"MEGAN AND CUPCAKE READY FOR PRESCHOOL," A NEW HYBRID LIVE-ACTION AND ANIMATED SERIES, IS COMING TO DISNEY JR. AND DISNEY+

Emmy(R) Award-Winning Ventriloquist Megan (Piphus) Baptist Stars and Also Voices Cupcake - a Brand-New Original Puppet Character in the Series

· Backpacks: check. Big feelings: check. A sidekick named Cupcake ready to make it all feel like playtime? Also check! "Megan and Cupcake Ready for Preschool," a hybrid live-action and animated extension of Disney Jr.'s popular "Ready for Preschool" shorts, is currently in production and will debut on Disney Jr. and stream on Disney+ later this fall.

· Emmy Award-winning producer, puppeteer, ventriloquist and children's book author Megan (Piphus) Baptist ("Sesame Street") stars alongside her irresistibly huggable new sidekick, Cupcake, to serve up big preschool concepts in bite-sized, giggle-filled lessons.

· Set in the WOW Workshop - equal parts invention lab and playhouse - Megan and Cupcake have no shortage of gadgets, gizmos and imagination to tinker with. Together, they'll lead kids at home on playful, hands-on adventures designed to help them feel confident, curious and ready to take on preschool.

· A collection of 10 one-minute "Megan and Cupcake" live-action shorts introducing viewers to the WOW Workshop will start rolling out on Disney Jr. YouTube today, Thursday, Aug. 13, before their debut on Disney Jr. and Disney+ this fall. The full longer-form shorts titled "Megan and Cupcake Ready for Preschool," themed around specific learning and play concepts featuring the live-action interactions with Megan and Cupcake wrapped around some of the existing "Ready for Preschool" shorts, will premiere on Disney Jr. and Disney+ this fall.

· First launched in 2019, the "Ready for Preschool" shorts have amassed more than 150 million views on Disney Jr.'s YouTube channel and offer age-appropriate lessons featuring favorite Disney Jr. characters set to fun, catchy music.

· "Megan and Cupcake Ready for Preschool" is the newest addition to Disney Jr.'s leading lineup of learning-focused programming on Disney+ highlighting age-appropriate skill development and early learning concepts for preschoolers including "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" and global phenomenon "Gracie's Corner," which debuted on Disney Jr. and Disney+ earlier this summer as part of a global linear and streaming acquisition deal and also includes the development of new original content.

· The series is produced by Riverstreet Productions in association with Disney Jr. The project was developed by Jason Hopley and Brian Clark, who also serve as executive producers alongside Riverstreet co-founders Michael Blum and Tracy Pion.

About Megan (Piphus) Baptist

Four-time Emmy Award winner Megan (Piphus) Baptist started puppetry and ventriloquism at the age of ten years old. She first gained national attention as a ventriloquist after an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and as a contestant on America's Got Talent. Since 2020, Megan has played the role of Gabrielle, a 6-year-old black girl Muppet, on Sesame Street, making her the first Black female puppeteer to perform on the show. Also an accomplished musician and mother of two, Megan has released acclaimed children's albums - including Spaceships & Dreams and Cinderella Sweep. Her debut children's book Brave Like a Lion! How a Puppeteer Found Her Voice was released by Penguin Random House earlier this year.

About Disney Jr.

Disney Jr. is a global multiplatform brand expressly geared towards preschoolers and their families. With stories and characters that encapsulate signature Disney qualities of magic, music, adventure and heart, the brand is home to some of the most cherished programming and franchises for preschoolers, including "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse," "Marvel's Spidey and his Amazing Friends," "Sofia the First," "Doc McStuffins," and "SuperKitties." With content created by Disney Kids & Family, Disney Jr. is available anytime and anywhere for families to watch and enjoy together ― from the popular Disney Jr. YouTube Channel, 24-hour #1 Disney Jr. preschool network and streaming on Disney+.