Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Adaptation (Original Off-Broadway Run)

Winnie the Pooh The New Musical Adaptation poster

Winnie The Pooh Musical is the original first production of the musical Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Adaptation created by Jonathan Rockefeller and Rockefeller Productions.

Previews occurred Off-Broadway at the Theatre Row Building in New York City from October 21, 2021, until its world premiere on November 4, 2021. Jonathan Rockefeller adapted the characters, while utilizing several pieces of music and lyrics from the Sherman Brothers.

The creative team includes set design co-designed by Jack Golden and Joshua Warner, lighting design by Jamie Roderick, costume design by Lindsay McWilliams Original music and orchestrations by, Nate Edmondson, and puppets built by Rockefeller Productions (lead builder Matthew Lish).

In September 2021, the cast was revealed to consist of Jake Bazel as Pooh, Chris Palmieri as Tigger, Kirsty Moon as Piglet/Roo, Emmanuel Elpenord as Eeyore/Owl/Rabbit, and Kristina Dizon as Kanga, while Sebastiano Ricci and Vicki Oceguera served as the understudies. After an open call for young actors, Kaydn Kuioka, Max Lamberg and Cooper Lantz were cast to share the role of Christopher Robin. The production closed January 30, 2022.^[1]

A New Story Told[]

Come along with Pooh as fall arrives and Christopher Robin heads to school. Pooh and his friends must learn how to live without him, including finding activities to engage in throughout the four seasons without overindulging in sweets. But when Christopher Robin returns to the Hundred Acre Woods for the summer, Winnie the Pooh discovers that friendship is something even sweeter than honey.

Songs that make you sing along[]

The tunes of Winnie the Pooh are enjoyable and catchy. The “Winnie the Pooh” song will have you wanting to join in with Pooh and the gang. With joyful songs that introduce the characters, like “The Wonderful Things about Tiggers,” you will surely be bouncing around in your seat. We promise you, “It’s Gonna Be Great!”

Message[]

“A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside.” Your heart will be warmed by the friendships created. The show also teaches sharing, self esteem, and problem solving, in addition to the powers of friendship.^[2]

"I am thrilled to be entrusted to create a new classic for the stage, for new audiences as they join our adventure into the Hundred Acre Wood, And what a grand adventure! Disney's Winnie the Pooh material is so incredibly rich, that almost a century since its first publication, I doubt there is anyone who hasn't been profoundly moved or feels a personal connection with the wonderful characters of Pooh. " - Jonathan Rockefeller

Summary[]

This ^article/section features spoilers. Continue reading at your own risk.

The show's story spans the four seasons of the year. With Christopher Robin away at school, Pooh searches for a way to get some honey on his own. On a blustery Autumn day, Pooh decides to see if any of his friends have any honey. Piglet, who was blown away on a kite on the breeze, ends up joining Pooh on his search and they follow a little bee to a honey tree near Eeyore's House. As Eeyores aren't built for climbing and Pooh believes he is too big, Piglet is sent up the tree since he is small enough to fit inside the hole. However, the windy breeze knocks Piglet out of the knothole, crashing into Eeyore's House. They decide that it is too windy to try climbing the tree. Eeyore, not seeing what happened to his house, invites Pooh and Piglet over to see if he has any honey and the trio soon find themselves getting lost trying to find Eeyore's House.

Winter arrives to the Hundred Acre Wood, which Pooh believes to be a specific person that is coming to visit. Being joined by Piglet on his search for "Mrs. Winter", Owl arrives and points them in the direction of a snowwoman in a sunhat. They try and introduce themselves to the inanimate snow creature, but think she's too shy to say anything back. Thinking they need an energetic friendly face to get her to open up, they end up chancing upon Tigger who is eager to impress the new arrival with song. Still unresponsive, they think that Mrs. Winter is too cold to speak, so Tigger decides to give her Piglet's scarf. When that doesn't work, they bring her inside to warm her up, melting her off-screen as the show moves on to Spring.

In the Spring, Pooh ends up asking Rabbit for honey. Rabbit decides to have Pooh help shoo people out of his garden in exchange for the honey. However, Roo is taking bouncing lessons with Tigger, who teaches him the Whoopty-Dooper-Loopty-Looper-Alley-Ooper bounce. When Tigger thinks Rabbit's garden is actually a perfectly manicured "bouncing field", he ends up turning Pooh's shoos into hoo-hoos and the three end up bouncing Rabbit's vegetables out of the ground. Rabbit arrives on the scene, honey pot in hand and drops it out of shock and anger. Tigger ends up suggesting to Rabbit that he can start replanting at a faster pace by simply bouncing the seeds into place instead of digging and he, Roo and Tigger get to work. Pooh however is distracted by the buzzing of the bees and wanders back to the honey tree.

In the Summer, Pooh has found himself stuck in the honey tree. Piglet and Tigger have been playing Poohsticks by themselves in Pooh's absence, but they soon run out of good sticks. They visit Eeyore, who is trying to rebuild his home and soon find Pooh in the tree. Tigger tries to use bouncing to shake Pooh out while Eeyore goes looking for more help. Owl flies by and thinks the best solution is to just wait for Pooh to get thin enough to get out of the treehole. Soon Rabbit arrives with Piglet's kite and they tie it to Pooh's legs to try and pull him out. Successfully prying him loose, Pooh becomes entangled in the kite strings and flies off, landing in a bush where he reunites with Christopher Robin. Wondering what's happened in his absence, Pooh tells him its a long story. Christopher Robin gives Pooh a pot of honey and the two decide to get the gang together to go on an adventure to find a Heffalump or journey to the North Pole.

Information About The Show[]

Inspired by the beloved books by A. A. Milne and the classic Disney featurettes, Disney’s Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Stage Adaptation was welcomed in New York beginning in October 2021 garnered rave reviews where it was called “A perfect introduction to live theater. It’s a captivating adventure with spectacular puppetry,” (Mommy Poppins); “Charming and whimsical stage show that Pooh surpasses every expectation I had for it,” (The Laughing Place); “Winnie the Pooh is delightfully first-rate,” (Theatre Pizzazz); “Irresistible.,” (DC Metro Arts); “An hour of bountiful joy,” (New York Theatre Guide); “Mesmerizing life-size puppets and original Sherman Brothers tunes, the beautiful new Winnie the Pooh musical is must-see,” (Theatrely); “The new ‘Winnie the Pooh’ musical Is sweeter than honey.” (Toy Insider), and “Enchanting!” (Time Out).

“The music, the spectacular life-size puppets, and the charming performances are the perfect way to introduce (or re-introduce) audiences to live theatre, and this is a must-see show for Winnie the Pooh fans of all ages. We are excited to bring the Hundred Acre Wood across the United States so that audiences of all ages can join us for this heartwarming production,” said Jonathan Rockefeller.

In a new story from the Hundred Acre Wood, this fresh stage adaptation is told with impressive life-size puppetry, telling exciting new stories featuring characters that have played iconic roles in the lives of children for generations. Accompanying the magical, modern narrative is an original score from Nate Edmondson, which features some of the songs written for the animated feature from The Sherman Brothers’, including Winnie the Pooh, The Blustery Day, The Wonderful Thing About Tigger’s, Whoop-De-Dooper Bounce, and A.A. Milne’s The More It Snows.

The story unfolds over the span of four seasons, beginning with fall and ending with summer. Christopher Robin has gone away to school, leaving Winnie the Pooh and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood to fend for themselves until his return. Naturally, Pooh is craving a “Smackerel” of honey and in each season, he finds new challenges that prevent him from obtaining something sweet. But when Christopher Robin finally comes home for summer break, the sweetest treat of all isn’t honey, but friendship.

With the character of Winnie the Pooh celebrating 100 years in 2021, Jonathan Rockefeller has pulled together elements unique to the books and Disney’s animated projects to please all fans of Pooh Bear young and young at heart. Like the books and package feature The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, each season is episodic.

