The Super Secret Hive: A Musical Adventure Podcast for the whole family

November 18, 2020 in All Posts by Vy

With so many amazing Cast Members on furlough from Disney, many have taken their talents and channeled their creative energy into side projects. One of those projects that we’ve come across is a fun musical adventure podcast called “The Super Secret Hive”. Focusing on “edutainment”, the duo behind “The Super Secret Hive” – Mike Dombrow and Julie Frost – combine music, fun facts, and more for the whole family to enjoy (though the sweet spot would be ages 5-12). On their website, they also feature a handful of free activities/resources they’ve put together for each episode – perfect for families looking for more activities to do at home with your babes.

You can visit their website at https://www.kidsavetheworld.com/thesupersecrethive to listen to the first season of the podcast (six episodes) or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (I subscribed via Apple Podcasts!).

We wanted to learn more about the duo behind the podcast, their ties to Disney, and how they got connected to create this fun musical adventure. Check out our Q&A with Mike and Julie below!

Mike and Julie, the duo behind “the Super Secret Hive”!

Tell us a little bit more about yourselves – who you are, where you’re from, and your background?

Mike: I was born in San Diego but spent most of my childhood in northern Virginia. My mom started me in piano around 3rd grade and I quickly became obsessed with all types of music and how music could help tell stories. Naturally, that meant I became a fan of Disney very quickly! I eventually went to school for both education and composition and ended up being a music educator for 12 years in Virginia and a composer for various projects including for a children’s theatre in Maryland. Julie and I crossed paths in high school choir where she was one of my students. Her enthusiasm, talent, and perseverance continued after high school and she eventually became a professional performer for Disney and founded her own company for kids “edutainment” where I was able to help out here and there depending on her projects. Eventually, my wife and I moved down to Florida where I also got a job with Disney at “The American Idol Experience” as a Casting Director. Since the closing of that attraction, I have been involved with Disney Youth Programs to help get young people involved in magical performance experiences. Once COVID hit and we were both furloughed, we knew the time was now to create at-home content to help keep kids engaged, positive, and empowered during this difficult time of distance learning.

—

Julie: I am a military kid and moved all around growing up. The one thing that was consistent for me throughout the moves was my love of performing and musical theatre. I got very involved with the theatre and choral departments in my northern Virginia high school, thanks to my awesome high school chorus teacher (aka Mike). He and I shared a love of Disney and musical theatre and he very much guided me on my journey to get my BFA in musical theatre at UCF and eventually become a singer/actress for Disney. At Disney, I’ve performed as Claire de Lune in ‘The Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue’, Ariel in ‘Voyage of The Little Mermaid’, Casey in ‘Disney Junior Live On Stage’, and Nemo & Squirt in ‘Finding Nemo the Musical.’ Nemo was my full-time role for several years until I eventually moved to Austin, TX to join my husband. I’ve continued performing as Nemo, but now fly back and forth between Austin and Orlando. Once living in Austin, I founded a kids’ media production company where we create meaningful “edutainment” for kids.

Why did you decide to start the “Super Secret Hive” podcast?

We wanted to create a fun, musical experience for kids that explored ways that kids could make a difference in their world. We were excited by the idea to make it an audio adventure so that listeners could enjoy it without the screen time but still feel immersed in the world with the sound effects, musical score, and collection of silly characters. While a young person could definitely enjoy it on their own, we also knew that a lot of families might listen in their cars, so we wanted to make sure there was entertaining humor, music, and information for people of all ages (including parents!).

How did you choose the topics you wanted to cover on the podcast?

Our goal was to make something that could empower kids to take better care of themselves, others, and the planet. With that goal in mind, we sought out topics that we hope will be interesting to learn about such as honeybees, comets, and germs. We also wanted to take a fun topic like dinosaurs and have the adventure also be about inclusivity and kindness at the same time. Our hope is that with the knowledge and confidence that we gain together in “The Hive,” kids and families will be ready to have their own Super Secret Mission at home and in their community. We have some free online activities and resources as well to help with their adventures!

What are your goals for the podcast and what’s next for the Super Secret Hive team?

We hope our podcast adventures bring joy and positivity during these uncertain times. We also want them to sing, dance, and laugh with our characters and songs! The big goal for us is to let kids know that they are important and that even one person can make a difference. We all need their help to make the world better each and every day! We are excited that the world can hear all six episodes of season 1 of The Super Secret Hive and we hope that there is enough interest and excitemt for the show to continue the series!