Post by mikejehmsz on Aug 15, 2017 11:44:56 GMT -5
Greetings, Nick Relics readers! My name is MikeJehmsz and I’m here with an editorial review on one of my favorite 1990s Nickelodeon shows: Roundhouse.
(Season 1 Episode 5, "First Date")
Roundhouse was an early-‘90s Nickelodeon sketch comedy series with a music and dance twist. Created by Buddy and Rita Sheffield with music by Benny Hester, the show debuted with SNICK on August 15th, 1992, and ran for four seasons with a total of fifty-two episodes, ending in late 1994; reruns aired regularly until 1996 and sporadically until 1999.
Roundhouse was (and still is) a show unlike anything Nickelodeon ever had to offer. The show was ahead of its time and while it had its fair share of fans and critical praise, it simply wasn’t ready for Nick’s broad audience and eventually faded into obscurity after being replaced by the far popular All That. It was frequently viewed as SNICK’s least popular program and still receives negative feedback from Nickelodeon viewers of the time. Critics aside, let’s talk more about the show…
A typical episode centered around the Anyfamily, an average American family and their day-to-day life at home and at school. The Anyfamily consisted of Dad Anydad (played by John Crane), Mom Anymom (played by Shawn Daywalt), and their child, who carried the last name “Anykid” and had a different first name every episode. Cast members playing the Anykid would revolve early on, but in the later seasons he was almost always played by Ivan Dudynsky. Another cast member would play a male or female sibling of the Anykid on occasion.
If you think their name couldn’t be any more generic, think about this: the Anyfamily (Dad Anydad, Mom Anymom, and the Anykid) live in Anytown, USA, on 311 Any Street. The Anykid(s) attend Anytown Junior High School and were the graduating class of 19anyyear.
Sketches tied into the episode’s plot and were usually parodies of infomercials or featured characters meant to lampoon pop culture icons; heavy emphasis on lampoon as Madonna, New Kids on the Block, and Tori Spelling were the butt of many jokes. In fact, they made so many cracks at Tori Spelling and Beverly Hills 90210 that Aaron Spelling attempted to sue the Roundhouse staff! (the issue was later settled out of court with Roundhouse prevailing).
Dance numbers accompanied by “hip” music tracks occurred between acts; before and after a commercial break. Every episode featured at least one original song, written by the show’s music staff and sung by cast members at the end of the third act. A few Roundhouse songs were actually re-workings of the creators’ previous projects. For example, Benny Hester’s song “Restless Nights” from the early 1980s was re-written into “Back Where We Belong,” featured in Season 1 Episode 2. Another song of Hester’s, “The Bridge,” was performed in Season 2 Episode 8, twenty years after its first release in the 1970s. One song from Season 3 Episode 12 titled “Just a Dream” was written by Madonna and Pat Leonard; it was performed on Roundhouse because Madonna had never recorded it!
After the episode’s song, the conflict of the episode would be resolved (normally by usage of a “cliché happy ending” trope, which the cast would occasionally acknowledge) and a character would say the words “Reprise the Theme Song and Roll the Credits!”, cuing the cast to sing the theme song a cappella on center stage as the credits rolled. A dance number followed the theme reprise and the cast’s antics were shown over the credits for the remainder of the episode.
