Sandra Oh Guest Stars As Voice Talent for One-Hour Movie
Arlington, VA, March 8, 2016 – On Monday, March 28, PBS KIDS will premiere the first PEG + CAT movie, “Peg and Cat Save the World.” The one-hour special will be followed by a week of new episodes of the Emmy© Award-winning series from The Fred Rogers Company, beginning Monday, April 4. In their all-new adventures, Peg, Cat and their friends will use problem-solving skills to overcome an array of challenges – from collecting 100 chickens running loose in the White House to working with friends around the globe to stop a planet-sized pig from destroying the Earth.
“Peg and Cat Save the World” follows the spirited friends to Washington, D.C., where they help the President of the United States, voiced by actor Sandra Oh, avert a crisis of national importance. The two-part movie highlights math and problem-solving skills, as Peg and Cat help save the Earth.
“‘Peg and Cat Save the World,’ the first movie event from the series, will further PBS KIDS’ commitment to offering all of America’s children positive role models, including leading female characters who use math and problem-solving skills to save the day,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Children’s Media and Education, PBS. “PEG + CAT reaches 3 million kids on-air* and 2.9 million digitally** every month, and is proven to bridge the achievement gap, especially for children in low-income communities.”***
A recent study from EDC and SRI International found that children who used PEG + CAT media showed significant improvement in critical math areas of ordinal numbers, spatial relationships and 3-D shapes. In addition, parents and caregivers who used the content felt more confident that they could help their children with math concepts and problem-solving strategies.***
“Peg and Cat Save the World” will air throughout the week of March 28 and will also be available for free on both pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video App, accessible by a variety of mobile devices and platforms such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Xbox One and Chromecast. New episodes of PEG + CAT will air during the week of April 4th (check local listings). Press materials related to “Peg and Cat Save the World” are available on PBS PressRoom.
PEG + CAT is co-created and executive produced by Jennifer Oxley (Little Bill, The Wonder Pets!) and Billy Aronson (Rent, Postcards from Buster), and produced by The Fred Rogers Company for PBS KIDS. Kevin Morrison of The Fred Rogers Company and Vince Commisso of production partner 9 Story Media Group also serve as executive producers. 9 Story, which distributes the popular series and manages licensing for the brand internationally, has secured distribution in more than 180 countries, providing even more opportunities for children around the world to tune in to the upbeat series. HiHat Media leads U.S. licensing initiatives for the brand.
PEG + CAT is funded in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the National Science Foundation (NSF) Advancing Informal STEM Learning Program, and The Heinz Endowments.
Program Descriptions and Air Dates (check local listings)
“Peg and Cat Save the World” – two-part movie premieres Monday, March 28, 2016 and repeats throughout the week
The President of the United States summons Peg and Cat to Washington, DC, to solve a problem of national importance. When strange signals are coming from space, Peg and Cat must use shapes to study patterns of the signals to save the Earth. After learning about a major problem in the nation’s capital, Peg and Cat call everyone they know to save the Earth from a planet-sized pig.
“The Polka Dot Planet Problem/ The Mardi Gras Problem” – premieres Monday, April 4
“The Polka Dot Planet Problem” - When Peg’s spaceship breaks down, she needs the help of a new friend who communicates without speaking.
“The Mardi Gras Problem” - To jam with Billie Holiday in the Mardi Gras parade, Peg and Cat must learn to use a diagram of notes – sheet music.
“The Mermaid in the Mall Problem/ The Painting Problem” – premieres Tuesday, April 5
“The Mermaid in the Mall Problem” - When a furniture store becomes a magical forest, Peg and Cat must become Knights of the Round Table – if only they can find a round table!
“The Painting Problem” - To get purple paint for their masterpiece, famous painters Peg Casso and Vincent Van Goo (Cat) need a whole new kind of addition.
“The Claymation Problem/The Grumpy Judge Problem” – premieres Wednesday, April 6
“The Claymation Problem” - Temperamental director Richard finally finds performers he can totally control, shape and mold; they’re made of clay.
“The Grumpy Judge Problem” - On the singing competition “Perfect Ten,” Peg and Cat must impress the toughest judge ever: the Grumpy Grouchy Bear.
“The Imaginary Friend Problem/ The Promise Problem” – premieres Thursday, April 7
“The Imaginary Friend Problem” - Peg and the dinosaurs search the jungle for Cat and Minkus, his imaginary monkey.
“The Promise Problem” - Nothing can keep Romeo and Juliet from meeting between their balconies – except maybe a dinosaur.
* Source: Nielsen NPOWER L+7, 12/28/2015-1/31/2016, PBS K2-8 program reach, 75% uni, 6+min
** Source: Google Analytics 01/15 – 01/16
*** Source: Supporting Parent-Child Experiences with PEG + CAT Early Math Concepts. (EDC & SRI International, 2015)
About PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for kids, offers all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, digital platforms and community-based programs. Kidscreen- and WebbyAward-winning pbskids.org provides engaging interactive content, including digital games and streaming video. PBS KIDS also offers mobile apps to help support young children’s learning. The PBS KIDS Video App is available on a variety of mobile devices and on platforms such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Xbox One and Chromecast. For more information on specific PBS KIDS content supporting literacy, science, math and more, visit pbs.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter and Facebook.
About 9 Story Media Group
9 Story is one of the industry’s leading creators, producers and distributors of award-winning animated and live-action content for young audiences around the world. With one of North America’s largest animation studios based in Toronto, 9 Story has over 220 creative and production staff, and has produced over 900 half hours of quality children’s and family programming, seen on some of the most respected children’s channels around the world across multiple platforms. The company’s distribution arm represents a growing catalogue, which includes several beloved brands such as Arthur, Wibbly Pig, Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars, Wild Kratts and Almost Naked Animals in addition to exciting new series such as Numb Chucks, Camp Lakebottom, Cache Craze, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Nerds and Monsters. The company recently acquired CCI Kids, the family content division of CCI Entertainment, increasing 9 Story’s portfolio to over 1600 half hours of content with popular shows such as Guess How Much I Love You, Joe & Jack, Artzooka! and Extreme Babysitting. www.9story.com
About The Fred Rogers Company
The company was founded by Fred Rogers in 1971 as the non-profit producer of MISTER ROGERS’ NEIGHBORHOOD for PBS. In the years that followed, it not only created hundreds of episodes of this much-loved program, but also extended Fred’s values and approach to other efforts in promoting children’s social, emotional and behavioral health and supporting parents, caregivers, teachers and other professionals in their work with children. The Fred Rogers Company continues to build on Fred’s legacy in innovative ways through a wide variety of media, and engaging new generations of children and families with his timeless wisdom. The company’s highly-rated children’s TV series include DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD, PEG + CAT and ODD SQUAD. For more information, visit www.fredrogers.org.
About the Corporation for Public BroadcastingThe Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government's investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,400 locally owned and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television and related online services. For more information, visit www.cpb.org and follow us on Twitter @CPBmedia, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
About The NSF Advancing Informal STEM Learning Program
The NSF Advancing Informal STEM Learning Program seeks to advance new approaches to and evidence-based understanding of the design and development of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning in informal environments; provide multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences; and advance innovative research on and assessment of STEM learning in informal environments.
About The Heinz Endowments
The Heinz Endowments support efforts to make southwestern Pennsylvania a premier place to live and work, a center for learning and educational excellence, and a region that embraces diversity and inclusion.
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Contacts
Lubna Abuulbah, PBS; 703-739-8463; labuulbah@pbs.org
Roberta Lee, 360 Public Relations; 347-801-2342; rlee@360pr.com
