“War Horse,” the winner of five Tony Awards in 2011, is coming to the Providence Performing Arts Center June 5-9, starring Alex Morf as Albert Narracott, the young boy whose horse is sold to the U.S. Calvary during World War I. Morf, a 32-year-old Shakespearean-trained actor, who looks much younger, plays Albert from ages 14 to 20.

“Both my Shakespeare training, and I guess my young looks, helped me in getting inside this great character, who never gives up,” Morf told me. “Plus, I’m an Iowa farm boy, so I could really relate to Albert.”

Morf was in Fort Lauderdale for a two-week run of the play before moving on to Arkansas, North Carolina and then Rhode Island.

“I can’t wait to get to Providence,” he said. “My girlfriend is a student at Brown, so I’ll get a chance to see her and enjoy the great restaurants she told me about. I’m also into history. Roger Williams. Right? Also many of my friends from New York are coming up to see me.”

A graduate of St. Olaf College in Minnesota, he went on to study at the American Conservatory Theatre and earn his Master of Fine Arts and then to many Shakespeare plays around the country, including the acclaimed Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C.

While “War Horse” was a great, sweeping spectacle of a movie, the play, which is based on Michael Morpurgo’s 1982 novel, uses life-sized puppets developed by the Handspring Puppet Company. My daughter, who saw the play on Broadway, said that the experience is captivating and emotional.

The play started on London’s West End and is still playing to sold-out audiences. Once again, Lynne Singleton has managed to secure the play early in its U.S. tour.

“War Horse” is at the Providence Performing Arts Center from June 5-9. Reservations at 421-ARTS.