Award Winning Actress Joins Playtime Stories Company on Saturday, August 20

Gloucester Stage Company proudly continues Playtime Stories, an engaging combination of children's stories, live performances and activities for ages 2 and older, on Saturday, August 20 at 10 am with Guest Narrator Award winning actress Dossy Peabody joining the Playtime Stories company to narrate her grandmother Dorothy Kunhardt's classics Pat The Bunnyand Junket Is Nice; and the New England favorite, Robert McCloskey's Make Way for Ducklings at Gloucester Stage, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester.

The 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. Following the performance Audience members will be invited to join the Playtime Stories Company in fun and interactive workshops relating to the story. Each Saturday the Playtime Stories Company, consisting of members of Gloucester Stage's apprentice company, veteran Youth Acting Workshop students 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.

A North Shore native and Salem resident, Dossy Peabody is thrilled to join the Playtime Stories company on August 20 to read her Grandmother Dorothy Kunhardt's classic children's books. Dossy Peabody was recognized in 1990 by the Boston Theater Critics' Association with the very first Elliot Norton Outstanding Acting Award. At GSC she has created some of Israel Horovitz's most memorable characters in his most successful plays including the Gloucester play, Park Your Car in Harvard Yard, and the Wakefield set, The Widow's Blind Date . She has also appeared in many feature films including Mermaids, The Crucible andAmistad.

Dossy Peabody's Grandmother Dorothy Kunhardt was the author of over 50 children's book, including the legendary interactive book and one of the best selling children's books of all time, Pat the Bunny which has sold over 6 million copies. She was also a historian, writing several books about 19th century America, including a well-known account of the aftermath of Lincoln's assassination, Twenty Days. Ms. Kunhardt was the subject of the recent HBO Documentary. Living With Lincoln.

Each week Playtime Stories explores different stories ranging from classic fairy tales to new stories to works by local authors. Upcoming performances include: August 20: Guest Narrator award winning actress Dossy Peabody reads Make Way ForDucklings; Pat the Bunny and Junket Is Nice; August 27: Corduroy and Lily's Plastic Purse. All Playtime Story performances are held at 10 am at Gloucester Stage, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA. Admission is $5. Advance reservations available. For more information, call the Gloucester Stage Box Office at 978-281-4433 or visit www.gloucesterstage.com