From staff reports

CHAPEL HILL -- A musical puppet show produced by the Chapel Hill Museum and the Chapel Hill Fire Department has struck up such a cult following with its fire safety message that it's being turned into a film.

Since last October, "Johnnie Joins the Fire Department" has been performed for more than 1,700 children at the museum and at venues across the community. Because the museum and Fire Department have received so many requests from across the greater Southeast for access to the program, a film version of the puppet show is now in production.

BB Studios, a local film company specializing in travel, education and documentary film-making, has been secured to produce the film. An all volunteer staff of puppeteers and organizers will begin filming in a variety of locations later this month.

The puppet show first appeared in the fall of 2008, during the museum's eighth year of providing fire safety education for area school children in conjunction with the Fire Department.

The North Carolina Jaycees Burn Center, as lead sponsor, funded the first season of the annual program, which teaches fire safety through music and puppetry.

Through the development efforts of the Burn Center, a $15,000 gift has been made by Progress Energy to fund the film and a portion of the 10-week fire safety education program held at the museum each fall. Progress Energy, as a supporter of organizations and programs that focus on improving the quality of life in the communities where their employees and customers live, found the film and program a good fit.

"We are very proud that this project will be sponsored by a corporation with a long history of supporting a wide range of educational efforts across the Southeast," said museum Director Traci Davenport. "This gift will allow the museum, the Chapel Hill Fire Department and the UNC Burn Center to distribute this very effective form of fire safety education across the entire region."

Fire Department 1st Sgt. Chris Bradley, a museum volunteer, said: "We are excited to bring this musical puppet show to a much broader audience. To translate our fire safety message to the screen should be an amazing experience."

The museum's annual fire safety program is available throughout the months of October and November at the museum, 523 E. Franklin St. The program also travels to local family-friendly venues, community festivals and other education facilities. For more information on the program or the puppet show call (919) 967-1400.