INSIDE OUT, FROM HERE TO THERE and More Set for My First Imagination Stage's 2013-14 Season

My First Imagination Stage is dressing up its 2013-2014 season with a world premiere developed by Imagination Stage and the United Kingdom's Tell Tale Hearts Children's Touring Theatre Company. Inside Out is all about the adventures children find when they open up their closets and play dress-up, letting imaginations run wild.

The 2013-14 season for My First Imagination Stage features From Here to There, Aquarium, Inside Out, and Mouse on the Move. Shows run inImagination Stage's Christopher and Dana Reeve Studio Theatre and are Tuesdays-Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.Appropriate for ages 1-5, tickets are $10-12, with a $5 lap seat for children under 12 months. Tickets go on sale August 12 and may be purchased online at www.imaginationstage.org, at the Imagination Stage box office, or via phone at 301-280-1660.

"This season has a great line-up for the very young," said Kathryn Chase Bryer, associate artistic director. "We are thrilled to bring back audience favorites such as From Here to There and Aquarium, and we are especially excited about the world premiere of Inside Out, a work devised and created in collaboration with Tell Tale Hearts. It's been a delight to work with Tell Tale Hearts again. We went straight to the kids to develop this show. We brought clothes to a preschool and simply watched the kids play dress-up. They are the ones that actually came up with the sock dance that is part of the production! It has been a wonderful process, and we are so excited to share it."

The world premiere of Inside Out, in which young imaginations turn scarves into birds and t-shirts into monsters, debuts in the spring, and is directed by Bryer.

Imagination Stage's early childhood performances begin in October with the hit production From Here to There, which had its North American premiere last season. Directed by Natasha Holmes, director and cofounder of Tell Tale Hearts, it's a show that's all about play. The show jumps inside of a child's imagination, as two friends use their creativity to build objects, play games, and tell stories. Performances are followed by a "free play" session, a new trend in Theatre for the Very Young, which invites the audience to come on stage and play with some of the materials used in the show. Actors Megan Dominy and Matthew McGee will bring the story to life.

For the holiday season, Aquarium returns with giant jellyfish, sandy beaches, and a lemon sky to remind audiences of the sunny days of summer. This interactive production includes gentle music, beautiful puppets, and fun props to create a magical underwater world. Adi Stein and Phillip Reid share the role of Jack, and Maggie Erwin will play the role of Calypso. Aquarium is directed by Patrick Lynch and Pietro Chiarenza and was developed by Lyngo Theatre Company in Italy.

The final show in the season is Mouse on the Move, called "ridiculously adorable" by Our Kids. Nellie and Amelia are two adventurous mice, ready to explore the world and beyond in search of cheese. Bryer and Janet Stanford, artistic director of Imagination Stage, co-developed Mouse on the Move. Casting is still to be determined.

In addition to performances, the My First Imagination Stage early childhood programming at Imagination Stage includes the popular Sunday Fun-Dayand Saturday Song Circle. These single session workshops are themed around popular children's books and engage children and parents in multi-sensory play. There are also early childhood classes, ranging from 4 to 10 weeks for caregivers and children. Tickets and more information are available online.

The 2013-2014 My First Imagination Stage Season in the Christopher and Dana Reeve Studio Theatre:

From Here to There

October 25-November 24, 2013

Developed by Tell Tale Hearts Children's Touring Theatre Company

Directed by Natasha Holmes

Watch as two friends fashion objects out of construction paper, build bridges from cardboard boxes, and use rhythm and vocal play to create a catchy tune. It's like jumping inside the world of a child's imagination! Performances are followed by a "free play" session, giving children the opportunity to explore some of the materials and create their own stories.

Best for Ages 2-5

Aquarium

December 17, 2013-January 26, 2014

Developed by Lyngo Theatre Company

Directed by Patrick Lynch and Pietro Chiarenzo

With gentle music, beautiful puppets, and props, Jack and Calypso lead children and caregivers to a magical, interactive world where giant jellyfish fly through the air, sheep graze in the grass, and lemons create the sun in a "let's pretend" sky.

Best for Ages 1-5

Inside Out

March 1-April 6, 2014

Developed by Imagination Stage and Tell Tale Hearts Children's Touring Theatre Company

Directed by Kathryn Chase Bryer

Things can get a little messy when playing dress-up. But imaginations also go wild when scarves become birds, t-shirts become monsters, and a sock dance rocks the closet! In this interactive show, discover the joy of turning things inside out.

Best for Ages 1-5

Mouse on the Move

June 28-August 10, 2014 (weekends only)

Developed by Imagination Stage

Directed by Janet Stanford and Kathryn Chase Bryer

Nellie and Amelia are two adventurous mice, ready to explore the world beyond their little mouse-hole. They decide to go to the moon, since it is reportedly made of delicious, mouth-watering cheese. In this interactive play, the audience helps the mice on their big journey.

Best for Ages 1-5

My First Imagination Stage focuses on ages 1- 5, recognizing "play" is the "work" of early childhood. Through live performances, workshops, and classes, My First Imagination Stage creates fun and developmentally exciting experiences for the very young and their caregivers. A national leader in Theatre for the Very Young, Imagination Stage began focusing on the youngest of theatergoers in 2010 with the world-premiere of Wake Up, Brother Bear! To date, My First Imagination Stage has produced one North American premiere; welcomed guest artists from Italy, Great Britain, and Germany; and developed two acclaimed world premiere productions (Wake Up, Brother Bear! and Mouse on the Move). Like its audiences, this program plans to keep growing!

My First Imagination Stage shows run about 45 minutes. Performances are Tuesdays-Sundays, unless otherwise noted, at 10:30 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. in the Christopher and Dana Reeve Studio Theatre.

Performances play 4908 Auburn Avenue, Bethesda, MD. Parking: Metered parking in the adjacent public parking garage; parking is FREE on weekends. Metro: Red Line / Bethesda Station. For information, call 301-280-1660 or visit www.imaginationstage.org.

Pictured: North American premiere production of FROM HERE TO THERE (March/April 2013) at Imagination Stage. Photo credit: Blake Echols/Imagination Stage.