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{{Short description|Canadian children's television series}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{verification|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox television
| caption     =
| creator     = Jed MacKay
| director    = Doug Williams (seasons 1-2)<br>Wayne Moss (seasons 3-6)
| producer    = Jed MacKay
| starring    = Marty Brier<br>Pamela Sinha<br>Rudy Webb<br>Mishu Vellani
| voices      = Rob Cowan<br>[[Maxine Miller]]<br>[[Billy Van]]
| composer    = Jed MacKay
| runtime     = 28:50 minutes
| num_seasons = 6
| company     = [[TVOntario]]
| location    = [[Lindsay, Ontario]]
| country     = Canada
| network     = [[TVOntario]]
| first_aired = {{Start date|1989|11|1}}
| last_aired  = {{End date|1995}} 
}}
'''''Join In!''''' was a Canadian educational children's television show which aired on [[TVOntario]] between 1989 and 1995. It was created and produced by Jed MacKay, who also wrote all of the show's original songs.

==Premise==
Each episode had a number of elements woven into the plot line that invited its audience to "Join In!"; in games, songs, puzzles, or stories. The cast also broke the [[fourth wall]], talking to the camera, and thus the audience, as if they were right there on set. The songs broke away from the usual children's format, offering a wide variety of rhythm and styles. The cast also sang live on each show.

==Characters==
The series revolved around three adults named Jacob Bennett, Nikki, and Zack, who shared a studio loft together. After the second season, Nikki moved away and was replaced by Kia.

In a typical episode, the three would be planning for some kind of play or production that would usually involve Nikki being in charge of music and sound, and Jacob and Zack would be in charge of the set, lighting, costumes, etc. when some form of problem would arise.

The show also featured a toy wizard named Winston, his wife Emmelina, and their dog Abra, who lived on a windowsill in the loft.

==Cast==
* Marty Brier as Zack
* Rudy Webb as Jacob Bennett
* Pamela Sinha as Nikki (season 1)
* Mishu Vellani as Kia (season 2-6)
* Rob Cowan as Winston (voice), a toy wizard living on the trio's windowsill.
* [[Maxine Miller]] as Emmelina (voice), a toy and Winston's wife.
* [[Billy Van]] as Abra (voice), Winston and Emmelina's toy dog.

==Crew==
* Producer - Jed MacKay
* Directors - Wayne Moss, Doug Williams
* Composer - Jed MacKay
* Music Director - Bruce Ley

==Production==
The show was filmed in [[Lindsay, Ontario]]. The first two seasons were directed by Doug Williams, and the next four by Wayne Moss. The cast was multi-racial, with two "minority" cast members.

==Broadcast==
''Join In!'' originally aired in Canada on [[TVOntario]], and was sold for U.S. broadcast to the [[TLC (TV network)|TLC]] network in October 1992 along with fellow production ''[[Bookmice]]''.<ref name=g&m>{{cite news |title=TVO sells two series |url=https://proquest.com/docview/385340284 |access-date=2024-09-14 |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |date=1992-10-02 |page=C.9 |url-access=registration |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref> Airing after the latter, it was the second series on TLC's preschool block, ''[[Ready Set Learn!]]'', on December 28.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://proquest.com/docview/306598780 |last=Donlon|first=Brian|title=Ready, Set, Learn! takes off|date=1992-12-28|accessdate=2024-09-14|work=[[USA Today]]|page=03D|url-access=registration|via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref> Previously, ''Join In!'' had aired on the [[Vision Interfaith Satellite Network]] from 1990 to 1993.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}

==Reception==
The series won the [[Alliance for Children and Television]]'s Best Pre-school Program Award, and was also a finalist three times for the [[Gemini Award]] for Best Pre-school Program.{{citation needed|date= May 2011}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0456101}}
[[Category:TVO original programming]]
[[Category:1989 Canadian television series debuts]]
[[Category:1995 Canadian television series endings]]
[[Category:1980s Canadian children's television series]]
[[Category:1990s Canadian children's television series]]
[[Category:1980s preschool education television series]]
[[Category:1990s preschool education television series]]
[[Category:Canadian preschool education television series]]
[[Category:Canadian television shows featuring puppetry]]