The show’s backstory follows a group of kids who had taken over an abandoned train station roundhouse to put on a show inside (this was played out in the opening sequence). Hence, the show took place on a stage resembling a roundhouse with its only other “sets” being two flatbed carts on either side of the stage. Many props (like the recognizable TV set) were made out of cardboard, but one of them stood out the most: Dad’s chair… A red, plaid La-Z-Boy/Jazzy hybrid with a television and BBQ grill attached. Basically put, it was every father’s dream recliner. It was so cool that during production of the first episode, every cast and crew member wanted a chance to ride it! Cast member John Crane spent most of his screen time in the chair as he always played Dad Anydad. However, other cast members can be seen riding the chair during the credits and in some promos. Rumor has it that around the time the show ended, Nickelodeon ran a giveaway and the grand prize was a replica of Dad’s chair. Whoever has it now is the luckiest Roundhouse fan on the planet…
The REAL Dad chair used on the show was said to be stored in a warehouse, according to a tweet from musical producer Benny Hester. There’s a chance we might see it again! ;-)
Roundhouse’s cast was mostly the same throughout its run, but changes were present every season. The main cast consisted of the aforementioned John Crane, Shawn Daywalt, and Ivan Dudynsky, plus Julene Renee, Dominic Lucero, Seymour Willis Green, Micki Duran, Natalie Nucci, David Sidoni, Mark David (no, he did not shoot John Lennon), and Alfred Carr. Additional cast members only stayed for one or two seasons, such as Crystal Lewis (Season 1 only), Lisa Vale (Seasons 2 and 4), Amy Ehrlich, Jennifer Cihi, and Shawn Muñoz (Season 3 only), and Bryan Anthony, David Nicoll, and Natasha Pearce (Season 4 only).
Unfortunately, Dominic Lucero was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer shortly after the first season and was forced to leave the show for treatment. Fans and viewers were left in the dark about Dominic’s sudden absence as he requested his condition not be publicized. He later returned for three episodes in the third season (with a cameo in one and much smaller roles in the others) and disappeared again shortly thereafter. Dominic’s illness later got the best of him as he passed away at the age of twenty-six on July 1st, 1994 - during production of the fourth season. A spoken dedication to him was part of the final episode: “This one’s for our friend Dominic, who couldn’t be here. It says: “you will be loved by all.” -David Sidoni, S4E13 “Endings”
Despite his absence, Dominic remained credited in the opening sequence for the entirety of the series.
There were many recurring characters during the show’s run. While there were plenty of original characters, others were either parodies or impressions of pop culture icons. Mark David notably played Principal Bose, Ed McMayonnaise, The Annoying Kid from the Encyclopedia Commercials, and Parvis; Micki Duran, the show’s youngest cast member, played the “airhead” popular girl; John Crane played Coach Jim Nasium, Gus the Sucky Sock Dog, and various announcers aside from Dad; Shawn Daywalt played Dr. Larita Curran and fashion designer Elsa Flinch aside from Mom Anymom; Julene Renee, Alfred Carr, and Mark David played hybrid talk show host Sally/Jesse/Rafael; male & female cast members rotated positions as popular kid-groups “The Dudes” and “The Dudettes”; and most importantly, David Sidoni played breakout character Dumb Kid, who received enough attention that he appeared in nearly every Season 3 episode and well into Season 4.
While most people see it as a lackluster show due to its musical segments and heavy pop culture-reliance, Roundhouse is a show packed with creativity, humor, individuality and charm, and is very much deserving of its healthy four-season run. Between the cast, comedy, music, and the fast-paced (sometimes chaotic) execution, Roundhouse created an identity of its own with the bread & butter of a musical theatre production and variety show.
Following its cancellation, reruns aired for a year across Nick, MTV, and BET. Reruns halted for three years before two episodes aired in 1999 for Nickelodeon’s 20th birthday. After being off the air for nearly sixteen years, Roundhouse’s first two episodes aired as part of TeenNick’s The Splat (now NickSplat) in October 2015. This was followed by the third season holiday special, which aired during the week of Christmas that year. The third-season “Puberty/Relationships” episode aired in early 2016, accompanied by a full ‘weekend binge’ event (consisting of episodes from the first two seasons) that February. The “Practical Jokes” episode (also from Season 3) aired as part of the ‘Greetings from Nickelodeon Studios’ event in May 2016; reruns stopped for a full year until the SNICK25 event.
Well, everyone, thank you very much for reading my extensive oral history on Roundhouse and I apologize that you had to read it all in one sitting. If you learned something, that’s great! Feel free to check out the show whenever you have the chance. Episodes are around YouTube and hopefully it shows up on The Splat again after SNICK25! Until next time, Reprise the Theme Song and Roll the Credits!
