Young Actor Scores ESPN Voice-Over Gig

Ten-year-old Springs actor August Gladstone has been tapped by ESPN to be the voice of promotional ads for the Little League World Series later this summer.

August, who turns 11 years old on June 27, recorded the teaser spots last week, which are set to air nationally on ESPN and its affiliates.

It's not the first voice-over gig for the actor. August has voiced promos for the Long Island Marine Museum's and did a guest spot on the popular children's cartoon, Go Diego Go.

The child actor, son of Guild Hall Artistic Director Josh Gladstone and actor/director/writer Kate Mueth, got his acting start at six years old performing in Tom Stoppard's "The Coast of Utopia" at Lincoln Center. While a part of the cast, the show won a 2007 Tony Award for Best Play and received much acclaim.

According to his parents, August, who attends the , has acting in his blood.

"If you grow up and your father is a carpenter, you like to play with tools," his mother said. "It's similar with our family."

"He was born into it," said Josh Gladstone. "Since he was a toddler he would be hanging out with us on the stage while we rehearsed. Finally he said to us, 'how come I don't get any lines?'"

When he was three years old his parents cast him as "Grisha" in Anton Chekhov's play, "The Cherry Orchard." While he was performing in a few other Guild Hall productions, August's parents sent some pictures to talent scouts in New York City, and he signed on with talent mogul Abrams Artists, who picked him up.

For his mother, making sure acting doesn't take over is young life is a concern.

"He's a kid, we want him to be a kid, have lots of hobbies," Mueth said. "He doesn't wake up and think 'acting'. It's something fun he's doing, and we've been lucky."

Despite a Tony award, a spot on Go Diego Go and auditions with major directors including Jodi Foster, Helen Hunt and Todd Field, August finds this ESPN job the most exciting.

"This is the only one that registers as cool," Josh Gladstone said.

August loves baseball, and despite a winless little league season had dreams of reaching the big show.

"We played our hearts out this season, but got whomped." Gladstone, who coached the team, said. "This is a nice consolation prize."