The acclaimed, record-breaking run of Disney's Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Stage Adaptation, created and directed by Jonathan Rockefeller, is coming to Rudder Theatre at Texas A&M University for three performances. Presented by OPAS, the celebrated show for families of all ages, brings Pooh, Christopher Robin, and their best friends Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, and Owl (and Tigger too!) to the Brazos Valley on Saturday, October 1 (2 p.m. and 6 p.m.) and Sunday, October 2 (2 p.m.). Tickets range from $32-$52 are on sale now at MSC Box Office (979-845-1234 or www.OPAStickets.org). Disney’s Winnie the Pooh is sponsored by Blue Bell Ice Cream.
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 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).
ABOUT THE SHOW
“Winnie the Pooh” has been enjoyed by millions of readers and viewers ever since English author A.A. Milne first chronicled the adventures of Christopher Robin's friends in the Hundred Acre Wood in 1926. The books, featuring illustrations by English illustrator E.H. Shephard, have sold over 50 million copies worldwide. The theatrical rights to the Pooh stories were acquired by Disney in 1961, with an original intent to produce a feature film, but after production began, Walt Disney decided to make short featurettes instead. The three featurettes were subsequently incorporated into the feature The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. This was the last film in the Disney canon in which Walt Disney had personal involvement. The first featurette, Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree was released during his lifetime, while Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day was still in development. Disney's “Winnie the Pooh” has since become one of the best-loved and most successful franchises in history.
The Sherman Brothers are the multi-talented Oscar® and Grammy® Award-winning American songwriting duo of Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. They wrote more motion-picture musical scores than any other songwriting team in film history. Among these are the Disney classics Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and The Aristocats. The Sherman Brothers worked directly with Walt Disney on the first two Winnie the Pooh featurettes: Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (which garnered a Grammy Award nomination) and Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day. The brothers won a Grammy Award for the third featurette: Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too. All three featurettes were incorporated into the 1977 musical film The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. The duo also wrote songs for Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore and The Tigger Movie, with their music also featured in the movie Christopher Robin.
Jonathan Rockefeller and Rockefeller Productions embraced the challenge of re-imaging Disney's Winnie the Pooh for a new audience by bringing it to life on stage in puppet form. The company has garnered global accolades, from critics and audiences alike, for their production of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, with 14 productions playing on four continents. An extended run of the show in New York City culminated in Drama Desk and Off-Broadway Alliance nominations, as did Paddington Gets in a Jam, which tours China and the US in 2022. Other projects include the award-winning short film, 10 Little Rubber Ducks, written by preeminent author/illustrator Eric Carle and the recently released Christmas special Paddington Saves Christmas. Produced in association with Disney Theatrical Productions.
Information Courtesy of MSC OPAS
