rick Suvalle, a longtime children’s animation writer and producer whose credits include Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go!, T.O.T.S., The Stinky & Dirty Show and Miles from Tomorrowland. Primetime Emmy and Daytime Emmy nominee Aliki Theofilopoulos (Mickey Mouse, Phineas & Ferb, Doug Unplugs, Harvey Girls Forever!) serves as executive producer.
Suvalle shared that the show’s positive message was inspired by his own family. “I have two daughters with Type 1 diabetes and my wife and I have always taught them that they can still do anything they set their minds to, so when I had the opportunity to create a new series I wanted it to encompass that same ‘can do’ attitude. And I thought that making the central characters these tiny fairies who defy the odds and do big things, was the perfect metaphor for being a little kid,” said the series creator.
“However, while developing the series I started to feel that if the fairies could do magic and fly, it was a cheat, and I really wanted to showcase characters that were creative and resourceful in their problem-solving, so I decided to make them ‘fairies-in-training’ where they still have wings, but they can’t fly yet. But it wouldn’t be a true fairy show if the characters didn’t have a little magic, so I decided to give each of the Dew Drops one magic power, or as we like to call them ‘fairy-bilities.’ But at the end of the day, it’s really friendship and teamwork that ends up saving the day.”
Theofilopoulos, also a parent of two, was attracted to the strong and diverse girl heroes at the center of the show. “We felt that it was incredibly important to have our characters represent what our world actually looks like. We have characters with different body types, abilities, talents, personalities, backgrounds and interests, which felt like a nice cross-section of the beautiful colorful world we live in,” she noted. “We hope kids can see themselves in our character.”
“Kids are particularly anxious these days, and so focused on achievements, pleasing others, being liked, etc. Our world has some challenges right now and that can be very scary for a child. There is a lot of negative to focus on,” Theofilopoulos added. “We really want to encourage children to focus on the positive, what they have done right rather than the seemingly wrong. We want them to find value in the growth that comes out of life experiences, and notice the joy in the little things, too!”
