New Disney musical WINNIE THE POOH will open at Theater Row this fall

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 5/25/21 at 4:08pm

https://www.theatermania.com/off-broadway/news/winnie-the-pooh-stage-musical-featuring-disney_92307.html

Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Stage Adaptation is developed by family entertainment creator Jonathan Rockefeller, whose puppetry is on display in Paddington Gets in a Jam and The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show. Featuring an all new story set in the Hundred Acre Wood, the show will be performed with life-size puppetry and will have songs from Disney's Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree and Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day by Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman, as well as songs by original creator A.A. Milne. 

The run will take place at Theatre Row beginning October 21 and is presented in association with Disney Theatrical Productions.

Updated On: 5/25/21 at 04:08 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/25/21 at 4:26pm

A new Disney show....at Theater Row?

[JBroadway]

Posted: 5/25/21 at 5:15pm

Hey, if we can get a new Disney musical via PublicWorks, and the National Theatre, a commercial off-Broadway production really isn’t so far off. This seems to be in line with their behavior so far, where they’ve demonstrated that they are perfectly content to hand off the reins to other producers, for properties that they don’t intent to develop through their main channel.

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 5/25/21 at 5:17pm

I look forward to seeing it! I bet it'll be wonderfully inventive.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/25/21 at 7:07pm

I am here for this! I sadly missed Paddington, so I look forward to this very much.

[Mike Costa]

Posted: 5/25/21 at 10:33pm

Curious  Disney would release the characters and the Sherman Brothers songs without a class A Broadway production. Anyone know why that happened?

 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 5/25/21 at 10:48pm

Mike Costa said: "Curious Disney would release the characters and the Sherman Brothers songs without a class ABroadway production. Anyone know why that happened?

"

As I said in my earlier post, they have done this a few times already with some of their other properties, namely Hercules and Pinocchio. I had an opportunity to speak with someone closely involved with the PublicWorks production of Hercules, and I asked them what led to the production being approved. They said that Lear DeBessonet, the director, approached Disney with the idea, and Disney approved it because they had no plans to turn the movie into a musical on their own terms. It so happens that the Public Works production has inspired them to continue developing it, but that wasn't the case before. I'm guessing it's the same thing here - Winnie the Pooh is a property that wouldn't be very well-suited for a big Broadway run. It makes more sense in a smaller, more traditional TYA setting, and that isn't really Disney's market when it comes to Broadway shows. They attract families, but they do so with big-budget spectacle aimed at all ages.

So they probably never bothered to try to develop Winnie the Pooh into a stage musical, and had no plans to do so. So I'm guessing Rockefeller came along with the idea, and Disney gave it the green light. I'm sure there are some rigid terms and conditions, which might even give Disney the rights to the stage adaptation after the initial Off-Broadway run has finished. But they had no real reason to say no to Rockefeller.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/25/21 at 11:21pm

This has been in development for a couple of years.

If the show doesn't work, Disney doesn't really lose anything. They could still do a traditional stage adaptation down the line. Or if it works, it's a nice little Off-Broadway hit that could tour and play internationally and get licensed and maybe even play in the parks.

After the lifelessness of FROZEN, it's nice to see a Disney property being adapted in a more interesting way.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/25/21 at 11:53pm

Agreed, seems pretty risk free for Disney, and could prove to be a nice little sleeper hit with children. And Theatre Row as Pip's Island next door so it seems it's turning into a children's theater area. I think it sounds great! 

I wish Pinocchio had another life to it. I think that could be very cool 

[jpbran]

Posted: 5/26/21 at 10:21am

Your message reminded me to check on reopening news for Pips Island (bringing my 8-yr old in December).  Their site says they’re permanently closed. No Gazillion Bubbble reopening news yet too. Anyone heard?

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 5/26/21 at 2:02pm

Oh that sucks! It’s a big space and stuff. Seemed designed just for that show. Maybe it wasn’t selling well beforehand.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/26/21 at 2:19pm

Love the cover art. The kiddos of the world will love this. 

[bway0]

Posted: 5/31/21 at 8:17am

TodayTix has this listed as 60 min runtime, no intermission, and located at Hundred Acre Wood Theatre (410 W 42nd St, New York, NY, USA, 10036).

