Allegra Sparkle's Guide to the Great Composers (You Might Not Have Heard Of)
Project by Lillie Gardner

Lillie Gardner
Follow
Help Allegra Sparkle with a pitch video and outreach! This series aims to educate kids about historical women composers through a fun exploration of their lives and music. Allegra Sparkle offers an inclusive and entertaining history of classical music for kids that doesn't exist anywhere else.
Allegra Sparkle's Guide to the Great Composers (You Might Not Have Heard Of)
by Lillie Gardner
Lillie Gardner
Follow
Help Allegra Sparkle with a pitch video and outreach! This series aims to educate kids about historical women composers through a fun exploration of their lives and music. Allegra Sparkle offers an inclusive and entertaining history of classical music for kids that doesn't exist anywhere else.
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Story
Mission Statement
A pianist and teacher to kids, Lillie Gardner advocates for education about women composers to help normalize female genius. The canon of great composers does not have to be narrow and small. Allegra Sparkle wants kids to see that the greats are just like them—and greatness is available to us all.About The Project
“[Allegra] is someone worth watching for continued installments. She is fun, funny, and engaging. She’s truly someone who can carry a Pixar film as its lead.”
-analyst from WeScreenplay
“This is a wonderfully unique and entertaining premise . . . Allegra is a well executed lead, and her vivid imagination comes to life on the page throughout the entire episode. Beyond this, she's hilarious.”
-reader from The Black List
“I want that.”
-toddler from Minneapolis
I'm Dr. Lillie Gardner, a piano instructor and screenwriter based in the Twin Cities. Thank you for checking out this Seed&Spark campaign, which supports the next leg of my animated series project's journey into the world through the making of a high-quality pitch video with FableVision Studios and bringing the project on the festival circuit this fall.
I created Allegra Sparkle's Guide to the Great Composers (You Might Not Have Heard Of) because there is an overwhelming lack of public knowledge about women composers. This leads to a misunderstanding that the only "great" composers to have ever existed are men, and this misunderstanding fuels sexism in today's classical music world and beyond. As a classical pianist myself, I didn't play any music composed by a woman until I was in graduate school. I quickly realized there are not just a few forgotten composers, or dozens of forgotten composers - but thousands of them.
Now as a piano teacher to kids, I'm passionate about including women composers in my students' repertoire in an effort to normalize female genius. I believe that if we want a more inclusive future, we need to have an accurate understanding of our own past, which has never been exclusively about men. I also believe that classical music and its history can be taught in an entertaining and accessible way. As a result, Allegra Sparkle offers a super fun and inclusive history of classical music that doesn't exist anywhere else.
Here are some quick facts on Allegra Sparkle's Guide to the Great Composers (You Might Not Have Heard Of):
- Logline: An imaginative 10-year-old girl leads a magical podcast journey throughout history and around the world to meet composers who got left out of the classical music canon.
- Target audience: ages 6-11
- Episode length: 18-22 minutes
- Comps: Wishbone, The Magic School Bus, We The People
"Allegra Sparkle" is the alter ego of a shy fourth-grader named Layla who lives in Suburbia, USA with her mom and her cat Florence. Layla suffers from stage fright, and her music teacher once gave her some advice: "When you have to perform, try pretending you're someone else - someone who loves to be on stage!" And Allegra Sparkle was born.
Allegra is extroverted, playful and adventurous. She dreams of being a renowned composer and she's determined to make it happen. While Allegra Sparkle is the host of our magical podcast, we get glimpses of her real life as Layla as she confides in the composers she meets.
Each episode begins in Allegra's house, where Allegra and her cat Florence hang out before it's time to record her podcast about historical composers. Allegra records her show with her magical pink podcast microphone.
When she starts recording, we jump into her imagination, where Allegra is her full diva self. As Allegra tells us about the composer of the episode, the composer's story plays out on screen. When Allegra plays the "Allegra's Extremely Magical Tune" audio file on her computer, the guest composer can hear it! This causes the composer to break the fourth wall and join Allegra in her imagination, where they can tell their own story.
Allegra learns lessons from each composer that help her through issues in her real life, like dealing with bullying at school, navigating new friendships and listening to Mom. She also gains a broader understanding of cultural differences across time and space.
