For children growing up in Lafayette during the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, it would be hard not to know who the Great Boudini was. He was the creation of Ken Meaux, a Cajun magician, ventriloquist, and television host, who helped entertain children in Acadiana with his French flair and humor. 

Now, decades later, Boudini is back thanks to the work of Télé-Louisiane and the Creole Cartoon Company, and he’s doing more than just entertaining children: he’s helping to educate them in Louisiana’s French language and culture. Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB) is partnering with Télé-Louisiane and Creole Cartoon Company to bring Les Aventures de Boudini et Ses Amis to Télé-Louisiane’s and LPB’s digital platforms.

Creators Philippe Billeaudeaux and Marshall Woodworth are Louisiana natives who spent their childhoods around Louisiana francophones in Lafayette and Avoyelles Parishes respectively. With the help of Executive Producer Will McGrew at Télé-Louisiane, Billeaudeaux and Woodworth brought their combined filmmaking, animation, and musical skills together to create Les Aventures de Boudini et Ses Amis as not only a tribute to the man who made such an impact on the lives of many children in Acadiana, but as a tool to help French immersion teachers and other educators who work so tirelessly to keep Louisiana’s French language and culture alive.

“The story is set in the fictional place of Lac Bijou, a magical realm located somewhere in the Atchafalaya Basin. It is 1972, and the young Boudini has several adventures with his friends Coco, Colinda, and T Boy”, says series co-creator Marshall Woodworth. “Having grown up with grandparents and great aunts and uncles whose first language was French, I’ve always felt that it should not only be preserved but practiced in our daily lives. Philippe and I both know that educating children in French is the most effective way to allow our language and culture to thrive.”

Boudini also has educational resources tied to the series and they will be available online. French immersion educator and Elementary Teacher of the Year Awardee Jessica Joy Stalnaker created quizzes and games to go along with the episodes, as a tool to teach students across all age groups, from elementary school kids to adults. Each episode includes lighthearted humor and references to South Louisiana folktales and historical figures. 

“Given that there is an effort to preserve the French language in Louisiana by teaching it to our youth, shouldn’t we offer students and teachers entertainment and additional educational resources to assist in this mission?” wonders series co-creator Philippe Billeaudeaux. “The pioneering teachers of the French Immersion program that taught me had to do double the work of other instructors. Translating lessons daily and finding creative ways to keep me and my classmates engaged in French was not easy. Boudini is our way of repaying these early mentors and continuing their dedication to keeping our special Cajun and Creole culture alive.”

“We are immensely proud of Boudini and the work of Marshall and Philippe. The series has developed a fanbase throughout Louisiana, especially in our French immersion schools,” says Télé-Louisiane Executive Producer Will McGrew. “In addition to teaching future generations about our Louisiana French language and Cajun, Creole, and Indigenous cultures, the series demonstrates to children that they can leverage this content and pursue careers as creatives and culture bearers within our state. We are so excited to expand our partnership with LPB, a historic pillar in the production and broadcast of educational programming.”

Voice actors include French immersion teacher and Louisiana Poet Laureat Kirby Jambon (Boudini), 4x Grammy-nominated accordionist and fiddler Cedric Watson (Coco), French immersion graduate Aaliyah Walker (Colinda), and 2x Grammy-winning Cajun musician Louis Michot (T-Boy).

“Bringing this digital series to a wider audience speaks to LPB’s ongoing commitment to French language and culture in Louisiana,” says Jason Viso, LPB’s Director of Programming. “It sparks curiosity and encourages understanding… and that is part of our mission.”

The eight episodes of season 2, with bilingual subtitles, will be published weekly through September 23 on LPB and Télé-Louisiane. The first episode aired yesterday. Viewers new to the series can catch up on the 9 episodes of season 1 on Télé-Louisiane’s platform.

This programming development expands on Télé-Louisiane’s existing partnership with LPB to produce the weekly docuseries La Veillée, which will begin its third season this fall.