TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

They sing, shake and make households quake: It's The Fresh Beat Band, stars of a highly rated Nick Jr. TV show.

Popular with preschoolers and parents alike, the band is about to embark on its first nationwide tour, which includes a stop at Rabobank Theater on Friday night.

For cast members Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer and Jon Beavers, the opportunity to jump from TV to the live stage is something they've been anticipating since their debut three years ago.

"There's no other show quite like ours, so it's great to be a part of something new, fun, bringing so much happiness to so many kids," said Gonzalez-Nacer, 25, who plays Kiki on the show.

"We've gotten off to a really great start, and it's just an honor."

With quick storylines and musical numbers mixed in a fast-paced presentation, Fresh Beat's show is perfectly tailored to the attention span of today's tech-savvy young minds. Plus, they're portrayed in human form, not through animation or underneath fuzzy costumes.

"The most exciting thing about our show is that we teach kids that music is a form of self-expression and that it's important that you have a 'self' to express, and that you're gonna have a talent in you that is different from everyone else," said Beavers, 27, who plays the DJ Twist. "It's really exciting that so many people are willing to drop what they're doing and come out and see us play live. The music is bringing us together."

They've already sold out Carnegie Hall and packed New York's SummerStage in Central Park, spreading the Fresh Beat fever to all walks of life from average citizens to celebrities.

"Everyone's got kids, and whatever your kids are into is pretty important to you, too. I had Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters come up to me after a show and introduce himself to me -- as if I didn't know it was him. He really humbly asked me to take a picture with him. The same thing happened with Chris Paul from the Los Angeles Clippers. He came up to us in Washington, D.C. He was talking about how he does the dances in the morning with his son. All I'm thinking is, 'When is it a good time to ask him to sign my jersey?' It was a funny interaction."

To coincide with the tour, the group just released a 20-track CD collection featuring some of the show's most popular numbers, including "Here We Go," "I Can Do Anything" and "Just Like a Rock Star."

"After shooting 60 episodes, we're glad to finally make these songs available," said Gonzalez-Nacer. "The first couple of live shows we've done, we noticed everyone from the kids to the parents singing along to every word just from watching. That's amazing."

Both understand timing is everything when producing a live show like this for such an energetic and, at times, temperamental audience. To ensure no one gets cranky, expect Friday's energy level at Rabobank to be at full Fresh Beat throttle.

Joining Gonzalez-Nacer and Beavers onstage will be drummer Tara Perry, who plays Marina, and keyboardist Thomas Hobson, who plays Shout on the show.

"This is a new show we put together ourselves over the last month, with the creators of the TV show and some great choreographers," Beavers said.

"It's a concert, not an episode theatrically presented," added Gonzalez-Nacer. "It's been overwhelmingly positive. Parents sometimes get even more excited than the kids, jumping to their feet at the end of the show. It's such a lovely experience to see all that joy in the theater." Nick Jr. sensation bringing 'much happiness' to town