Each episode is centered around one composer - who all hail from different time periods and countries - including women like Chiquinha Gonzaga, Florence Price, Elisabetta de Gambarini, Queen Lili'uokalani, Margaret Bonds, and so, so many more.
My pilot screenplay for Allegra Sparkle's Guide to the Great Composers (You Might Not Have Heard Of) has already had many successes! This project has been or is currently:
- a Finalist (top 1% out of over 10,000 scripts in Austin Film Festival's Script Competition) for the Rooster Teeth Women & Animation Fellowship Award
- an Official Selection in the 2022 Catalyst Story Institute
- one of 3 Finalists in Barnstorm Media's 2022 BOLT Screenplay Competition
- one of 25 Finalists in The International Screenwriters' Association's TV Pilot Pitch Challenge
- a Quarterfinalist in the 2022 Filmmatic Short Screenplay Awards
My talented artist sister Jane Gardner illustrated the super cute concept art we have so far. Nobody knows kids' content like Jane, who has worked as a designer for Nickelodeon, Fisher-Price and Mattel, and it's been so much fun to get in some quality sister time while working on this project!
But the next steps are video and exposure!
I'm determined to get this project into the world no matter what, and having a high-quality pitch video will help me bring Allegra Sparkle to life, reach more people and give this project a greater advantage in pitches and other industry meetings.
I'm also bringing Allegra Sparkle to in-person festivals this fall, including Catalyst Story Institute and Austin Film Festival, with the goal of significantly expanding the project's outreach and network.
We're so excited to be working with the team at FableVision Studios on this pitch video for Allegra Sparkle. FableVision is a multimedia production studio that designs and develops engaging media and interactives that inspire, teach, and move people to action - which is what we're all about here on #TeamAllegra! FableVision has collaborated with a variety of broadcasters and nonprofits including PBS, Nick Jr., The Jim Henson Company and more. We can't think of a more perfect place to bring Allegra Sparkle to animated life.
High-quality art, animation, sound design, editing and traveling are expensive! So much work has gone into Allegra Sparkle already. A quality pitch video made in collaboration with FableVision Studios and with Jane Gardner's playful illustrations will help this project move so much farther than it can go with only a script. If we meet our campaign goal, we'll have additional concept art (including three more characters!), motion graphics, simple character animation and sound design for this pitch video; and assist with travel costs for in-person festivals.
A quality pitch video is the next step on Allegra Sparkle's journey to your TV screen, and it can't happen without your contribution!
If we surpass our campaign goal of $12,500 (which will pay for additional art, video production with animation, and project outreach), we would love to have additional funds for Original Music Composition for the pitch video ($1,500).
Anything beyond this will be put toward administrative costs related to this campaign - including taxes, transaction fees and shipping costs for artwork.
Can you help us share this campaign on social media? Here are some copy & paste-able example posts to save you some energy! (You can also share any of the visuals on this page by dragging them to your desktop if you're on a computer, or holding and saving image on your phone!)
I can't wait to see the pitch video for Allegra Sparkle's Guide to the Great Composers (You Might Not Have Heard Of)! Check out this project on Seed&Spark and join #TeamAllegra to bring this super fun animated kids series to life. https://seedandspark.com/fund/allegrasparkle
I just joined #TeamAllegra on Seed&Spark! Allegra Sparkle's Guide to the Great Composers (You Might Not Have Heard Of) is an animated series that promises to bring a fun and inclusive history of classical music to kids. #womencomposers https://seedandspark.com/fund/allegrasparkle
Hurry now to support Allegra Sparkle's Guide to the Great Composers (You Might Not Have Heard Of) on Seed&Spark! #TeamAllegra https://seedandspark.com/fund/allegrasparkle
Thank you so much for your support of #TeamAllegra on social media! You can also email old friends, tell new friends, and sign up for project updates at allegrasparkle.com!
Incentives
$10
HILDEGARD TIER
Just like Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) who is the first known woman composer, you're here to get this party started! Because we couldn't do this without your pledge, we'll list your name on Allegra Sparkle's website under "HILDEGARD TIER." Danke schön!
