Julie & Brownie

By Julie Kirkwood , Staff Writer
Eagle-Tribune

June 29, 2007 09:38 am
—
A character named "Julie," of the children's entertainment duo "Julie & Brownie," picks a child from the audience to demonstrate how much sugar is in a can of cola.

Together, they scoop 10 teaspoons of white sugar into a measuring cup and discover that it amounts to nearly a quarter cup. Drink more than one can of cola on a hot summer day, and the pile of sugar is even bigger.

"I'll say, 'Does anybody want to swallow this right now?'"

The response is usually a chorus of "eww" and "that's disgusting."

That's when "Julie," played by Gisele Ganz of Framingham, knows she's gotten across the message of the newest Julie & Brownie act, a show about healthy choices.

Nutrition is a new topic for Julie & Brownie, a team better known for their gypsy and pirate shows. The show started as a simple request about a year ago, when Exeter (N.H.) Hospital asked the actors to write a show for local schoolchildren on healthful eating and safety. It turned out to be so popular that the hospital continued to book the act and more hospitals sought out the show.

This summer, Merrimack Valley Hospital in Haverhill has booked the Julie & Brownie for several public performances, and will fund performances by the duo at local schools in the fall.

Though their message is a serious one, the two performers have worked hard to keep it engaging and silly.

"It's a line like, 'Maybe it's got great taste, but before you stuff it in your face, read the label,'" said Brownie Macintosh, a Haverhill native who has been performing in Julie & Brownie since 1991.

The phrase "stuff it in your face" gets a big laugh from the kids, he said.

Ganz and Macintosh, who are both parents, say they know how tough it is to convince children to eat fruits and vegetables instead of French fries.

"What we're trying to do with the show is to not dictate to the kids," Ganz said. "What we're trying to do is put the choices in their hands and say the choice is up to you."

The 45-minute show includes a song called "Moo-town Sound." It's about the benefits of dairy foods, but it also gets the audience moving.

Julie, dressed in fringed skirt and blue tights, teaches the children a simple dance: they move their hands as if they're milking a cow and bounce their knees.

In the beginning of the song she asks the children to put one hand on their hearts and pulse their other hand in the air to show how fast their hearts are beating. Then they dance for length of the song - with some freeze-action moments and maybe even some teacher participation just for fun - and at the end, they feel their hearts again.

Julie tells them they should try to make their heart beat like this for a half hour every day.

"I'll challenge them: 'How many people watch an hour of television a day? How many play an hour of video games?'" she said. She asks them if they think they could match that time with the same amount of time moving around.

"The kids walk away with a message," Ganz said.
- The Eagle Tribune

Cara Spilsbury


July 19, 2007 06:00 am

— Merrimack Valley Hospital is kicking off the summer with a heart-healthy twist.

On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the hospital will host its first Jump Start a Heart Smart Summer at Haverhill Stadium. The event is for families, especially children.
All activities are free, including food, refreshments, giveaways and health screenings.

There will also be plenty of games like sack races, musical chairs and a bean bag toss — simple games that organizer Mary O’Neil, public relations director at the hospital, hopes will bring the kids out and get their little hearts pumping.

“They’re old-fashioned games that kids still love,” she said. “Like musical chairs. Nobody does that anymore, but kids love it.”

The goal of the day for Merrimack Valley Hospital, and all others involved, is to show children and families how much fun it is to live healthy, eat good snacks and be active. Because this is the first time the hospital is holding the event and no preregistration is required, there’s no way to know how many people will attend — a fact that has the energetic O’Neil a little nervous.

“It’s nerve-racking, because you could have five people show up or 105,” she said. “You just don’t know.” She hopes many children and many families attend.
Other activities over the course of the day will include an ice cream truck from Mix 98.5, sand art, face painting, zoo creatures, visits from the Haverhill Fire and Police departments, child identification kits and a teddy bear clinic. Raffle prizes that include IMAX passes and Lowell Spinners tickets are up for grabs.

Part of the event is a Smile Mile Walk at 10 a.m., with a free T-shirt to the first 200 participants and a children’s concert by Julie and Brownie at noon. The performers teach kids about making healthy life choices through their infectious songs.

Brownie McIntosh of Newmarket, N.H., founder of the children’s act, contacted O’Neil a few months ago with the idea of forming a partnership — an effort that will extend to school programs in Haverhill this fall.

“He fit our mission perfectly,” O’Neil said.

“Julie” is Giselle Ganz of Framingham, who has been performing with McIntosh for the past three years. McIntosh said the two, who have both raised children of their own, know how to keep kids healthy, and the performers practice the healthy habits they preach.

“I hope we’re making a difference,” McIntosh said. “I put my heart into it.”

Their style engages the audience and gets them to learn key health tips while still having fun. One piece the duo performs, called “Moo Town Sounds,” has an accompanying jig — “The Udder Dance.” Children take their heart rate before they start moving, then after the dance, they learn that they should have their heart pumping that way for at least 30 minutes each day.

“It’s for their own health,” McIntosh said. “We tell them to go out and play — go out and run.”
McIntosh has played in bands for decades, but is also very active in theater, has acted in many commercials and did a few movies for the History Channel. But after years entertaining the bar crowds, he found his true calling when his son was born. He knew teaching children was what he was meant to do.

“I’m not planning on retiring, ever,” McIntosh said with a laugh. “I’ll die on that stage. I love the kids. To see the smiles, make them laugh and maybe help them make better choices is worth it.”

Also free at the event for families will be screenings for blood pressure, lumbar spinal stenosis, neuropathy, nerve impingement and free fittings for back supports.

- The Haverhill Gazette