VEE Corporation Presents New Nationwide Tour: Care Bears Live!

MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Take a magical, musical journey to Care-a-Lot with Cheer Bear, Wish Bear, Funshine Bear, Grumpy Bear and the rest of their Care Bear friends in VEE Corporation's brand new stage production, Care Bears Live: "Caring and Sharing Friends!" set to premiere in Omaha, Nebraska on September 21st. Minneapolis-based VEE Corporation, the nation's preeminent producer of live touring family entertainment, has teamed up with the creator of the beloved bears, American Greetings, and The Joester Loria Group, the worldwide exclusive licensing agency for the brand, to bring the new live children's stage show on this nationwide tour.

LEARNING TO CARE

In Care Bears Live "Caring and Sharing Friends" we meet Lindsay, a little girl who is saddened because her best friend has moved away. Wish Bear hears Lindsay's wish to meet her Care Bear friends for companionship, and then magically transports Lindsay along with the audience to Care-a-Lot -- home of the Care Bears! The Care Bears share the ways in which Lindsay can make new friends and -- in the process -- the Bears themselves learn a valuable lesson about friendship: In order to make a friend, you have to be a good friend, too.

LEARNING TO SHARE

Care Bears Live "Caring and Sharing Friends" is fun for the whole family! Children will recognize popular Care Bear songs, such as, "With a Smile, Smile, Smile" and "Everyone Loves the Care Bears." Their furry friends will also teach them fun new tunes, including "Wacky Moo Moo" and "It Takes You and Me." Care Bears Live "Caring and Sharing Friends" features a colorful selection of musical favorites, many of them renditions of tunes that parents will remember and kids will love: "The Other Day (I Met a Bear ... )," "Rain, Rain, Go Away," and "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." The Care Bears encourage children to sing, dance, clap and play while learning the special values that the Care Bears represent.

ON THE STAGE AND ON THE WEB

Care Bears Live "Caring and Sharing Friends" premiered in Minneapolis in March 2005 and visited four additional cities: Cleveland and Lima, Ohio; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Rockford, Illinois. Given glowing reviews by the press and families alike, Care Bears Live will tour the U.S., opening the season in Omaha, Nebraska on September 21. VEE Corporation also just unveiled the show's tour web site, http://www.carebearslive.com/. Care Bears fans can get the latest tour, ticket and show schedules online and receive advance ticket notices by registering as a Favorite Friend on the tour web site.

A NEW PARTNERSHIP

Care Bears Live is produced by VEE Corporation, in cooperation with Cleveland-based American Greetings Corporation and The Joester Loria Group. While most people know American Greetings for its greeting card, gift wrap, and stationery products, the company is also the creator and owner of many celebrated character properties, such as Care Bears, Strawberry Shortcake and others. American Greetings first introduced Care Bears in 1982 on greeting cards, as a plush toy, and in a television program. It was the first property to teach children virtues like caring for others and sharing feelings. The unique concept of each bear representing a feeling or social value through a symbol on its tummy proved to be ahead of its time. The classic property was reintroduced in 2002 with extraordinary success by American Greetings and The Joester Loria Group, the worldwide exclusive licensing agency for the brand. The Care Bears are more popular than ever, confirming their iconic status as the caring and sharing ambassadors for children of all ages.

"VEE Corporation's expertise in preschool productions makes them the perfect partner to bring the brand to life through a live stage show," explains Michael Brown, Vice President, Licensing, American Greetings. "With colorful costumes and sets, catchy songs, and audience interactivity, Care Bears Live provides wholesome family fun while gently teaching life lessons."

"The Care Bears are a special property that resonates with consumers on a variety of levels," said Debra Joester, president of The Joester Loria Group. "Families continue to look for ways to teach their kids the important values of caring and sharing, so we're excited about the many ways these lovable icons will spread this important message in the months and years to come."

Vincent E. Egan, president and founder of VEE Corporation offered: "We are delighted to have this opportunity to work with American Greetings and The Joester Loria Group to produce the Care Bears' first live-on-stage production. When we introduced Sesame Street Live in 1980 we couldn't have imagined the world-renowned success it enjoys today. Now, with twenty-six years of experience in this wonderful business of children's entertainment, Care Bears is ready for a live show, too. It's extremely popular among today's children and also enjoys a nostalgic following from the moms and dads who grew up with the bears in the 1980s."

GENUINELY ENTERTAINING

In 1980, VEE presented the first production of Sesame Street Live, now the longest running children's tour in history. Today, thanks to 26 years of successful "sunny days," VEE also produces Dragon Tales Live and Care Bears Live. In addition to its touring shows, VEE Corporation's Costumes & Creatures(R) and VEE Production Services divisions, have designed and fabricated projects for entertainment, sports, museum and corporate clients around the globe. VEE Corporation is committed to providing high quality, affordable entertainment. For more information, please visit http://www.vee.com/ .

About The Care Bears

When introduced by American Greetings in 1982, the Care Bears property was truly ahead of its time in that it created a personalized play experience through unique characters that helped teach kids about the importance of caring for others and sharing special feelings.

Led by Cheer Bear, Tenderheart Bear, Share Bear and the other unforgettable characters, the Care Bears truly connected with children and families the world over. In 2002, the instantly recognizable Care Bears made a grand exit from hibernation and grabbed national headlines by sparking consumer frenzy with a new generation of kids and teens, as well as parents who originally grew up with cuddly characters. Since their reintroduction in 2002, the Care Bears have clearly demonstrated their appeal as a true classic, evergreen property and continue their sharing mission with new activities and programs in 2005 and beyond.

About American Greetings Corporation

American Greetings Corporation is one of the world's largest manufacturers of social expression products. Along with greeting cards, its product lines include gift wrap, party goods, candles, stationery, calendars, educational products, ornaments and electronic greetings. American Greetings is also the creator and owner of many celebrated character properties, including Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, American Greetings generates annual net sales of approximately $2 billion. For more information on the Corporation, visit http://corporate.americangreetings.com/.

About The Joester Loria Group

The Joester Loria Group, http://www.joesterloriagroup.com/, is a full- service licensing and marketing agency providing its clients with a full array of services including: strategic planning, competitive analysis, implementation of licensing strategy, management of publicity, advertising and marketing for licensing programs. The Joester Loria Group represents DaimlerChrysler Corporation for Jeep and Chrysler, American Greetings for Care Bears and Get Along Gang, Gruner+Jahr including Parents Magazine, BabyGenius, Pepsi and Mountain Dew, Cablevision's Fuse TV and the family of Rodale Inc. magazines including Men's Health and Prevention.