Forty K-3 schoolchildren at Prince of Peace Elementary In Covington sat in rapt attention for 60 minutes on May 14 watching a wonderful performance of Go Dog Go! 

The scene was repeated dozens of times at schools and community center locations in April and May, thanks to the education outreach program of Cincinnati’s Playhouse in the Park supported by the Dater Foundation.   

This year’s Playhouse Outreach Tour production was Go Dog Go! based on the classic children’s picture book by P.D. Eastman.  Study guides and actor-led discussions after the performances added to the learning experience.

The Playhouse interviews thousands of candidates before selecting a handful of interns each year.  The Go Dog Go! cast featured:

Jamal Crowelle from Centreville, VA  (MC Dawg, the Dalmatian)

Datus Puryear from Newark, OH (Red Dog)

Suzanne Blunk from Ashland, KY  (Green Dog)

Kevin Percival from Oklahoma City, OK (Yellow Dog)

Sam Rueff from Louisville, KY (Blue Dog)

Heather Petersen from Portland, OR (Hattie,the pink poodle with the hat)

Chris Comer from Cincinnati, OH (Piano Dog)

“We were really impressed,” said Dater Foundation Director Jack Frank.  “The energy level and the commitment of the performers was outstanding.  They were true professionals.  The school kids were clearly entertained and I suspect the quality of the production added to the impact of the message.”

See more Go Dog Go! photos on the Playhouse's Facebook page  ... click here.  And for more information about the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and its educational outreach programs, go to www.cincyplay.com.

Below is a photo of the Prince of Peace students enjoying the performance at their school.