THE THREE BEARS HOLIDAY BASH to Return to Swedish Cottage in Central Park

City Parks Foundation has announced the return of The Three Bears Holiday Bash, an original marionette production beginning Saturday, November 11, 2017 at the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre in Central Park and running through the end of December.

The Three Bears Holiday Bash is a variety show that celebrates the holiday season in song, dance and puppetry. The production quickly becomes a comedy of errors when Baby Bear invites Santa to star in Mama and Papa Bear's annual Christmas Eve holiday show. The audience also gets to join in on the fun with sing-a-longs during the performance of holiday favorites "I Have a Little Dreidel" and "Feliz Navidad."

Written and directed by the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre's longtime Artistic Director, Bruce Cannon, The Three Bears Holiday Bash draws from the stories of Hanukkah, "The Night Before Christmas," and Kwanzaa, making it a fantastic way to get into the holiday spirit!

"We are thrilled to usher in the holiday season with the return of our winter classic, The Three Bears Holiday Bash, to the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre," said Artistic Director, Bruce Cannon. "Children and adults alike will appreciate the coming together of these rich cultural traditions and the festive celebration of them through music, dance and our hand-crafted marionette puppets."

IF YOU GO:

THE THREE BEARS HOLIDAY BASH

Show times for The Three Bears Holiday Bash, beginning Saturday, November 11 through Sunday, November 26, 2017 are:

Tuesday through Friday at 10:30am and 11:30am
Saturday and Sunday at 1:00pm

Show times for The Three Bears Holiday Bash, beginning Monday, November 27 through Saturday, December 30 are:

Monday through Friday at 10:30am and 11:30am
Saturday and Sunday at 1:00pm

The production will run through December 30, 2017. Please note the modified schedule below for specific show dates:

November 22nd - 10:30am and 11:30am
November 23rd - Closed
November 24th - 11:00am, 1:00pm and 3:00pm

December 24 - 25th - Closed
December 26th - 30th - 11:00am and 1:00pm

**Note: Schedule subject to change, please refer to www.cityparksfoundation.org/arts/swedish-cottage-marionette-theatre for most up to date schedule**

Show is recommended for children ages 3-9.

To guarantee admission, purchase tickets online at www.cityparksfoundation.org/arts/swedish-cottage-marionette-theatre. Ticket prices are: $8/children under 12, $12/all others. Tickets are sold at the door, only when available.

For group rates, school group reservations, and information on birthday parties, please call 212-988-9093.

The Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre is located in Central Park at 81st Street and Central Park West, just south of the Delacorte Theater.

City Parks Foundation (CPF) is the only independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to offer programs in public parks throughout the five boroughs of New York City. At City Parks Foundation, we are dedicated to invigorating and transforming parks into dynamic, vibrant centers of urban life through sports, arts, community development, and education programs for all New Yorkers. Our programs and community building initiatives -- located in more than 350 parks, recreation centers, and public schools across the city -- reach 425,000 people each year. Our ethos is simple: we believe thriving parks mean thriving communities.

The enchanting Swedish architecture and craftsmanship of the Swedish Cottage which was suggestive of a model schoolhouse caught the eye of Central Park creator Frederick Law Olmsted, who brought it to Central Park in 1877. A traveling marionette company was founded in 1939 and in 1947 the Swedish Cottage became home to the company. In 1973, a permanent theater was constructed inside the Swedish Cottage, designed for marionette performances. Since then, hundreds of thousands of children and families from around the world have enjoyed its original productions. Under the direction of City Parks Foundation, the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre and CityParks PuppetMobile continues to thrill audiences from around the world, entertaining upwards of 65,000 people each year.

Photo Credit: Justina Wong