The main throughline of the story is Pooh’s need for honey and his desire to reunite with Christopher Robin, but the hallmarks of the franchise are all there. Eeyore’s house of sticks will collapse, Tigger will bounce and find that he does everything best, Rabbit will garden and get frustrated that nobody else does it right, and Piglet will be small and meek but braver than he thinks. In this Winnie the Pooh story, Christopher Robin has gone off to school and Pooh Bear wants some honey. Luckily, he has some familiar friends who are willing to go on an adventure to find Pooh some.

Along with the season transitions, there are little twinkles of simple theatre magic that wowed this audience of tots. During a scene where Tigger is teaching Roo to bounce, they damage Rabbit’s garden. The actors press on pedals behind the set that cause the veggies to fall apart. In another scene, a note from Christopher Robin is blown around the stage by the fall wind. Clear wires pull the note across the stage and into the audience. The theatre magic was obvious to the non-kid members of the audience, but it was exhilarating to experience these simple tricks around children who were absolutely awestruck.

Like most of Pooh's Disney adventures, the show is structured as a series of amusing vignettes. Each section takes place during a different season, and all of the songs and some of the stories are lifted from the movies: Pooh gets stuck while binge eating, Tigger teaches Roo to bounce, Piglet face-plants on the ground.

For those who grew up watching the films, the musical numbers—especially those by the Sherman Brothers (such as "The Blustery Day" and "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers")—will spark fuzzy nostalgia.

The puppeteers are visible as they manipulate their life-size anthropomorphic animal characters, but their body language and facial expressions add to their performances, particularly Emmanuel Elpenord’s turn as the hilariously depressive Eeyore. (The lone human character, Pooh's friend Christopher Robin, is essentially a cameo role.) Produced by Rockefeller Productions, Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin, and the usual cast of Hundred Acre Wood characters, including Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, Owl, and Tigger lead theater-goers on a captivating adventure stretching out of the course of four seasons, yet occurring all in a day's time.

The running time of 65 minutes packs in plenty of familiar storylines, but keeps young audiences—the show is geared toward ages 3-10—captivated. But, adults take note: The familiarity has bred a loyal following from millennials who have flocked to see the show, too. Kids were outnumbered by adults in large numbers when we attended.

Indeed, a musical score from The Sherman Brothers and A.A. Milne is familiar enough you'll likely find yourself fighting the urge to turn the outing into a sing-along. For audiences, that means a manageable 65-minute-long romp with Pooh and his anthropomorphized friends as they enjoy what makes each of the four seasons enjoyable: the blusteriness of autumn and rescuing Piglet from a runaway kite; befriending a snow-lady in a winter wonderland; ruining Rabbit’s vegetable garden while practicing bouncing with Tigger and Kanga; and of course, rescuing Pooh from a honey tree.

Though Christopher Robin makes a brief appearance at the top of the show and conclusion, as in Toy Story, here the toys are the thing. In this latest escapade, the eponymous ursid has run out of honey, usually brought to him by the boy Christopher Robin, who is away at a place called “school.” So what’s a Pooh-Bear to do? He’ll have to find it for himself, with the aid of the other anthropomorphic talking animals in the woods.

They search for the sweet treat for what seems like a year, through seasons of amusing mishaps that teach them (and the kids attentively watching them) the importance of friendship and working together. The premise is simple -- Pooh feels a "rumbly" in his "tumbly" and craves honey. But his human child pal Christopher Robin (played with guileless joy by Max Lamberg at my performance) is off to school.

This sparks an adventure where Pooh sets off in search of the sweet golden liquid and passes through the four seasons with his friends until Christopher Robin finally returns in the summer and gives him a jar of the long-awaited sugary bliss. ^[3]

It's a total sensory experience from the moment one enters the theatre. First, you're engulfed by the sounds of frogs and crickets. David Goldstein's set glows with Jamie Roderick's warm, inviting lighting and evokes the Disney animated films and Ashdown Forest in Sussex, England that served as author A.A. Milne's inspiration. It makes you feel like you've entered an enchanted woodland. And that's before the show begins.

Upon the entry of a certain familiar "tubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff," the audience of kids of all ages (including a good number of grown-ups without children companions) erupted with glee as if a rockstar or celebrity had graced the stage. Not that such a reception would go to the head of the "bear of very little brains." But the musical's Pooh is actually -- like the other stuffed animal characters made sentient by the human boy Christopher Robin's imagination -- two performers in one.

One Winnie the Pooh is the actor and singer, Jake Bazel (who also provided additional dialogue to the script). Bazel's warm, soft, buttery voice honors iconic Poohs before him like Sterling Holloway and Jim Cummings while making the character his own. His kind face is innocence-personified, but his slim build contrasts the rotund teddy.

The other Pooh bear is one of Rockefeller Productions' life-sized puppets created by a talented team led by Matthew Lish and the production's playwright, director, and creative director of the puppet department, Jonathan Rockefeller.

The puppets are handled Avenue-Q style (don't fret, folks, that's as far as the similarities go with the Tony Award-winning adult puppet show). The human actors are visible and speak or sing while performing the demanding and athletic feat of operating a giant plushie with both hands and feet. It's a marathon of activity for the performers, and most were understandably perspiring from the effort midway through. The puppets, however, made it look easy. They did not break a sweat despite their sometimes perilous situations.

The premise is simple -- Pooh feels a "rumbly" in his "tumbly" and craves honey. But his human child pal Christopher Robin (played with guileless joy by Max Lamberg at my performance) is off to school. This sparks an adventure where Pooh sets off in search of the sweet golden liquid and passes through the four seasons with his friends until Christopher Robin finally returns in the summer and gives him a jar of the long-awaited sugary bliss.

Each season ushers in new adventures and magical moments. Kids and adults will recognize the songs, storylines and characters from the books and animated films. The main musical numbers are bright, brief, and punchy earworms that earned Grammys for Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman. (The Sherman Brothers are responsible for the original Pooh songs, among other hits for Disney musicals).

New music includes "The More It Snows (Tiddley Pom)" by Carly Simon, "Sing-Ho (for the Life of a Bear)" by Nate Edmonson (who provides the show's score and additional lyrics as well), and Winnie the Pooh's "Hums" by original author A.A. Milne.

Psychiatrist Carl Jung might have called these characters "archetypes." I think of them as personalities. Who hasn't known an energetic attention-seeker like Tigger, a know-it-all Owl type, or controlling perfectionist like Rabbit? (Here's a fun game: ask friends and family which single or combination of Pooh characters they identify with and why. Try it!)

But be they embodiments of archetypes, personalities, or mental disorders, the whole (human and puppet) cast is spectacular. It was hard to choose where to look, at the puppet or the person. In addition to Bazel's spot-on Pooh, Kristina Dizon played the nurturing mother Kanga and several other creatures like bees, birds, and butterflies.

Kirsty Moon's tender voice and gentle ways made both Piglet and Roo come to life with sincerity and likability. Chris Palmieri's athletic, lisping interpretation of Tigger often stole the show and inspired spontaneous applause. (But then again, attracting attention is one of the many things Tiggers do best!). I was particularly struck by the vocal and physical challenge for Emmanuel Elpenord, who performs triple-duty as Eeyore, Rabbit, and Owl (with assistance from Dizon). Elpenord managed to make each character extremely distinctive and authentic to the originals.

The design and construction of the puppets are nothing less than remarkable. The Rockefeller Productions team combined elements from E.H. Shepard's original illustrations and Disney's animated characters then added special touches that made the fuzzy friends feel less like cartoon animals than what they really are -- plush toys come to life. The result is that they all appear even cuter, sweeter, and a bit shabbier, too, like a well-loved toy.

Lindsay Williams paid equal attention to detail in costuming the human actors. Each performer's youthful outfits have elements that mimic their puppet counterparts. Dizon's Kanga has patchwork accents, Moon's Piglet wears a striped, mock-neck top, and Palmieri's Tigger dons a jughead-style crown cap and a shirt with abstract, painterly stripes.

