Bear Country: The Story Of Coach Paul 'Bear' Bryant Plays In Birmingham 8/6-20

Bear Country, the smash hit play about the life and times of University of Alabama's legendary football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, will play at Birmingham's historic Virginia Samford Theatre August 6-20.

Tickets will go on sale June 8 at 10 a.m. and may be obtained by calling 1.800.841.4273 or online at www.asf.net. Ticket prices range from $38 to $45.

Bear Country received its world premiere at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival last winter and became the best-attended and highest-grossing play in the 24-year history of ASF's Octagon Theatre. In its six-and-a-half-week run at ASF, Bear Country played to 98 percent capacity.

Bear Country highlights the wit and wisdom of Paul W. Bryant, who rose from the child of dirt-poor sharecroppers to become the standard by which college football players are judged. Written by playwright and ASF's chief operating officer Michael Vigilant, Bear Country was originally commissioned for the theatre's Southern Writers' Project, which creates and promotes the telling of Southern stories on the stage.

In addition to raves from former Alabama football players, coaches and fans, Bear Country was acclaimed by the critics. The Montgomery Advertiser declared, "Vigilant and company got it right." Roll Bama Roll exclaimed, "Bear Country ain't nothin' but a winner." And Bama.com called Bear Country "outstanding entertainment."

Bear Country will feature three of its four original cast members, with Rodney Clark again playing Coach Bryant, and John Patrick Hayden and Yaegel T. Welch assuming a variety of roles. William Peden will join the cast as Young Coach Bryant.

The Virginia Samford Theatre is located at 1116 26th Street in Birmingham.