This tier includes:
- your name listed on project website's SUPPORTERS page (allegrasparkle.com)
$25
ELISABETTA DE GAMBARINI TIER
Just like Gambarini promoted and performed her own benefit concert when she was only 18 years old in 1748, you know how to gather the resources you have to bring ideas to life. We'll salute you with a social media shout-out from Allegra Sparkle that includes a fun, personalized and shareable graphic with a thank you from #TeamAllegra! You'll also get your name listed on Allegra Sparkle's website under "ELISABETTA DE GAMBARINI TIER." Talk about good self-promotion!
This tier includes:
- a shout-out on social media from Allegra Sparkle's Twitter or Instagram account
- your name listed on project website's "SUPPORTERS" page (allegrasparkle.com)
$50
CHIQUINHA GONZAGA TIER
Gonzaga loved to include elements of Brazilian popular culture in her music of the late 1800s, and we know you like to enjoy a rebellious pep in your step just like her. To help you get into the breaking-the-mold zone, you will receive a short, shareable YouTube playlist of music by historical women composers – personally curated for you by series creator Lillie Gardner! You will also get your name listed on Allegra Sparkle's website under "CHIQUINHA GONZAGA TIER." Talk about going down in history!
This tier includes:
- both items from the ELISABETTA DE GAMBARINI TIER
- a personally curated YouTube playlist (3 pieces) of music by underrepresented women composers
$100
AMY BEACH TIER
Well, aren't you just the ambitious overachieving auntie that America needs? Amy Beach taught herself how to compose in the 1880s because sexism prohibited her from formal composition lessons. But she passed everything she learned onto the girls and women who came after her and affectionately called her "Aunt Amy." In true high-society Boston style, series creator Lillie Gardner will take her time to write you a lovely digital thank you note and share her knowledge about composers with fun digital flash cards. Study them yourself or share with others! We'll also list your name on Allegra Sparkle's website under "AMY BEACH TIER." Way to shape your legacy!
This tier includes:
- all items from the CHIQUINHA GONZAGA TIER
- a digital thank you note from series creator Lillie Gardner
- a set of 10 digital Composer Flash Cards with fun facts and important pieces by underrepresented women composers
$175
LIMITED TO 3: LEYLA SAZ TIER
Not only did Turkish composer Leyla Saz write over 200 vocal and instrumental works, she was also a prolific writer and her home was a veritable literary salon. She wrote a memoir about growing up in a palace as a member of the 19th-century's Ottoman Imperial Harem. Leyla Saz definitely sounds like she would be a member of Feminist Book Club, right? Feminist Book Club is an intersectional feminist book subscription community that is all about reading and resisting. You will receive the same incentives listed in the CHIQUINHA GONZAGA TIER, in addition to a $100 Gift Card to Feminist Book Club. Time to get reading!
This tier includes:
- all items from the CHIQUINHA GONZAGA TIER
- a $100 gift card to Feminist Book Club
Sold Out!
$250
FLORENCE PRICE TIER
You're doing everything all at once! Nobody knows multitasking like Florence Price, who was a movie theater organist, radio jingle composer, single mom to two daughters, and a teacher all at the same time, not knowing if the day would come that she'd be recognized as the first Black woman to have a symphony performed by a major orchestra (thankfully, it did!). We appreciate your efforts so much that we're going to send you Lillie Gardner's extensive Underrepresented Composers Resource List with additional reading, listening and viewing to learn more about underrepresented composers and classical music history. We'll also list your name on Allegra Sparkle's website under FLORENCE PRICE TIER. It's time you get the credit you deserve!
This tier includes:
- all items from the AMY BEACH TIER
- Underrepresented Composers Resource List, curated by Lillie Gardner
$500
QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI TIER
Aloha! All we can do is bow down to Your Highness in gratitude for your generosity. Not only was Queen Lili'uokalani the last sovereign monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, she was also a prolific writer and composer of music that preserved Hawaiian culture. We know you want to keep great things alive, too, and we promise to do your contribution justice by ensuring women composers like Queen Lili'uokalani are not buried in history. To commemorate our promise, we will send you a limited edition 8x10 Allegra Sparkle print illustrated, printed and signed by Jane Gardner. We'll also include your name on Allegra Sparkle's website under "QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI TIER" - because you're a Queen!