The musical's puppets that were the most strikingly different in appearance from the animated films are Eeyore, Rabbit, Owl, Kanga and Roo. This is a welcome change as they feel more expressive, charming, imaginative, and alive. There is a sense of evolution, authenticity, and deliberateness in these choices. Of course, if you fall in love (as I did with Eeyore), you can take a smaller version home with you.

Though some might feel that showing the voices and faces behind the puppets breaks the mystique, to me, it fosters a sense of play and imagination games, where children enact different characters without the aid of customized costumes and complex puppetry skills.^[4]

These are dream roles for Jake Bazel, of Manalapan, playing Pooh, and Chris Palmieri, of Montague, playing Tigger.

Both men are professional puppeteers, and for the parents of like-minded children – yes, you really can earn a living that way.

“I am Winnie the Pooh,” Bazel announces by way of introduction, the joy evident in his voice. “So far, it hasn’t gotten old, and I don’t think it ever will.”

“The second I saw them working, it clicked that it could be a job one day,” Bazel says. “And as soon as I saw them, it was all I wanted to do.”

He trained with experienced puppeteers and, about a year later, got a call to do some work.

The musical, which has been in previews and is an open-ended run, has the usual pandemic protocols for patrons: masks must be worn, proof of vaccine must be presented. This show also offers free, rapid, on-site testing in a van outside the theater for up to 90 minutes before curtain. It also offers to rent the 199-seat theater to assure the safest possible audience.

The gentle musical conveys the quiet sweetness of this special group of friends and how they support one another. Bazel easily slips into the bear’s voice, as does Palmieri with the kinetic tiger.

“Among Tigger’s attributes is that he lives completely in the moment, and he will show you exactly who he is at that time,” Palmieri says. “If he is sad, he is sad. If he is happy, he is happy. He takes that to the highest degree and will turn on a dime. That is a lot of opportunities to play and be at different levels, especially within a short scene.”

This should be completely relatable given the expected audience of preschoolers, where emotions can run the gamut depending on how long it takes to refill a sippy cup. The one-hour performance, which does not have an intermission, follows the pals through a whole year, as the seasons change.

The actors operate the puppets while wearing them. The characters’ feet rest on the actors’ feet, and the 4-feet costumes are attached to harnesses the actors wear under their costumes. The characters look as they should, like well-loved stuffed animals.

That’s just it about Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, and the rest of A.A. Milne’s delightful characters: People do love them. Let’s face it, plenty of kid-oriented entertainment is barely tolerable to adults, but hearing Tigger’s slightly gruff voice and Pooh’s higher-pitched musings take folks back to a comforting innocence.

“Pooh bear is love personified,” Bazel says. “Truly the one thing more important to Winnie-the-Pooh than honey are his friends.”^[5]

•All the puppets featured in the show were designed and constructed within the walls of Rockefeller Productions by a talented team of artists, designers, patternmakers, builders, welders and fabricators. Inspired by Disney’s original character designs, and Christopher Robin’s real-life counterparts, each larger-than-life size character ‘full of fluff’, covered in fur (or feathers) has been built lovingly many times over to get their look and movement just right.’ The puppets were created by Rockefeller Productions with lead builders Matthew Lish, Ben Durocher, and John Cody. Additional builders Sarah Lafferty, Jessica Marie Lorence, Laura Manns, Chris Palmieri, Brian Carson, Sebastiano Ricci, Rebecca Grazi, Brandan Malafronte, Timmy Turner, Jessica Simon, Jamie Bressler, Tyler Holland, Kelly Selznick, Ricold Wille, Janet Castel, Robyn Coffey, Adam Kreutinger, Alexandra Limpert, Julia Moreno, Kate Mulhauser, and David Valentine. With Creative Director Jonathan Rockefeller.

•Winnie the Pooh has had millions of followers since 1926. When A. A Milne first chronicled the adventures of Christopher Robin’s best friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. The whole story became immensely popular. Disney’s iconic Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin, and their best buddies Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, and Tigger will be arriving soon to steal the stage in beautifully crafted Winnie the Pooh: The new Musical Adaptation.

•You’ll experience the most stunning life-size puppetry through the eyes of your favorite characters. This fresh and beautifully crafted musical stage adaptation features the Sherman Brothers’ classical Grammy-award-winning music with additional songs by A.A. Milne. This New Musical Adaptation is brought in association with Disney Theatrical Productions. Rockefeller Productions supported the challenge and worked on re-imagining of Disney’s Winnie the Pooh for a new audience. The audience would love seeing their favorite characters jump from the page and into puppet form.

•The show features the original characters along with a real-life Christopher Robin. The audience feels the real connection; their hearts get captivated by the characters, and their world of imagination will soar with these life-size puppets. If the puppets don’t win you over, then the classic tale will. This time puppets are even larger, resembling the size of real-life characters. In this instance, the team of puppeteers built the puppets several times to ensure that overall appearance and size are accurate.

When crafting theatre for young audiences, the success of a given production relies on the creative team’s understanding of the age group. Not all theatre for young audience shows are for all kids. This Winnie knows exactly who it’s for. Looking around, there were many toddlers in the audience. Once the performance began, every child’s eyes were glued to the stage and completely enraptured by the production. Jonathan Rockefeller’s tender puppets were crafted with such care. Puppets can easily turn to the disturbing side, but Rockefeller’s designs are filled with tenderness. Even the actor/puppeteers are dressed in simple outfits that mirror their characters in a way that supports the design without feeling dorky. Pooh Bear’s puppeteer, played with phenomenal accuracy by Jake Bazel, wears greyish overalls with a blue cap. The design is never trying to mirror the characters, but instead evokes the essence of the characters. David Goldstein’s scenic design supports the puppet’s perfectly. It’s whimsical and childish and instantly captures the eye. As the seasons change throughout the play, Goldstein uses theatrical magic and simplicity to indicate these changes. As it turns to fall, leaves fall over the stage and audience. During the transition to winter, bubbles fall in the audience and wooly, white blankets are placed on parts of the set to indicate snow. ^[6]

Everyone’s favorite bear (courtesy of the beloved A.A. Milne stories) is back in a new musical stage adaptation of the Disney shorts which spawned the feature, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and the later television series. Jonathan Rockefeller’s new musical adaptation (with additional dialogue by Jake Bazel) simply called Winnie the Pooh also includes five songs from the famed Sherman Brothers written for three Disney shorts, as well as two songs with words by A.A. Milne himself from Piglet’s Big Movie. Presented at the Hundred Acre Theatre, the third floor space on Theatre Row, the show also offers a gift shop with stuffed animals of the main characters as well as other merchandise to please children of all ages.

The question arises who is the intended audience. The 60-minute show is too slow for young children and too repetitious for adults. Possibly this is meant for the nostalgia crowd of which there are apparently legions. The thin story line is a watered-down version of the original A.A. Milne stories that inspired the animated films Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day as well as a tale of Tigger’s infamous bouncing. All of the famous characters put in an appearance: easily frightened Piglet, gloomy Eeyore, cranky Rabbit, wise Owl, energetic Tigger, maternal Kanga and curious Roo. Christopher Robin (played alternately by Kaydn Kuioka, Max Lamberg, and Cooper Lantz) spends the day at school but is reunited with Winnie the Pooh just before the final curtain. Surprisingly, he does not have a British accent.

The best elements of the show are the life-size puppets manipulated and voiced by a team of five actors. While the acting is inconsequently bland, the colorful puppets by Rockefeller Productions reaching as tall as six feet high when Tigger stands on his hind legs are the Ernest H. Shepard illustrations and the Disney animation brought to life in living color: Pooh in yellow and with his red shirt, Tigger in orange, Piglet in pink and green, Eeeyore in grey, Owl in shades of browns and grey, Kanga in tan, and Roo in tan and his blue sweater. The cast of puppeteers have been costumed in shades of blue (jumpsuits, painter paints and coverall combinations) by Lindsay McWilliams which fade into the background so one sees only the puppets.

