V-me & The National Theatre for Children Team Up to Fight Childhood Obesity

MINNEAPOLIS, April 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Theatre for Children (NTC) based in Minneapolis has entered into a unique agreement with V-me, one of the largest Spanish-language television networks, to present a powerful, multi-platform message of healthy eating and exercise to Hispanic kids and families. Using characters from the popular LazyTown television series that airs nationally in Spanish on V-me, NTC will tour a curriculum-based, bilingual live show – performed by professional actors – into elementary schools in major U.S. Hispanic markets, supported by a custom V-me media package.

Building on LazyTown's empowering and entertaining message, NTC will perform a 25-minute, live in-school show that encourages healthy lifestyle choices. Key learning points from the in-school program will be reinforced with student workbooks, school posters, online activities and comprehensive teacher guides. The live show and materials will be delivered in bilingual packages (Spanish and English). Independent research shows that these materials go home with a student to reach the adults in that household 92% of the time, nearly 1.6 adults per child.

"V-me is extremely excited to collaborate in a venture that touches our mission to inform, engage and entertain on so many levels," says Carmen DiRienzo, President and CEO of V-me Media Inc. "Research shows Latinos - especially Latino kids - to be among the highest at-risk groups for diabetes and weight-related disorders. With this partnership, we can bring LazyTown's positive, fun message of nutrition and exercise directly to the kids and families who need it most - in the home, in the school, online and on the air."

President and founder of NTC, Ward Eames, shares in DiRienzo's excitement. "NTC's mission – Teach. Entertain. Inspire. – aligns perfectly with V-me's goal to entertain and educate Hispanic families. This partnership helps bring NTC's proven concept to a new level of multi-media and multicultural engagement."

Sponsors of the LazyTown in-school program will have presence within the live in-school performances, in the take-home curriculum materials, and in the V-me media package developed to support NTC's touring show. "Parents will see their kids getting the healthy eating and exercise message at school and then getting the same message from the LazyTown series on V-me," says Eames. "That's a powerful combination for companies and organizations who want to connect with the Hispanic community and deliver a social marketing message around nutrition and exercise," adds DiRienzo.

About The National Theatre for Children (NTC)

Founded in 1978, NTC is the largest in-school touring company in the world. They are dedicated to educating young people on important and timely curricular subjects by offering professional live theatre to our nation's schools. Based in Minneapolis, NTC has developed the art of teaching through a combination of live theatre, television, print and Web learning into an evidence-based science of its own. NTC has pioneered dozens of extremely successful programs in health, science, social studies, and financial literacy. Each year, dozens of troupes perform live educational theatre programs in front of millions of students, in thousands of schools, nationwide. For more information, please visit the NTC Web site at www.nationaltheatre.com or call 1-800-858-3999.

About V-me

V-me, one of America's largest Spanish networks, entertains and informs Latino families in Spanish with drama, music, sports, current affairs and Latin cinema, food, lifestyle, nature and the most-widely distributed block of educational preschool content on Spanish TV. The 24-hour network, partnered with public television stations, is currently available in over 70% of all Hispanic homes. In nearly 40 markets, V–me is available free over–the–air and on basic digital cable; and is carried nationally via satellite in the basic and Hispanic packages of Dish Network and DirecTV. In some areas, V–me is available on Verizon FiOS and AT&T U–verse. V-me is the first venture of the media production and distribution company, V-me Media Inc. To find out more please visit www.VmeTV.com.

For more information: Katie Griep, Director of Sales and Marketing, [email protected], 612-341-0882 x202 or Natalie Judd, [email protected], 203-389-5223

SOURCE The National Theatre for Children