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Former student wins Emmy for children's showJuly 24, 2009 KALAMAZOO--Former Western Michigan University student Patrick W. Ziegler won an Emmy Award as executive producer for the children's show "Come On Over!" in June, as the show also took home honors for Best Children's Program. The show has won 11 other Emmys over the years and two national Telly Awards. A student in WMU's communication and theatre departments from 1987-90, Ziegler is a native of Wyoming, Mich. His professors at WMU helped him overcome difficulties with Dyslexia and understand there are different ways of learning, Ziegler says. After leaving WMU, he studied at the National Shakespeare Conservatory in New York City and now lives in Chicago. The show, created by Holland, Mich., artist Joel Schoon Tanis, is produced in Grand Rapids, Mich., and filmed at Hope College. The storylines take place in Tanis' imaginary backyard and features creative play for children. A third member of the show's production team also has West Michigan ties. Teresa Thome, former executive director of the Grand Rapids Children's Museum, is currently president of Enthusiastic Productions that produced the show. Tanis and Thome also won Emmys this year as producers of the show. "I am so honored to have won the Emmy as producer of "Come On Over!" The show is such a collaboration of so many people that the win is a representation of all of their hard work. I am fortunate to have a statue of my own, but it is really the whole "Come On Over!" team's statue," Ziegler says. For more information, contact Patrick W. Ziegler at pwz@comeonover.com. Episodes of the show will be available at comeonover.com starting in the fall. Media contact: Deanne Puca, (269) 387-8400, deanne.puca@wmich.edu WMU News |