Jake Bazel as Pooh has the majority of the songs (“Winnie the Pooh,” “The Blustery Day,” “The More It Snows,” “Sing-Ho (For the life of a bear)” with Chris Palmieri as Tigger being given two songs “The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers” and “Whoop-De-Dooper Bounce” which are each reprised. While the music is certainly melodic, it is somewhat undercut by being recorded, and not played by a live orchestra. David Goldstein’s unit set design is functional without being memorable, while the lighting by Jamie Roderick goes a long way to changing the mood and the tone. On the other hand, the uncredited flying and special effects (it actually snows in the Hundred Acre Wood) are a highlight of the show.

Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Stage Adaptation is a pleasant enough hour. However, if you are looking for a typical Disney experience like Mary Poppins or The Lion King, this isn’t it. The short length is likely to make it possible to bring children with limited attention spans to the theater. It would help if they have read or heard the original A.A. Milne books or have seen the Disney animated films to fill in the gaps.^[7]

After beginning performances October 20, Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Adaptation opened at the Hundred Acre Woods Theatre on Theatre Row November 4. The new stage production features the iconic Disney characters, created by A. A. Milne, in a new story with music by the Sherman Brothers.

The show is developed and presented by Jonathan Rockefeller, whose company Rockefeller Productions created the family-friendly puppet shows The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show and Paddington Gets in a Jam. Like other Rockefeller shows, Winnie the Pooh features life-size puppets of the cartoon’s beloved characters.

The Sherman Brothers—Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman—are the Oscar- and Grammy-winning songwriting duo behind many Disney classics including Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and The Aristocrats. They wrote the music for the original Winnie the Pooh featurettes that made up the 1977 musical film The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. The new musical stage production includes familiar tunes such as "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers" and "A Rather Blustery Day."

The creative team includes original music and orchestrations by Nate Edmonson, costume design by Lindsay McWilliams, lighting design by Jamie Roderick, and scenic design by David Goldstein, Matthew Herman, and Johnny Figueredo. Lead puppet builders are Matthew Lish and Ben Durocher.^[8]^[9]

This new musical adaptation has something for the whole family: little ones who’ll enjoy seeing Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin’s friendship on stage, and bigger kids and adults who’ll feel oh-so-nostalgic as they see these iconic characters come to life. If you’re in need of a little reminder of the Winnie the Pooh group, it’ll include: Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin and their best friends Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, Tigger, and Owl.

Featuring the Sherman Brother’s Grammy-award winning music with further songs by A.A. Milne, this beautiful fresh stage adaptation is told with stunning life-sized puppetry through the eyes of these characters. Get ready to sing along, because these songs are catchy and feel-good! The show features many of the original songs written by Robert and Richard Sherman, including “Winnie the Pooh”, “The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers” and “A Rather Blustery Day”. But with a new orchestral score, the show presents a new take on Winnie the Pooh, while at the same time recognizing all the great Winnie the Pooh musical history in Disney, even back to the 1980’s cartoon series.

Not only is the music amazing, but the puppets are breathtaking. All the puppets featured in the show were designed and constructed within the walls of Rockefeller Productions by a talented team of artists, designers, patternmakers, builders, welders, and fabricators. So much work went into making these puppets stage-ready, and families are sure to appreciate just how real and adorable they are. You can check out the puppets beforehand if your kids want to see them, but believe us when we say: nothing is like seeing them in-person!

Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Adaptation is developed and presented by renowned family entertainment creator Jonathan Rockefeller, produced in association with Disney Theatrical Productions. You can check out the trailer for a sneak peek. Thanks to Theatre Row, this stellar show is made possible: Theatre Row is an Off-Broadway multi-theater complex in the heart of the Theater District that serves as an affordable home for performing artist organizations, and a lively, accessible venue for diverse audiences. We all love a classic Broadway show, but off-Broadway ones like Winnie the Pooh can be just as amazing and affordable for families!

Winnie the Pooh, whether a book, show, movie, or play, never fails to wow audiences, especially the younger ones. We can’t wait for yet another wonderful adaptation of the classic story, now a musical that your kids will be humming for hours after it’s over.^[10]

“Winnie The Pooh: The New Musical Stage Adaptation” was almost more adorable than you’d expect and I left pleasantly surprised! A three-foot-tall Pooh and his very talented puppeteer pal were joined by Christopher Robin (played by a rotation of three young actors, one per night) and their Hundred Acre Wood friends (Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, Owl and Tigger too!) also with puppeteer counterparts.

The new musical is produced by Rockefeller Productions in association with Disney Theatrical Productions. It opened November 4th and is scheduled to run through at least the end of January 2022 at the newly renamed Hundred Acre Wood Theatre at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street).

Over the course of the hour-long production, the audience follows the silly old bear on an adventure for ‘hunny’ through a few different storylines which roll out over the course of four seasons.

Some charming moments include leaves and snow falling on the audience, lots of bouncing, Eyore’s puppeteer nailing his wry and adorable hopelessness, and low stakes hijinks resulting in Pooh being stuck in a honey tree and saved with Piglet’s kite, all before Christopher Robin joins the fun with a jar of honey.

There are several songs to hum along to including two rounds of Tigger’s song, all perfectly charming. The show features the Sherman Brothers’ classic Grammy Award-winning music with additional songs by A.A. Milne.

The small theater allows for the audience to feel like they’re with Pooh and friends instead of watching a puppet show (the puppeteers are great working their puppets, which are spot on and better than any Pooh characters I’ve seen walking around the parks lately) and is more akin to the Finding Nemo stage production at Animal Kingdom than anything Disney has put on Broadway.

The production is in a shared theater space with a couple other productions running, so the Pooh theming was limited to just outside of the actual theater space, but did include sketches for character and costume design, props and a merch sales area selling a book, tote bags, t-shirts and stuffed animals of the characters.

From my perspective, it’s a really cute show to see with kids (maybe 5-10 years old) but you definitely only need to see it once. While there’s nothing groundbreaking here, the off-Broadway production is something fun to do with your family and is a great entry-level theater show for younger kids.

Just like all the Pooh shows, movies, and books, in the end it’s all about friendship and is very truly sweet.

Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Adaptation is developed and presented by Jonathan Rockefeller (whose puppetry was featured in the acclaimed productions of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show and Paddington Gets in a Jam).

The cast includes Jake Bazel (TV: “Sesame Street”, Off-Broadway: Paddington Gets in a Jam) as Pooh, Chris Palmieri (TV: Emmy nominated “Snug’s House”) as Tigger, Kirsty Moon (Rockefeller Productions’ The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, Paddington Gets in a Jam) and Kristina Dizon (National Tour: Sesame Street) alternating the roles of Piglet/Roo and Kanga, Emmanuel Elpenord (Rockefeller Productions’ The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show) as Eeyore, Rabbit & Owl, Kaydn Kuioka, Max Lamberg, and Cooper Lantz share the role of Christopher Robin and Sebastiano Ricci is the understudy.

Disney’s Winnie the Pooh, the new musical stage adaptation, will open on November 4, 2021, at the newly renamed Hundred Acre Wood Theatre at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street).^[11]

For nearly a century children and adults have been enchanted by the tales of the ever-imperfect teddy bear Winnie The Pooh and his pals Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit and Christopher Robin.

The poems and children’s books that writer A.A. Milne birthed to life gently, but powerfully, center on taking risks, making mistakes and the profound joy of love and connection. Their messages still resonate today. It is said that A.A. Milne created Pooh for his son Christopher Robin Milne. The duo, with Christopher Robin’s stuffed animals in tow, spent hours exploring Ashdown Forest near their home.

