Khalilah Brooks creates preschool sitcom that is on CBC platforms

September 28, 2023

When the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) was launched 13 years ago, the philanthropist put out calls for ideas and suggestions to enhance the new challenge.

The lead performer at the time at Famous People Players, Khalilah Brooks was on lunchbreak when she learnt about the startup and acted.

“On the way to the costume store not far from the theatre, I thought about my past and how I grew up,” she recalled. “I put together this character ‘Aunty B’ with a big Afro and roller skate shoes grooving and funking. I got a puppet, stood in front of a camera and put something together for Oprah.”

The response was positive.

“I heard back from Oprah’s people, saying she loved it even though they were not doing children’s content,” said Brooks who was part of the hip-hop group, ‘DaMovemeant’. “I said okay, put it away and didn’t think much of it.”

Trying to find her life purpose a few years ago, she resurrected the character she put together for Oprah.

“At the time it was called ‘Auntie Kay’ and I said that is what I am going to do,” noted Brooks who founded BAM Children’s Entertainment that is a musical theatre storytelling company. “My first gig was through then Principal Thando Hyman at the Africentric Alternative School. That was a success and she referred to me to other people for performances.”

Sensing that her show could transform into a live-action children’s series, she pursued Centennial College Children’s Media program.

A year before graduation, the college’s 2019 Dean’s Award for Entrepreneurship winner pitched her idea to Michelle Melanson, the President of Headspinner Productions.

“I did that in front of her and CBC representatives and they liked it,” said Brooks who, in 2005, was recognized at the American Modeling Talent Convention in Kansas City for her unique style and vocal skill.

Before that meeting, Brooks and Melanson had crossed paths at Centennial where the show’s Executive Producer attended some of the class pitches.

“I loved her energy and, of course, her story,” said Melanson who is an Emmy-nominated producer. “It was so personal and that resonated with me. She did not have this opportunity handed to her. She worked really hard and was out on her own for many years, establishing the character and the brand and telling her important story. She is what I call a doer and she is willing to work hard and learn along the way. That is what it takes to make it in this business.”

In the fall of 2022, ‘Aunty B’s House’ was green-lighted and is premiering on CBC Kids and CBC Gem this fall.

There are 20 seven-minute episodes.

The live action preschool sitcom features the silly, warm and foster mom, Aunty B. With her vivacious spirit, playful nature, love for music and capacity for unconditional love, Aunty B maintains a stable supportive and loving home for kids that have not always had one.

Together with her diverse family of foster children, Zachary, Shelley and Khadija, she has built a home where everyone can be themselves and explores what makes them special. She helps each of the children stay connected to their diverse cultural backgrounds and, by doing so, encourages kids at home to accept each other for who they are, celebrate their differences and learn that families come in many different forms.

A scene from Aunty B’s House that is airing on CBC (Photo submitted)

What does Brooks want audiences to take away from watching the series?

“I want them to understand that not every family is the same and not every child has privileges others may have in a household,” the 2011 runner-up for her vocals in the ‘La Musique Circle’ competition noted. “I hope they will be able to recognize some of those children that they might assume have behavioural issues. That might be a child that is not well taken care of. I want the audience to see through our show what unconditional love is.”

The project emanated from Brooks’ experience growing up in foster care.

“Growing up in and out of the child welfare system from two years old to age 21, I felt isolated and never saw this type of representation, especially on the screen,” she said. “Aunty B’s House is literally about my life. It is about me living in foster care, what that looked like and some of the challenges I have had to navigate. I was able to reflect on the diverse families that I was around in my community in Beechville, Nova Scotia and incorporate that into the show. We are bringing it to the screen because no one has done it before.”

The cast includes nine-year-old Nendia Lewars who appeared in ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ musical that ran at the Princess Wales Theatre in Toronto for two months until last February.

“Though not new to Headspinners, she was new to me,” said Brooks. “From the beginning, I saw that she is extremely talented. She came to set on time every time with a bubbling spark. At the time, we were doing auditions to create the pilot for funding. I was looking for children dedicated to their craft who also had parents that were not forcing them to be actors. It was evident to me that this is Nendia’s career and not her mother. That is very important.”

Nendia Lewars (Photo submitted)

The Grade 4 student started acting during COVID-19.

“I didn’t take her seriously at the time,” said her mom, May Lewars. “I also did not know where she should start so I reached out to someone I know working in animation, seeking advice as to what are some of the legitimate schools out there. Shortly after, a voice director was holding open casting for an amination show and Nendia was successful. She just took off from there.”

Born in Halifax, Brooks grew up in the church singing with her family.

At age 16, she drew the attention of award-winning artist and community worker David Woods.

“He saw me at church one day, said I have a good voice and invited me to his theatre to see what they do,” recounted Brooks who joined the junior choir at age four.

“David needed hip hop dancers for a production and I said I could dance. Four young men and I auditioned for his production group, ‘Voices”. He took me under his wing and taught me everything he knows when it comes to the performing arts. He also taught me discipline as your pay was docked if you were not on time for rehearsals. He has a great personality and it is easy to work for him. He gave me my first break in the sense of taking what I knew from the performing arts and turning it into a professional career.”