This tier includes:
- all items from the FLORENCE PRICE TIER
- a limited edition 8x10 Allegra Sparkle print by Jane Gardner (only 25 total)
Claimed: 2 of 23
$1,000
LIMITED TO 3: CLARA SCHUMANN TIER
Clara Schumann was a prolific composer and trailblazing pianist all while being mother to eight - talk about a working mom! We are so excited to be partnering with Allegra Sparkle creator Lillie Gardner's own working mom - award-winning painter Patty Voje! For your pledge of $1,000, you will receive one professional pet portrait of your fluffy companion by Patty Voje. Don't have an animal maestra in your life? It can also be a unique gift for someone else!
This tier includes:
- all items from the QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI TIER
- 1 unique 12x12 oil painting pet portrait by artist Patty Voje
Sold Out!
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$10
HILDEGARD TIER
Just like Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) who is the first known woman composer, you're here to get this party started! Because we couldn't do this without your pledge, we'll list your name on Allegra Sparkle's website under "HILDEGARD TIER." Danke schön!
This tier includes:
- your name listed on project website's SUPPORTERS page (allegrasparkle.com)
$25
ELISABETTA DE GAMBARINI TIER
Just like Gambarini promoted and performed her own benefit concert when she was only 18 years old in 1748, you know how to gather the resources you have to bring ideas to life. We'll salute you with a social media shout-out from Allegra Sparkle that includes a fun, personalized and shareable graphic with a thank you from #TeamAllegra! You'll also get your name listed on Allegra Sparkle's website under "ELISABETTA DE GAMBARINI TIER." Talk about good self-promotion!
This tier includes:
- a shout-out on social media from Allegra Sparkle's Twitter or Instagram account
- your name listed on project website's "SUPPORTERS" page (allegrasparkle.com)
$50
CHIQUINHA GONZAGA TIER
Gonzaga loved to include elements of Brazilian popular culture in her music of the late 1800s, and we know you like to enjoy a rebellious pep in your step just like her. To help you get into the breaking-the-mold zone, you will receive a short, shareable YouTube playlist of music by historical women composers – personally curated for you by series creator Lillie Gardner! You will also get your name listed on Allegra Sparkle's website under "CHIQUINHA GONZAGA TIER." Talk about going down in history!
This tier includes:
- both items from the ELISABETTA DE GAMBARINI TIER
- a personally curated YouTube playlist (3 pieces) of music by underrepresented women composers
$100
AMY BEACH TIER
Well, aren't you just the ambitious overachieving auntie that America needs? Amy Beach taught herself how to compose in the 1880s because sexism prohibited her from formal composition lessons. But she passed everything she learned onto the girls and women who came after her and affectionately called her "Aunt Amy." In true high-society Boston style, series creator Lillie Gardner will take her time to write you a lovely digital thank you note and share her knowledge about composers with fun digital flash cards. Study them yourself or share with others! We'll also list your name on Allegra Sparkle's website under "AMY BEACH TIER." Way to shape your legacy!
This tier includes:
- all items from the CHIQUINHA GONZAGA TIER
- a digital thank you note from series creator Lillie Gardner
- a set of 10 digital Composer Flash Cards with fun facts and important pieces by underrepresented women composers
$175
LIMITED TO 3: LEYLA SAZ TIER
Not only did Turkish composer Leyla Saz write over 200 vocal and instrumental works, she was also a prolific writer and her home was a veritable literary salon. She wrote a memoir about growing up in a palace as a member of the 19th-century's Ottoman Imperial Harem. Leyla Saz definitely sounds like she would be a member of Feminist Book Club, right? Feminist Book Club is an intersectional feminist book subscription community that is all about reading and resisting. You will receive the same incentives listed in the CHIQUINHA GONZAGA TIER, in addition to a $100 Gift Card to Feminist Book Club. Time to get reading!
This tier includes:
- all items from the CHIQUINHA GONZAGA TIER
- a $100 gift card to Feminist Book Club
Sold Out!