This past October, Winnie The Pooh and his pals entered a new medium as they made their off-Broadway debut. Disney’s Winnie the Pooh, The New Musical Stage Adaptation features classic Grammy-winning music from the great songwriting duo, the Sherman Brothers (like “The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers” and “Winnie the Pooh”) with additional songs by A.A. Milne. The characters appear as life-sized puppets expertly operated by humans. And they sing and dance using songs from the books and films.

Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Stage Adaptation is playing at the newly renamed Hundred Acre Wood Theatre at Theatre Row in New York City. The cast includes Jake Bazel (as Pooh), Chris Palmieri (Tigger), Kirsty Moon (as Piglet/Roo), Emmanuel Elpenord (Eeyore, Rabbit and Owl) and Kristina Dizon (Kanga).

The show was developed and presented by family entertainment creator Jonathan Rockefeller whose puppetry is featured The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show and Paddington Gets in a Jam. Winnie The Pooh has already broken the theater’s box office records for largest advance in its history.

“This show is about adventures, trying new things, and friendship,” says Hannah Delmore, Winnie The Pooh’s stage manager who has worked with Rockefeller Productions since 2017. “Pooh says right at the start of the show that ‘finding someone with some honey will be today’s adventure.’ Right there, you have the heartbeat of the show. Not the honey itself, but the journey to find the honey.’”

Pooh and his pals relish that journey while staying true to themselves. “Winnie The Pooh is so special, because he’s just Pooh. He doesn’t ever try to be something that he’s not and he enjoys whatever is happening in the moment,” says Kirsty Moon who plays Piglet in the show. “He’s a comforting presence to be around, and you always know that he’ll take you on a fun adventure, whatever that adventure may be.”

Jeryl Brunner: Why is it important to tell the story with puppets?

Hannah Delmore: At the end of the day, Winnie the Pooh is a stuffed animal. And what better medium to bring him to life than with our stunning puppetry? Puppets have been a staple in children’s entertainment for as long as I can remember. All of my favorite shows from when I was little, and still to this day, included puppets.

What I find unique and special about this show is how everything is tied together. All the elements, including the puppets, costumes, sets, and lights, leaves the audience feeling that our cast is a group of kids playing with these toys. You forget that an actor is harnessed to Pooh or kneeling next to Piglet. The design team does an amazing job suspending reality for 60 minutes while the cast brings the puppets to life.

Brunner: What qualities does Piglet have that make him so lovable?

Kirsty Moon: He is such a good friend. There is such a gentleness to Piglet. He is often very anxious and afraid, but he’s so loyal and kind. Piglet’s stories often involve him overcoming an obstacle, which can sometimes be scary for him. But it’s so great to see him draw strength from his friends and then encourage and comfort his friends in return. There’s a quote that says that courage is being afraid but doing it anyway. And Piglet is the living embodiment of that quote.

Brunner: What is the puppetry training process like? And what is the challenge of creating these characters using puppetry skills?

Moon: I had the honor of helping to develop the show in the workshops. I’ve had puppetry training before and worked on previous Rockefeller Production puppet projects. It’s funny how different each puppetry style is to fit the diverse needs of the various shows. A fun part of puppeteering is trying on new puppets to see what they can do. For this show, a few of us were brought on to see how different characters would move and discover their strengths and the extent of their movements. The first thing I worked on was Piglet’s little walk which was very cute to explore.

A fun challenge was making sure that Piglet and Roo had their own distinct movements! Roo gets to bounce rather than walk. And his movements have more energy, whereas there’s more gentleness and tentativeness to Piglet’s movements.

Brunner: Why do you think the show is worth seeing?

Moon: This production has so much integrity for Pooh. The script stays true to the books and the movies. And every aspect of the show, like the set, costumes, music, lighting is so beautiful and rich with detail. The puppets are incredible, like toys that come to life-I cried the first time I saw them. Everyone involved in the cast and crew is so talented, a master of their craft, and genuinely lovely people. All of these things make such a magical show.^[12]

Theatre Row on West 42nd Street has transformed one of its stages into the Hundred Acre Wood to put on “Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Adaption” for families to experience a brand new story that brings the Disney characters back to life.

The musical follows Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, Owl and Tigger through all four seasons. As Pooh and his friends try to find Christopher Robin, they encounter some mishaps and enjoy some adventures along the way.

The set changed with each of the seasons. The show began in fall with leaves cascading down from the ceiling among the seats of the audience, and children trying to capture them to take home as a souvenir. Winter came, and snow sprinkled down to dust the audience’s heads. Spring arrived, and the set bloomed with flowers sprouting up from the ground. In classic Hundred Acre Wood style, the garden vegetables on the set were labeled “cabege” and “kerits.”

The performers operate life-sized puppets for all the characters from the story, along with voicing and singing their parts.

Some of the songs performed — the classic “Winnie the Pooh,” “The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers” and “A Rather Blustery Day” — come from the original songs created by Robert and Richard Sherman for the 1977 film.

One of the highlights was Emmanuel Elpenord’s performance as Eeyore, Rabbit and Owl. Mastering the puppetry for three of the largest characters in and of itself was a feat, but he also played each of the characters with their unique voices and personalities just like they are on the television screen.

Since it was only a short and sweet 65 minutes to keep the children in the audience’s attention — and those of us who also experience short attention spans — in their seats, the show captured the eyes, ears and hearts of everyone watching.^[13]

Hearing the name Winnie the Pooh evokes a sweetness to it, doesn’t it? The loveable bear and his band of forest friends can now be seen at Theatre Row with Disney’s Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Stage Adaptation!

Created by Jonathan Rockefeller, and made by Rockefeller Productions alongside Disney Theatrical Productions, the production follows Winnie the Pooh and his friends Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, Owl, and Tigger, Winnie as they “travel” through the seasons, looking for honey and their playful adventures along the way.

It was such a joy to watch this world come to life and see these beloved characters as stunning life-size and moveable puppets (see more about these amazing puppets here) that are embodied by a talented group of actors — both in the characters’ voices and stature. Jake Bazel was incredible as Pooh, embodying Pooh’s mannerisms and tenderness as well as Emmanuel Elpenord who played Eeyore, Rabbit & Owl Chris Palmieri as Tigger; Kirsty Moon who played Piglet/Roo and Kristina Dizon who played Kanga/Owl.

The set was also incredible that beautifully captured the world of Hundred Acres Wood that changed through the seasons and adapted to the antics of Tigger’s bouncing or Pooh finding himself stuck in a tree, or his sweet moments with Christopher Robin. The show also features familiar songs by the Sherman Brothers and A.A. Milne that will have both new and old fans singing and dancing to.

After the show, we even had the opportunity to meet Pooh and Piglet and take pictures with them on the stage. A special and memorable show, Disney’s Winnie the Pooh is filled with creativity and heart that tells the classic story we all know in a fresh, reimagined version your kids (and you!) will love.^[14]

In its many reviews it was called “A perfect reintroduction to live theater. It’s a captivating adventure with spectacular puppetry,” (Mommy Poppins); “Charming and whimsical stage show that Pooh surpasses every expectation I had for it,” (The Laughing Place); “Winnie the Pooh is delightfully first-rate,” (Theatre Pizzazz); “Irresistible. ‘Winnie the Pooh’ is sweeter than honey,” (DC Metro Arts); “An hour of bountiful joy,” (New York Theatre Guide); “Mesmerizing life-size puppets and original Sherman Brothers tunes, the beautiful new Winnie the Pooh musical is must-see,” (Theatrely); and “The wonderful thing about musicals is that musicals are wonderful things. The New ‘Winnie the Pooh’ Musical Is Sweeter than Honey” (Toy Insider.)

In addition to its overwhelmingly positive reviews for this magical production, it was also celebrated for its advanced safety measures, including being the first production to partner with a mobile testing facility to provide free rapid testing to those not able to be vaccinated, making it simple for families to return to the live theatre with confidence and ease.

