September 17, 2008
Media Contact: Anne Halsey (312) 799.8016; ahalsey@poetryfoundation.org

Classical Baby (I’m Grown Up Now): The Poetry Show Wins Emmy® for Outstanding Children’s Program

CHICAGO—The Poetry Foundation is happy to announce that Classical Baby (I’m Grown Up Now): The Poetry Show has received an Emmy® in the category of Outstanding Children’s Program. Produced by HBO Family in association with the Poetry Foundation, Classical Baby (I’m Grown Up Now): The Poetry Show introduces audiences to timeless poetry through animation and song and features poems by Shakespeare, Langston Hughes, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Gertrude Stein, William Carlos Williams, Christina Rossetti, and Federico García Lorca.

“This recognition affirms, in a most exciting way, our commitment to furthering the appreciation of literature and the arts in our nation’s children,” said John Barr, president of the Poetry Foundation. “And the great secret is, parents will enjoy these dramatizations of great poems as much as their children.”

Emmy® winners were announced during the 60th Creative Arts Awards on Saturday, September 13, at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles; they will air on the E! Network on Saturday, September 20, at 7pm CT.

Featuring the voices of performers Andy Garcia, John Lithgow, Elizabeth Mitchell, Gwyneth Paltrow, Susan Sarandon, and Jeffrey Wright, Classical Baby (I’m Grown Up Now): The Poetry Show consists of approximately a dozen short segments presenting well-known poems—and some surprises—in a unique format. Between each segment, children ranging in age from four to nine offer commentary and muse on the meaning and mystery of poetry. An HBO original program, Classical Baby (I’m Grown Up Now): The Poetry Show was created in association with the Children’s Poetry and Media Initiatives of the Poetry Foundation.

Earlier this year, the Poetry Foundation donated 1,000 free DVD copies of the Emmy®-winning literary arts program to elementary school libraries across the country. Classical Baby (I’m Grown Up Now): The Poetry Show plays regularly on HBO Family and the DVD is available for purchase through major online book retailers.

***
About the Poetry Foundation
The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine and one of the largest literary organizations in the world, exists to discover and celebrate the best poetry and to place it before the largest possible audience. The Poetry Foundation seeks to be a leader in shaping a receptive climate for poetry by developing new audiences, creating new avenues for delivery, and encouraging new kinds of poetry through innovative literary prizes and programs. For more information, please visit www.poetryfoundation.org.

Download PDF >>