THREE BEARS To Premiere At 1st Stage 2/9

1st Stage, Tysons Corner's award-winning professional theater, in partnership with First Draft at Charter Theater, a nonprofit organization devoted to the development of audiences and new plays, today announced the February 9 world premiere of "Three Bears," a brand-new play that offers a comedic twist on the classic fairy tale and "sends the Three Bears and a golden-haired friend on an all-new, a cappella musical adventure."

The production features many of the same members of the creative team that brought last summer's "Jack and the Bean-Stalk" to 1st Stage. Written by DC playwrights Mario Baldessari and Ethan Slater, the show includes music by Slater, with lyrics by Baldessari. Joshua Dick, Tyler Herman and Leigh Taylor Patton star as the Three Bears; Gannon O'Brien as Sergeant Goldilocks; and Baldessari as the Lou the Janitor. First Draft Artistic Director Leslie A. Kobylinski directs.

"This is a comedy that's 'just right' for the whole family," said Kobylinski. "The show is aimed at younger audiences, but has lots of laughs built in for adults. It's a perfect fit for families who want to share the joy of live-performance theater. "

"Three Bears" will run February 9 through March 4, with show times as follows: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at noon; and President's Day Monday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets are $15. Group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more. All tickets are for general admission seating. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at www.1ststagetysons.org or by calling the 1st Stage box office at 703-854-1856. The run time is 45 minutes.

1st Stage's mission is to "bring great professional theater to the Tyson's Corner area, establishing a strong, vibrant arts presence in the region's fastest growing city. The theater also strives to give emerging talent – actors, playwrights, directors and technical crew – a launching pad for their professional careers. 1st Stage was the winner of the 2010 Helen Hayes Awards John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre."

First Draft at Charter Theater's mission is "to develop audiences alongside new plays, and support local artists and theaters seeking to produce new work. First Draft is supported in part by Arlington County through the Cultural Affairs Division of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources and the Arlington Commission for the Arts. The First Draft Reading Series is also made possible in part by the warmth and generosity of the Drama Committee of the Arts Club of Washington, and The Share Fund of The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region."

For more information, visit 1st Stage online at www.1ststagetysons.org and First Draft at www.firstdraft.org; or follow the theater companies on Facebook.

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