$250
FLORENCE PRICE TIER
You're doing everything all at once! Nobody knows multitasking like Florence Price, who was a movie theater organist, radio jingle composer, single mom to two daughters, and a teacher all at the same time, not knowing if the day would come that she'd be recognized as the first Black woman to have a symphony performed by a major orchestra (thankfully, it did!). We appreciate your efforts so much that we're going to send you Lillie Gardner's extensive Underrepresented Composers Resource List with additional reading, listening and viewing to learn more about underrepresented composers and classical music history. We'll also list your name on Allegra Sparkle's website under FLORENCE PRICE TIER. It's time you get the credit you deserve!
This tier includes:
- all items from the AMY BEACH TIER
- Underrepresented Composers Resource List, curated by Lillie Gardner
$500
QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI TIER
Aloha! All we can do is bow down to Your Highness in gratitude for your generosity. Not only was Queen Lili'uokalani the last sovereign monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, she was also a prolific writer and composer of music that preserved Hawaiian culture. We know you want to keep great things alive, too, and we promise to do your contribution justice by ensuring women composers like Queen Lili'uokalani are not buried in history. To commemorate our promise, we will send you a limited edition 8x10 Allegra Sparkle print illustrated, printed and signed by Jane Gardner. We'll also include your name on Allegra Sparkle's website under "QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI TIER" - because you're a Queen!
This tier includes:
- all items from the FLORENCE PRICE TIER
- a limited edition 8x10 Allegra Sparkle print by Jane Gardner (only 25 total)
Claimed: 2 of 23
$1,000
LIMITED TO 3: CLARA SCHUMANN TIER
Clara Schumann was a prolific composer and trailblazing pianist all while being mother to eight - talk about a working mom! We are so excited to be partnering with Allegra Sparkle creator Lillie Gardner's own working mom - award-winning painter Patty Voje! For your pledge of $1,000, you will receive one professional pet portrait of your fluffy companion by Patty Voje. Don't have an animal maestra in your life? It can also be a unique gift for someone else!
This tier includes:
- all items from the QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI TIER
- 1 unique 12x12 oil painting pet portrait by artist Patty Voje
Sold Out!
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
LILLIE GARDNER
This series was created by LILLIE GARDNER, a screenwriter and classical pianist based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Lillie studied music and writing at New York University and later earned her doctorate in classical piano performance from the University of Connecticut. Her research on women composers led to her writing AMERICAN VIRTUOSA, her historical drama TV series based on the true story of America's first successful female composer, as well as her animated series for kids, ALLEGRA SPARKLE'S GUIDE TO THE GREAT COMPOSERS (YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE HEARD OF). Both ALLEGRA SPARKLE and Lillie's historical drama pilot RUTH RISING are Official Selections in the 2022 Catalyst Story Institute Festival.
Lillie won Outstanding Drama Pitch at the 2021 Catalyst Story Institute Festival and she was recently a Big Break Top 3 Finalist. She's also been a Finalist in ScreenCraft's Drama Screenplay Competition, Barnstorm Media’s BOLT Screenplay Competition, Roadmap Writers' Pitching Madness Tournament and The International Screenwriters' Association's TV Pilot Pitch Challenge, in addition to many other accolades. She is part of Roadmap Writers’ “Writers on the Map” program and a member of ScreenCraft’s Writer Development Program. Lillie is also a mentee in the first cohort of the NATAS/Catalyst TV industry mentorship program. Outside of screenwriting, Lillie's prose has been published in Quail Bell Magazine, Delmarva Review, Long River Review and more. Learn more at lilliegardner.com.
JANE GARDNER
JANE GARDNER is a graphic designer and illustrator who loves vibrant colors and playful designs. She’s worked as a graphic designer on kids content for Nickelodeon and Fisher-Price. As a package designer for Mattel, she worked with licensors including Disney, Universal, AMC, Netflix, and more. She was an American Illustration Awardee in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Jane earned her BFA in Graphic Design from Parsons The New School for Design (including a semester abroad at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London). She sells art prints of her illustrations through her online shop, Prints by Jane. Learn more at janegardner.com.
For the Allegra Sparkle pitch video, we'll be working with FABLEVISION STUDIOS, a multimedia production studio that designs and develops engaging media and interactives that inspire, teach, and move people to action - which is what we're all about here on #TeamAllegra! FableVision has collaborated with a variety of broadcasters and nonprofits including PBS, Nick Jr., The Jim Henson Company and more. Learn more at fablevisionstudios.com.
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