Michael Shannon Voices FREDERICK: A VIRTUAL PUPPET PERFORMANCE Debuting Today on CCTv

In response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, Chicago Children's Theatre, the city's largest professional theater devoted exclusively to children and families, is launching today a new YouTube channel, CCTv: Virtual Theatre and Learning from Chicago Children's Theatre.

And it's a starry launch indeed with Michael Shannon, the Academy Award nominated Chicago stage and screen actor generously lending his voice to narrate CCTv's debut production, Frederick, A Virtual Puppet Performance.

Frederick marks CCT's first, but not last, venture into releasing fresh online content for children and families via CCTv. The Caldecott Award-winning picture book by Leo Lionni comes to brand new life as a clever and colorful virtual puppet show gently narrated by Shannon, a founder of Chicago's A Red Orchid Theatre and star of films like Shape of Water, Revolutionary Road and Boardwalk Empire.

Generations of children have loved the picture book Frederick since it was first published in 1967. It's the simple tale of a family of field mice who work together all through summer and autumn getting ready for the long, cold winter. It's difficult work, but as long as they all pull their weight they should be ready. However, one field mouse, Frederick, doesn't seem to be helping at all. The other mice think he is lazy and daydreaming his days away. But when winter arrives, it's Frederick who has a special surprise in store that helps them survive until spring dawns again.

Chicago Children's Theatre's new virtual puppet performance of Frederick is free to enjoy on CCTv, the company's new YouTube channel. The video concludes with 45 seconds of fun, behind-the-scenes footage of the making of Frederick, and an important message regarding the detrimental impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic on the arts, with a link to donate to Chicago Children's Theatre during this critical time.

Watch Frederick, a Virtual Puppet Performance, read by Michael Shannon below!