In a new story from the Hundred Acre Wood, this fresh stage adaptation is told with impressive life-size puppetry, telling exciting new stories featuring characters that have played iconic roles in the lives of children for generations. Accompanying the magical, modern narrative is an original score from Nate Edmondson, which features some of the songs written for the animated feature from The Sherman Brothers’, including Winnie the Pooh, The Blustery Day, The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers and Whoop-De-Dooper Bounce, and A.A. Milne‘s The More It Snows (featuring music by Carly Simon) and Sing Ho, a new arrangement.

The New York cast and creative team include Jake Bazel (TV: “Sesame Street,” Off-Broadway: Paddington Gets in a Jam ) as Pooh, Chris Palmieri (TV: Emmy nominated “Snug’s House”) as Tigger, Kirsty Moon (Rockefeller Productions’ The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, Paddington Gets in a Jam) and Kristina Dizon (National Tour: Sesame Street) alternating the roles of Piglet/Roo and Kanga, Emmanuel Elpenord (Rockefeller Productions’ The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show) as Eeyore, Rabbit & Owl, Kaydn Kuioka, Max Lamberg, and Cooper Lantz share the role of Christopher Robin and Sebastiano Ricci is the understudy. The creative team includes Jamie Roderick (Lighting Design), Lindsay McWilliams (Costume Designer), Nate Edmondson (Original Music and Orchestrations), Matthew Lish (Lead Puppet Builder), David Goldstein (Set Designer), and Hannah Delmore (Production Stage Manager).

Winnie the Pooh broke theatre box office records during its New York premiere for largest advance and is developed and presented by renowned family entertainment creator Jonathan Rockefeller (whose spectacular puppetry is omnipresent in the acclaimed productions of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, Paddington Gets in a Jam and the recently released streaming film, Paddington Saves Christmas). ^[15]

This fall, a stunning new adaptation of a beloved Disney classic is set to delight audiences in New York for the first time. Disney’s Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Stage Adaptation is an all-new reimagining of the Disney movies, using the characters and stories first brought to life by A.A. Milne.

For the first time ever, photos of the incredible puppets which have been created for the musical have been shared. Each crafted by the renowned Rockefeller Productions and their team of master puppet creators, we can’t help but admire these adorably impressive character creations.

The first puppet pictured is Winnie the Pooh himself, looking adorable and curious with a visiting butterfly. We can see from the photo just how fluffy the puppet Pooh is, and can’t help wanting to reach out and give him a big bear hug!

Above, we can see the pink puppet Piglet, as well as the actor playing Christopher Robin.

Next up is T-I-GG-ER! That spells ‘Tigger’!

The next photo shows Eeyore, who looks so hopelessly dopey with his big ears and fuzzy fur. I wonder whether he is looking for his tail?

Above we can see the motherly Kanga, and of course little Roo. We can see from the picture that Kanga has quite a large pouch, and we wonder if Roo will hop out mid-performance? Plot specifics are yet to be released for this musical, but we’ll be sure to expect many of our favorite classic tales to feature.

Last up is the wise old Owl, with beady eyes and impressive feathers atop his head. We wonder who he was lecturing as he posed for this photo?

As a firm lover of Winnie the Pooh myself, I am so awestruck by how detailed and lifelike these puppets appear.^[16]

Pooh Bear is bring the Hundred Acre Wood to midtown Manhattan! Disney's Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Stage Adaptation created by Jonathan Rockefeller begins performances today, October 21, 2021, at Theatre Row and BroadwayWorld has your first look at the cast in action!

The cast includes Jake Bazel (TV: "Sesame Street"; Off-Broadway: Paddington Gets in a Jam ) as Pooh, Chris Palmieri (TV" Emmy nominated Snug's House) as Tigger, Kirsty Moon (Rockefeller Productions' The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, Paddington Gets in a Jam) as Piglet/Roo, Emmanuel Elpenord (Rockefeller Productions' The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show) as Eeyore, Rabbit & Owl and Kristina Dizon (National Tour: "Sesame Street") as Kanga, Sebastiano Ricci is the understudy.

The creative team includes Nate Edmonson (Original Music and Orchestrations) Matthew Lish (Puppet & Prop Coordinator), Lindsay McWilliams (Costume Designer), Jamie Roderick (Lighting Design), David Goldstein, Matthew Herman, Johnny Figueredo (Scenic), and Hannah Delmore (Production Stage Manager).

Puppets are Created by Rockefeller Productions (Puppets): Matthew Lish, Ben Durocher (Lead Puppet Builders) Jonathan Rockefeller (Creative Director).

Breaking box office records, Rockefeller Productions will debut its newest and most anticipated production Disney Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Stage Adaptation, featuring songs by The Sherman Brothers and A.A. Milne.. This beautifully crafted musical stage adaptation is set deep in the Hundred Acre Wood and told with stunning life-size puppetry through the eyes of the Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin, and their best friends Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, and Owl (and Tigger too!).^[17]

The creative team includes Nate Edmonson (Original Music and Orchestrations) Matthew Lish (Puppet & Prop Coordinator), Lindsay McWilliams (Costume Designer), Jamie Roderick (Lighting Design), David Goldstein, Matthew Herman, Johnny Figueredo (Scenic), and Hannah Delmore (Production Stage Manager).

Puppets are Created by Rockefeller Productions (Puppets): Matthew Lish, Ben Durocher (Lead Puppet Builders) Jonathan Rockefeller (Creative Director).^[18]

In a new story from the Hundred Acre Wood, this fresh stage adaptation is told with impressive life-size puppetry, telling exciting new stories featuring characters that have played iconic roles in the lives of children for generations. Accompanying the magical, modern narrative is an original score from Nate Edmondson, which features some of the songs written for the animated feature from The Sherman Brothers', including Winnie the Pooh, The Blustery Day, The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers and Whoop-De-Dooper Bounce, and A.A. Milne's The More It Snows (featuring music by Carly Simon) and Sing Ho, a new arrangement.^[19]

In this edition of SO NOW YOU KNOW, I talk to the production's original PIGLET & ROO, puppeteer, actress and singer, Kristina Dizon about being a part of Winnie the Pooh, The New Musical Stage Adaption.

Where did you study puppeteering?

I toured with Sesame Street Live in 2017 as a puppeteer understudy. I trained to use a mech as one of the onstage character performers. For this specific opening production, we were trained in hand rod puppets by Sesame Workshop. I was taught by Martin P. Robinson for the two years I worked on the project, and have implemented his technique since.

What was your journey to originate the roles of Kanga and Roo in Winnie the Pooh, The New Musical Adaption?

I originated the role of Kanga Off-Broadway and had the pleasure to swing the roles of Piglet/Roo. It was when vaccines were just coming out that I had auditioned for the production. And suddenly, theatre was back. I met my wonderful cast mate, Kirsty Moon, in the process. We were the first two females to lead the show. She had been with the show since the workshops, and I was able to grow as a puppeteer from observing her specificity and crafting of these characters. I will forever be grateful for my cast and Jonathan Rockefeller!

What was your favorite moment of performing on Good Morning America as part of Winnie the Pooh, The New Musical Adaption?

My favorite part about performing on GMA was witnessing our performance on the Times Square Billboard. That was the most unexpected dream come true!^[20]

Of course, Pooh and his friends will be puppets but are going to be brought to life by their puppeteers who will be exposed for this production. The puppet costumes will make it look like the characters are actually walking and naturally moving around.

A serene Hundred Acre Wood evening is set as the background for the production that uses a simple set design of things you would find while walking through a forest, such as trees, rock formations, bridges, and shrubs.^[21]

I attended the opening night of Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Adaptation in New York City and I’d be lying if I didn’t shed a tear within the first minute of it starting. When the stage lights turn on, adults are hit with an instant wave of nostalgia and kids get a first glimpse at the magic.

Winnie the Pooh has played a role in kids’ hearts for nearly 100 years and this musical understands that. It doesn’t try to change the story, but simply embraces the adventure, friendship, and imagination that comes along with the Hundred Acre Wood.

