1st Stage for Kids Presents THE PRINCE AND THE TROUBADOUR, 6/30-7/29

1st Stage, Tysons Corner's award-winning professional theater, today announced it was continuing to pursue its desire to offer quality, family-friendly, daytime programming this summer by producing "The Prince and the Troubadour," a witty, charming, all-ages musical by local playwrights Rex Daugherty and Doug Wilder. The play is being produced in partnership with Virginia Children's Theater Company.

The play – which debuted in the 2008 Kennedy Center Page To Stage Festival and was originally produced by Charter Theater's "New Plays for Young Audiences" program in Spring 2009 – follows the comic misadventures of a medieval Prince as he attempts to rescue his ne'er-do-well Troubadour friend from the clutches of an evil Witch. The Prince teams up with a savvy, martial arts-wielding Princess and, together, they fight their way past bandits, trolls and bad-hair days to save the Troubadour.

1st Stage Managing Director Eileen Mandell said, "We have found, through the limited daytime programming we've offered to date, that there is a huge demand for family-friendly entertainment in Fairfax County. These performances have been drawing in a segment of the population who have never been to 1st Stage before and we're introducing many children to their first theater experience, which is particularly rewarding. While our main stage shows will remain our primary focus, our hope is to continue to bring high-quality, affordably priced, live theater to Tyson's that's fun for the whole family."

1st Stage initiated its family daytime programming with "Jack and the Bean-Stalk" (May 2010); and has gradually introduced more such performances to its schedule, including "Three Bears" (March 2012) and "A Morning with Barry Louis Polisar" (April 2012). This is the third play written by DC-area playwrights that 1st Stage has produced; and the second family-friendly play it's produced that originally debuted at the Kennedy Center Page To Stage Festival.

Wilder and Daugherty ran Charter Theater's "New Plays for Young Audiences" program from 2006 to 2010; and Daugherty wrote the music for "Jack and the Bean-Stalk," which premiered at 1st Stage in 2010 and was Helen Hayes Award Recommended. Wilder said, "We're delighted to have the opportunity to work with 1st Stage and continue our mission to develop and produce new plays that introduce young audiences to the fun of theater."

"The Prince and the Troubadour" features Julia Fanning, Marta Kotzian, Bradley F. Smith and Doug Wilder. (Fanning and Wilder are reprising their roles from the original production as, respectively, the Princess and the Prince.) Rex Daugherty directs. The run time is 50 minutes and the show is appropriate for all ages. "The Prince and the Troubadour" will run June 30 through July 29, with show times on Saturdays and Sundays at noon and 2 pm. Only the noon shows will be available on Saturday, July 28, and Sunday, July 29.

Tickets are $10. To purchase tickets in advance with credit cards, visit www.1ststagetysons.org. To reserve tickets directly through the 1st Stage Box Office, call 703-854-1856 or email boxoffice@1ststagetysons.org. All tickets are for general admission seating. Arrive early for the widest selection of seats.

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 and has received three "Audience Choice Award" nominations from DC Theatre Scene.

Virginia Children's Theater Company is a new venture being piloted by Daugherty, Wilder and Mario Baldessari, the playwright for "Jack and the Bean-Stalk" and "Three Bears."

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