A Connecticut child is the fresh voice for a new PBS KIDS series.
The show, “PEG + CAT,” is set to premiere on Monday, Oct. 7.
Hayley Faith Negrin is the 10-year-old Weston fifth-grader who will star in the show. Hayley is the voice of Peg.
“Peg is a very energetic girl and she has a best friend named cat and they go on all these adventures and they have problems and they have to solve it,” she said.
The show was created to emphasize education, especially math. It includes a variety of characters and singing to engage the audience.
“It’s not like it’s straight math to make the kids learn,” said Hayley. “But they make the kids learn to make it fun.”
Hayley says she has learned a lot from the show, especially considering her favorite subject is writing.
That did not stop her from auditioning. Out of hundreds who tried out for the voice of Peg, Hayley won the spot.
“She was always someone who could talk to someone, adult, child. I knew she always had an outgoing personality,” said Hayley’s mom, Jara Negrin.
When you compare that with Peg’s character, the two have striking similarities.
“We’re both really energetic,” said Hayley.
“She’s spunky. Hayley and Peg are spunky,” said Jara.
The job is tough at times. Twice a month the two travel to Brooklyn to record, sometimes staying overnight, but it’s a job that Hayley loves.
“When you find something that matches what you’re meant to do it’s great,” said Jara Negrin. “If you find it at 10, it’s even greater so if she continues wanting to do it, I’m certainly all for it.”
Add Hayley’s personality with Peg’s spunk and you get an equation that equals a fun-filled show.
Now this is not Hayley’s first acting gig. She was in a Verizon commercial a few years ago and plans on pursuing acting as she gets older.
If you want to catch “PEG + CAT,” it premieres on Monday Oct. 7, at 9 a.m.
The show will air weekdays at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on PBS KIDS, which is CPTV in Connecticut.