Developed and presented by Jonathan Rockefeller (also known for The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show and Paddington Gets in a Jam), Winnie the Pooh takes on a story of Pooh looking for honey while Christopher Robin is away at school. It sounds simple enough, but it is Pooh after all, so hijinks ensue and friends make the adventure profound.

The musical features lifesize puppets to tell the tale. Each is beautifully designed to look like the old-fashioned characters most of us grew up with. The detailed puppets simultaneously seem like plush toys and also real beings with lifelike movements.

Jake Bazel stars as Pooh; Chris Palmieri as Tigger; Kirsty Moon and Kristina Dizon alternate the roles of Piglet, Roo, and Kanga; and Emmanuel Elpenord plays Eeyore, Rabbit, and Owl. The role of Christopher Robin (the only non-puppet in the show) is shared by Kaydn Kuioka, Max Lamberg, and Cooper Lantz.

Each actor’s facial expressions mimic their characters, which makes it so they both blend in seamlessly but also add something extra to the show. Their voices match your childhood memories of the characters, with all of the “woo-hoo-hoos” and “oh, bothers” sounding exactly like you may remember. The music also brings back memories with the Sherman Brothers’ Grammy-Award-winning music and songs from A.A. Milne.

Small details are what make this musical stand out. As the story moves on, the seasons change and so do the surprises (I won’t ruin them!). The 4D effects enhance the experience to make it all the more magical. Parents will also be happy to know that it runs 65 minutes without an intermission, meaning it’s just the right amount of time to keep kids captivated.^[22]

A.A. Milne’s beloved adventures of Christopher Robin and his anthropomorphized animal friends has become a charming Off-Broadway musical, as the Hundred Acre Wood is brought to life on-stage in life-size puppet form by producer Jonathan Rockefeller and Disney Theatrical Productions.

Youngsters familiar with the folksy stories will delight in watching the gentle antics of Pooh Bear, Piglet, Eeyore, Rabbit, Owl, Tigger, and Kanga and little Roo while listening to familiar songs from the Grammy-winning Sherman Brothers – Richard and Robert – best known for their “Mary Poppins” and “Jungle Book” tunes.

This whimsical tale begins as Christopher Robin departs for school, leaving silly ol’ Pooh – who feels ‘”rumbly” in his “tumbly” – to search for delicious honey while experiencing the changing seasons with his forest friends.

Each of the seasons heralds its own nostalgic enchantment. Blustery autumn means Piglet must be rescued from a runaway kite. Snow showers introduce Miss Winter, although perfectionistic Rabbit’s vegetable garden gets decimated in a bouncing lesson. And so it goes.

Puppeteer/actor/singer Jake Bazel is charismatic as Winnie the Pooh; according to his bio, Bazel first tackled the role of the ‘tubby little cubby’ when he was nine years old, long before he went to work in Disney’s media world.

Plus there’s Emmanuel Elpenord, triple-cast as gloomy Eeyore, exasperated Rabbit & talkative Owl, along with Chris Palmieri as spirited, scatter-brained Tigger, Kristina Dizon as nurturing Kanga and Kirsty Moon as Piglet & Roo.

Enhancing the wholesome enchantment is David Goldstein’s bucolic set with Matthew Lish’s puppets, Jamie Roderick’s warm lighting and Lindsay Williams’ costumes. New songs include Carly Simon’s “The More It Snows” and composer Nate Edmonson’s “Sing-Ho.”^[23]

Much to the delight of young (and young-at-heart) audiences, Stage 3 at Off-Broadway’s Theatre Row has been transformed into the Hundred Acre Wood and that lovable bear Winnie the Pooh has arrived with his friends Christopher Robin, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, Owl, and Tigger, too, for an irresistible new musical adventure created by playwright and director Jonathan Rockefeller and presented by Rockefeller Productions in association with Disney Theatrical Productions.

First introduced by English author A.A. Milne in his original 1926 children’s books illustrated by E.H. Shephard (which have sold over 50 million copies worldwide), the beloved Pooh stories were later developed for the stage and screen by Disney, after acquiring the rights in 1961. The current adaptation – featuring the music of the Oscar- and Grammy-winning Sherman Brothers (who worked directly with Walt Disney on the first two Pooh featurettes), along with additional songs by Milne and original music and orchestrations by Nate Edmondson – is told through the medium of larger-than-life-sized puppetry, designed and constructed by artists and specialists at Rockefeller Productions (the talented team behind the popular critically-acclaimed Paddington Gets in a Jam and The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show), with Matthew Lish serving as lead puppet builder.

In this latest escapade, the eponymous ursid has run out of honey, usually brought to him by the boy Christopher Robin, who is away at a place called “school.” So what’s a Pooh-Bear to do? He’ll have to find it for himself, with the aid of the other anthropomorphic talking animals in the woods. They search for the sweet treat for what seems like a year, through seasons of amusing mishaps that teach them (and the kids attentively watching them) the importance of friendship and working together.

The cuddly puppets are brought to life by a skilled cast of six puppeteers/actors, with Jake Bazel as the titular bear, Chris Palmieri as Tigger, Kirsty Moon as Kanga, and, in multiple roles, Emmanuel Elpenord as Eeyore, Rabbit, and Owl, and Kristina Dizon as Piglet and Roo. Not only do they believably manipulate their adorable charges (with the bigger ones attached to parts of their bodies for fully connected movement), they also provide the distinctive voices and personalities of the different characters, showing the diversity of the natural world, with everyone doing their best to help one another and to get along. Even the real human Christopher Robin (not a puppet), played by Max Lamberg at the performance I attended, makes it clear that he doesn’t need a gift in exchange for the “hunny” he brings, because he already has everything he needs in his dear friend Pooh.

An enchanting set by David Goldstein transports viewers into the magical world of Hundred Acre, with its familiar bridge and honey tree, and pop-up flowers that bloom in springtime and summer. Beautiful colorful lighting by Jamie Roderick also changes with the seasons, as the autumn leaves and winter snow fall gently down upon the audience. And the puppeteers’ costumes by Lindsay McWilliams, in a cool color palette, are designed to blend with the background and to coordinate with the animals, not to distract from them.

Winnie the Pooh is a thoroughly charming show that will keep children and adults alike happily enthralled for every moment of the hour-long performance. It’s a perfect family-friendly event for the holidays, or anytime, with an uplifting moral that ‘bears’ repeating: be friendly and helpful, work together and get along.

Running Time: Approximately 55 minutes, without intermission.^[24]

These puppeteers turn this foam, fleece, and fur into fully realized characters through expert manipulation. It is the perfect illusion that the puppet is alive.^[25]

There are many ways that a live-action production of Disney's Winnie the Pooh could have gone awry. Thankfully, the newly opened Off-Broadway musical adaptation of Pooh has eschewed a theme park approach and focused instead on the story's folksy charm.

Anyone who grew up reading the A.A. Milne books or watching the Sherman Brothers-scored movies knows that there is not much of a plot to Pooh. The original stories follow a silly stuffed bear who comes to life and goes on adventures while waiting for his human friend, Christopher Robin, to return from school. Usually those exploits involve securing honey, which Pooh loves as much as a certain cartoon mouse does cheese.

Rather than expand that concept into an overly long extravaganza that comments on the avaricious nature of men, this Rockefeller Production-designed show respects its source material and allows the action to unfold almost exactly as it does on the page.

For audiences, that means a manageable 65-minute-long romp with Pooh and his anthropomorphized friends as they enjoy what makes each of the four seasons enjoyable: the blusteriness of autumn and rescuing Piglet from a runaway kite; befriending a snow-lady in a winter wonderland; ruining Rabbit's vegetable garden while practicing bouncing with Tigger and Kanga; and of course, rescuing Pooh from a honey tree. Though Christopher Robin makes a brief appearance at the top of the show and conclusion, as in Toy Story, here the toys are the thing.