That’s good enough...
(Season 1 Episode 5, "First Date")
Roundhouse was an early-‘90s Nickelodeon sketch comedy series with a music and dance twist. Created by Buddy and Rita Sheffield with music by Benny Hester, the show debuted with SNICK on August 15th, 1992, and ran for four seasons with a total of fifty-two episodes, ending in late 1994; reruns aired regularly until 1996 and sporadically until 1999.
Roundhouse was (and still is) a show unlike anything Nickelodeon ever had to offer. The show was ahead of its time and while it had its fair share of fans and critical praise, it simply wasn’t ready for Nick’s broad audience and eventually faded into obscurity after being replaced by the far popular All That. It was frequently viewed as SNICK’s least popular program and still receives negative feedback from Nickelodeon viewers of the time. Critics aside, let’s talk more about the show…
A typical episode centered around the Anyfamily, an average American family and their day-to-day life at home and at school. The Anyfamily consisted of Dad Anydad (played by John Crane), Mom Anymom (played by Shawn Daywalt), and their child, who carried the last name “Anykid” and had a different first name every episode. Cast members playing the Anykid would revolve early on, but in the later seasons he was almost always played by Ivan Dudynsky. Another cast member would play a male or female sibling of the Anykid on occasion.
If you think their name couldn’t be any more generic, think about this: the Anyfamily (Dad Anydad, Mom Anymom, and the Anykid) live in Anytown, USA, on 311 Any Street. The Anykid(s) attend Anytown Junior High School and were the graduating class of 19anyyear.
Sketches tied into the episode’s plot and were usually parodies of infomercials or featured characters meant to lampoon pop culture icons; heavy emphasis on lampoon as Madonna, New Kids on the Block, and Tori Spelling were the butt of many jokes. In fact, they made so many cracks at Tori Spelling and Beverly Hills 90210 that Aaron Spelling attempted to sue the Roundhouse staff! (the issue was later settled out of court with Roundhouse prevailing).
Dance numbers accompanied by “hip” music tracks occurred between acts; before and after a commercial break. Every episode featured at least one original song, written by the show’s music staff and sung by cast members at the end of the third act. A few Roundhouse songs were actually re-workings of the creators’ previous projects. For example, Benny Hester’s song “Restless Nights” from the early 1980s was re-written into “Back Where We Belong,” featured in Season 1 Episode 2. Another song of Hester’s, “The Bridge,” was performed in Season 2 Episode 8, twenty years after its first release in the 1970s. One song from Season 3 Episode 12 titled “Just a Dream” was written by Madonna and Pat Leonard; it was performed on Roundhouse because Madonna had never recorded it!
After the episode’s song, the conflict of the episode would be resolved (normally by usage of a “cliché happy ending” trope, which the cast would occasionally acknowledge) and a character would say the words “Reprise the Theme Song and Roll the Credits!”, cuing the cast to sing the theme song a cappella on center stage as the credits rolled. A dance number followed the theme reprise and the cast’s antics were shown over the credits for the remainder of the episode.
The show’s backstory follows a group of kids who had taken over an abandoned train station roundhouse to put on a show inside (this was played out in the opening sequence). Hence, the show took place on a stage resembling a roundhouse with its only other “sets” being two flatbed carts on either side of the stage. Many props (like the recognizable TV set) were made out of cardboard, but one of them stood out the most: Dad’s chair… A red, plaid La-Z-Boy/Jazzy hybrid with a television and BBQ grill attached. Basically put, it was every father’s dream recliner. It was so cool that during production of the first episode, every cast and crew member wanted a chance to ride it! Cast member John Crane spent most of his screen time in the chair as he always played Dad Anydad. However, other cast members can be seen riding the chair during the credits and in some promos. Rumor has it that around the time the show ended, Nickelodeon ran a giveaway and the grand prize was a replica of Dad’s chair. Whoever has it now is the luckiest Roundhouse fan on the planet…
The REAL Dad chair used on the show was said to be stored in a warehouse, according to a tweet from musical producer Benny Hester. There’s a chance we might see it again! ;-)
Roundhouse’s cast was mostly the same throughout its run, but changes were present every season. The main cast consisted of the aforementioned John Crane, Shawn Daywalt, and Ivan Dudynsky, plus Julene Renee, Dominic Lucero, Seymour Willis Green, Micki Duran, Natalie Nucci, David Sidoni, Mark David (no, he did not shoot John Lennon), and Alfred Carr. Additional cast members only stayed for one or two seasons, such as Crystal Lewis (Season 1 only), Lisa Vale (Seasons 2 and 4), Amy Ehrlich, Jennifer Cihi, and Shawn Muñoz (Season 3 only), and Bryan Anthony, David Nicoll, and Natasha Pearce (Season 4 only).
