PLAYTIME STORIES CELEBRATES FIESTA WITH A LIVE PERFORMANCE OF

LAURA M. ALBERGHINI VENTIMIGLIA’S

NONNA, WHAT IS ST. PETER’S FIESTA?

ON JUNE 29 AT GLOUCESTER STAGE COMPANY

A Live Fiesta Theater Performance for Young Audience Members Age 2 and Older
and An Opportunity to Meet the Author

Gloucester Stage Company proudly announces a special Playtime Stories event celebrating St. Peter’s Fiesta with a live performance of Laura M. Alberghini Ventimiglia’s NONNA, WHAT IS ST. PETER’S FIESTA? on Saturday, June 29 at 10 am at Gloucester Stage, 267, East Main Street, Gloucester. An engaging combination of children’s stories and live performances for ages 2 and older, Playtime Stories offers young children the unique opportunity to experience the fun and magic of live theater as they watch their favorite books come to life onstage. To celebrate Fiesta on Saturday, June 29 the Playtime Stories Company will read and perform Gloucester resident Laura M. Alberghini Ventimiglia’s new book, NONNA, WHAT IS ST. PETER’S FIESTA? and Tomie dePaola’s STREGA NONA. Following the performance audience members will be invited to join the Playtime Stories Company in fun and interactive workshops and crafts relating to the story. On June 30 audience members can craft their own Seine boat and participate in Playtime Stories Seine Boat Races at GSC and make their own Fish magnets.

Playtime Stories is pleased to welcome special guest author Laura M. Alberghini Ventimiglia to sign copies of her new book which will be available for sale. According to Youth Acting Workshop Director and Teacher Heidi Dallin, ” We are honored to have Laura at this Playtime Stories special event to celebrate Fiesta for the second year in a row. She is an inspiration to our audiences and the young performers in the Playtime Stories Company. Last year’s Fiesta Playtime Stories was standing room only – the biggest audience we have had in Playtime Stores history! The actors and I could not wait to bring Laura’s story back this year. NONNA, WHAT IS ST. PETER’S FIESTA? is now a Playtime Stories tradition. ”

Each Saturday from June 29 through August 17 the Playtime Stories Company, consisting of veteran members of the Gloucester Stage Youth Acting Workshop program and special guest narrators perform a children’s story against the backdrop of the story’s illustrations as well as create a dynamic weekly series of interactive events related to the story. “We have had a great response to the Playtime Stories program over the past four summers, ” points out Dallin, ” It is a terrific way for YAW to reach out to younger audiences to spark their excitement in live performance. Many of the veteran YAW students in the Playtime Stories Company have been involved in the YAW program since they were 5 years old and now they will inspire the next generation of YAW students!”

Playtime Stories explores different stories ranging from classic fairy tales to new stories to works by local authors. The Playtime Stories season consists of July 13: MAGIC 101: The Magic Tree House: Stage Fright on a Summer Night and The Magic School Bus: Inside a Beehive ; July 20: A DELIGHTFUL DAY of Dr. SEUS: The Lorax and Horton Hears a Who; July 27: MYSTERY MAYHEM: Scooby-Doo and Where’s Mommy?; August 3: FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO READ ABOUT THEM: Where the Wild Things Are and Pegasus, the Flying Horse; August 10: BONJOUR! ADVENTURES IN FRANCE: Madeline and The Little Prince; and August 17: SUMMER FINALE: Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Very Quiet Cricket; and Judith Viorist’s Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.
All Playtime Story performances are held at 10 am at Gloucester Stage, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA. Admission is $5 for one child (includes one free adult). Free coffee and donuts provided by Jim’s Bagel and Bake Shoppe. For more information or tickets, call the Gloucester Stage Box Office at 978-281-4433 or visit http://www.gloucesterstage.com

Playtime Stories Cast members with Author Laura M. Alberghini Ventimiglia and Translator Diletta Ballati at Gloucester Stage Photo by Heidi