Upon entering the newly renamed Hundred Acre Wood Theatre at Theatre Row, audiences are met with a gorgeous set which David Goldstein has designed to evoke the illustrative magic of Milne's original artwork. The overall effect is that one actually feels as if they are standing within the world of Pooh's picture books.

Soon, Jake Bazel saunters onstage with a life-size puppet of our leading character attached to his front. Bazel plays Pooh with a bemused grin while leaning into his clueless though amiably selfish ways. He manages this feat without reducing Pooh to a narcissistic rapscallion, though at times ― like Kristy Moon's Piglet and Roo and Kristina Dizon's Kanga ― he adds on twee affectations that appear to comment on the potentially saccharine nature of the material, rather than simply allowing the action to unfurl. Perhaps the three gifted performers were simply pushing childlike ardor harder than was necessary for the 10 a.m. performance I attended.

What rights the sentimental balance of the show is Emmanuel Elpenord's show-stealing comedy as a knowingly ho-hum Eeyore, smart-alecky Owl, and exasperated Rabbit. Elpenord's characterizations are wry without ever being arch, and wink just enough at the adults in the audience to invite them into the jokes as well. He is joined by Chris Palmieri's artfully scatterbrained Tigger who all but bounces away with every scene he appears in.

Elpenord and Palmieri also show the greatest level of detailed puppetry and physical theatre; they enter and exit each scene with the same commitment to character whether they are embodying butterflies, snowflakes, or a named character. Additionally, their foot and hand work are so precise that one starts to believe that Matthew Lish's wonderfully crafted puppets have actually come to life.

Pooh is decidedly gentle entertainment. Much like Rockefeller's other equally loving production, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, this show feels as if it has been specifically designed so that audiences of all stimulation levels can comfortably attend. Indeed, at the performance I attended, there were adults with advanced autism waving their hands with glee as well as rambunctious toddlers and tykes, some of whom were undoubtedly enjoying their first live-theatre experience.

I am unashamed to admit that observing them revel in the beauty of this production, content in the knowledge that they were safe to do so, reduced me to tears.

It was only a matter of time before Disney gave Pooh the same theatrical translation as its other intellectual properties; that's why I'm thrilled that the behemoth trusted this production team to do so with gentle care rather than exaggerated flash. Though there is much talk about access to theatre around racial lines, it is rare to see that same consideration given to those with sensory limitations. Happily, with Winnie the Pooh, Disney has finally committed itself to theatre for all; whether they are children, people living with stimulation limitations, or individuals simply desiring a joyful time. ^[26]

When it comes to something as iconic as Winnie the Pooh, you can’t cut corners. So, when Disney Theatrical and Rockefeller Productions decided to produce a musical starring Pooh, every stitch had to be just so. Luckily, they’re in good hands with someone like Matthew Lish. Lish is the lead puppet builder and coordinator for Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Adaptation, currently running off-Broadway in New York City. His background working with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, Sesame Street, Disney Imagineering, and a variety of Broadway shows, including Hamilton, make him a master of puppetry prowess. Add in a dash of Disney canon, and you’ve got magic on your hands.

Lish recently spoke with Perfecting the Magic, and gave us an inside look at his role bringing Pooh and his pals to life as snuggly, plush puppets in the Big Apple.

Can you tell me a little bit about your background as a puppeteer before we get started talking about Winnie the Pooh?

Lish: I’m a lifelong maker and have been making things in my Dad’s workshop starting when I was about three years old. I grew up watching things like Sesame Street and Sherry Lewis (creator of Lamb Chop) and developed this huge love for puppetry and the ability to tell stories through puppetry. It’s a very powerful medium, and we can bring characters to life in ways that we wouldn’t necessarily be able to do in the ‘real world’. We can have talking animals of varying scale that you wouldn’t find naturally. You can pretty much do whatever you want with puppets creatively to tell a story. And it’s a really, really fun medium. 

I was very interested in puppetry from a very early age. I started off making little sock puppets and paper mache puppets. [I took] out the few books from the library on puppet making [I could find] and began learning from there. Over time, I was lucky enough to develop friends in the industry and learn from a lot of great people on how to actually do this at a professional level.

I went to college for mechanical engineering and, while I was in college, I got an internship which then led to a freelance fabricator position with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop in New York City, working primarily on Sesame Street.

That was a wonderful learning opportunity—really learning how to handle puppets for a faster-paced television type of setting. Also, to work with you know, such a strong IP [intellectual property] and such a well-known brand, like Sesame Street, and what it means to take care of these characters. 

Did you design the puppets yourself?

The design process went through several phases. You know Winnie the Pooh was first published by A. A. Milne in 1926. So, needless to say, the characters themselves have gone through oodles and oodles of changes aesthetically from what we understand about the characters today. If you look at the original of the original [E. H.] Shepard illustrations, they look nothing like the characters that we know and love. Then you look at what Disney was first doing with them when they first started using the IP in 1966. 

Initially, a concept artist came in and did some sketches and illustrations on different possible ways we could have these puppets look [while] also understanding where a puppeteer can fit within this, so that they’re not a costumed character. They’re not a suit performer, but the puppeteer is visible.

Then looking at the different aesthetics that we want to pull from. With a classic 2D animated film, you might not necessarily need to see that something is furry or has a fuzzy texture. Whereas if something’s going to be on stage and people are in the room with it only a few feet away from the characters, people really need to see Tigger as fuzzy, huggable, and plush.

So, it was a group effort with a lot of different builders going around the garment district here in New York City to pull swatches of fabrics and figure out how we could treat them to make them look how we wanted these characters to look. It was a very long process to figure out exactly how we wanted to translate them to the stage. 

Where do you think the puppet designs land? In terms of the original illustrations of Pooh and his friends to the modern Disneyfied versions?

I think we’ve definitely moved way past the original 1926 illustrations—no question there. The original plush that was the basis for the book is actually on display here in New York City at the New York Public Library. We’ve gone to look at them, and you can see the inspirations for where the characters came from.

But, we have moved more in the direction that the Walt Disney Animation Studios has gone with them. That being said, we have taken some elements aesthetically from the live-action Christopher Robin movie that came out a few years ago. So, going back to Piglet having a green jumper instead of a pink jumper. Rabbit looks a bit more realistic in terms of the colors of his fur as opposed to being yellow. So, I think we landed on a balance between the classic 2D animation that people know, while also translating it into the real world. I know that it’s a talking bear and a talking tiger, but you do feel that these textures and their looks are real.

Do you think that going back to the basics of puppeteering could help revitalize the theater for new audiences?

There’s an innate quality of puppetry that people find very fascinating. To my point earlier—we can do things that you can’t do in other mediums. We could put someone in a yellow t-shirt and pants and call them Pooh, but that’s very different from seeing Winnie the Pooh walk across the stage.

So, I do think puppetry is a unique thing that will get people because it’s not the most…it’s not as common as other practices in theater. I also think this show is super accessible. Jonathan [Rockefeller] wanted to create a show that would be great for kids who are maybe not old enough to go to a whole Broadway show. This could be a great first introduction to theater for them. Our show is an hour long, and it’s engaging, entertaining, full of music and dancing, and laughs throughout. So yeah, I do think that this is going to be a way to get people more excited about the theater.

Is there anything you would want audiences to know about this show that they wouldn’t know from just seeing it or hearing about it? Is there anything you want to tell them?

I will say that everything you see on stage is meticulously hand-built. From the puppets to the costumes and the set. It’s all super, super detailed, and done by an amazing team of artists and craftspeople. And this show is not just a show for little kids. I think that’s something that people can sometimes get worried about when they see a show based on an intellectual property that is geared towards a younger age group.

This show really has something for everyone, and we are seeing a lot of people coming with their children, but we’re also seeing a lot of adults coming to see the show by themselves. The show hits everyone differently, and everyone leaves smiling. People are having a great time at the show, and hopefully, it’s around for a while. ^[27]