[soulmistin]

Posted: 5/31/21 at 10:42pm

Ugh, great. Exactly what we needed, corporate Disney trying to revive another dead money maker and taking a spot from a less wealthy, better production.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 6/1/21 at 2:06am

The theatre industry is an ecosystem, and hyper-commercialism has its place in it, even it’s not my favorite part. In any case, there are many off-Broadway houses, some of which don’t seem to be all that difficult to book. Disney taking up one of them won’t have much impact. Do we even expect Theatre Row to be booked solid after COVID?

Not to mention, a huge portion of the announcements for upcoming shows, particularly on Broadway, have been more serious, artsy, and decidedly non-corporate projects. So it’s not like we will be lacking in alternatives to Winnie the Pooh.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 6/1/21 at 3:34am

I don’t think Winnie the Pooh and Thoughts on a colored Man are really going for the same audience.

But I will say, I enjoy Theatre Row as a venue. It’s a good space. And glad to see it getting some love.

[bway0]

Posted: 6/1/21 at 6:12am

TodayTix presale starts today. Tickets start at $35, and dates of shows are all over the place. No set schedule really. Times are 10am, 2pm, and 7pm.


For me, I might be skipping. Earliest train or bus gets by 11am, and I’m not traveling over 2 hrs to see a 1 hr show. I’m trying to figure out a 2 show day to make the trip worth it.

[AllThatJazz2]

Posted: 6/1/21 at 8:45am

For a lot of days during the week, it appears 10am is the only show time - looks like weekends tend to get the added 2pm and 7pm times. We have plans to be in the city already in January so we bought seats for  a Friday morning. Tickets ranged from $35 to $175, plus $7.50 in fees. We bought the cheapest seats in the last row - figure the theater is small enough it will be fine. 

[soulmistin]

Posted: 6/1/21 at 11:06am

JBroadway said: "The theatre industry is an ecosystem, and hyper-commercialism has its place in it, even it’s not my favorite part. In any case, there are many off-Broadway houses, some of which don’t seem to be all that difficult to book. Disney taking up one of them won’t have much impact. Do we even expect Theatre Row to be booked solid after COVID?

Not to mention, a huge portion of the announcements for upcoming shows, particularly on Broadway, have been more serious, artsy, and decidedly non-corporate projects. So it’s not like we will be lacking in alternatives to Winnie the Pooh."

I am honestly just a hyper corporate production hater and that's the hill I'm dying on lol. But I understand your point.

[AllThatJazz2]

Posted: 7/23/21 at 11:08am

Received an email from TodayTix regarding our tickets - the show will be requiring vaccinated audiences. 

"In keeping with the surrounding theatrical community, Theatre Row has decided to move forward with fully vaccinated audiences. All patrons 12 & older must be fully vaccinated at least 2 weeks prior to their performance date regardless of medical excusal. Guests 11 & under must wear a mask at all times. Fully vaccinated guests are encouraged but not required to wear a mask. Upon arrival, you will be asked to present proof of vaccination."

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/23/21 at 11:28am

jpbran said: "Your message reminded me to check on reopening news for Pips Island (bringing my 8-yr old in December). Their site says they’re permanently closed. No Gazillion Bubbble reopening news yet too. Anyone heard?"

Gazillion Bubble Show re-opens on 10/9. Looks like a modified schedule.

I would love to see Winnie The Pooh but no way I can see it during the week with those morning performances and my weekends are up in the air.

[bway0]

Posted: 9/26/21 at 2:30pm

Few weeks late but I saw the puppets were announced end of August. Did they announce a cast yet? Did I miss it? 

[bway0]

Posted: 9/26/21 at 2:32pm

bway0 said: "Few weeks late but I saw the puppets were announced end of August. Did they announce a cast yet? Did I miss it?"

Edit: Answered my own question-  I missed that they announced the cast a few days ago! 

https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/Cast-Announced-for-WINNIE-THE-POOH-THE-NEW-MUSICAL-STAGE-ADAPTATION-20210917

[Broadway Bob*]

Posted: 9/28/21 at 1:16am

I have a VIP ticket to see this on my birthday in January! Excited to see it as the puppets look amazing and I've always loved the whole Pooh gang!

[Luminaire2]

Posted: 10/24/21 at 8:31pm

The actor who plays Winnie is spot on. I’ve come across him on TikTok a few times now, and his voice work is excellent.

It seems this has opened now, anyone caught it yet?

Updated On: 10/24/21 at 08:31 PM