Unfortunately, Dominic Lucero was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer shortly after the first season and was forced to leave the show for treatment. Fans and viewers were left in the dark about Dominic’s sudden absence as he requested his condition not be publicized. He later returned for three episodes in the third season (with a cameo in one and much smaller roles in the others) and disappeared again shortly thereafter. Dominic’s illness later got the best of him as he passed away at the age of twenty-six on July 1st, 1994 - during production of the fourth season. A spoken dedication to him was part of the final episode: “This one’s for our friend Dominic, who couldn’t be here. It says: “you will be loved by all.” -David Sidoni, S4E13 “Endings”
Despite his absence, Dominic remained credited in the opening sequence for the entirety of the series.
There were many recurring characters during the show’s run. While there were plenty of original characters, others were either parodies or impressions of pop culture icons. Mark David notably played Principal Bose, Ed McMayonnaise, The Annoying Kid from the Encyclopedia Commercials, and Parvis; Micki Duran, the show’s youngest cast member, played the “airhead” popular girl; John Crane played Coach Jim Nasium, Gus the Sucky Sock Dog, and various announcers aside from Dad; Shawn Daywalt played Dr. Larita Curran and fashion designer Elsa Flinch aside from Mom Anymom; Julene Renee, Alfred Carr, and Mark David played hybrid talk show host Sally/Jesse/Rafael; male & female cast members rotated positions as popular kid-groups “The Dudes” and “The Dudettes”; and most importantly, David Sidoni played breakout character Dumb Kid, who received enough attention that he appeared in nearly every Season 3 episode and well into Season 4.
While most people see it as a lackluster show due to its musical segments and heavy pop culture-reliance, Roundhouse is a show packed with creativity, humor, individuality and charm, and is very much deserving of its healthy four-season run. Between the cast, comedy, music, and the fast-paced (sometimes chaotic) execution, Roundhouse created an identity of its own with the bread & butter of a musical theatre production and variety show.
Following its cancellation, reruns aired for a year across Nick, MTV, and BET. Reruns halted for three years before two episodes aired in 1999 for Nickelodeon’s 20th birthday. After being off the air for nearly sixteen years, Roundhouse’s first two episodes aired as part of TeenNick’s The Splat (now NickSplat) in October 2015. This was followed by the third season holiday special, which aired during the week of Christmas that year. The third-season “Puberty/Relationships” episode aired in early 2016, accompanied by a full ‘weekend binge’ event (consisting of episodes from the first two seasons) that February. The “Practical Jokes” episode (also from Season 3) aired as part of the ‘Greetings from Nickelodeon Studios’ event in May 2016; reruns stopped for a full year until the SNICK25 event.
Well, everyone, thank you very much for reading my extensive oral history on Roundhouse and I apologize that you had to read it all in one sitting. If you learned something, that’s great! Feel free to check out the show whenever you have the chance. Episodes are around YouTube and hopefully it shows up on The Splat again after SNICK25! Until next time, Reprise the Theme Song and Roll the Credits!
Whenever my life gets me so down, I know I can go down
…to where the music and the fun never end
As long as the music keeps playing, you know what I’m saying?
I know that I can find a friend…
Down at the Roundhouse!
That’s good enough...