Disney’s Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Stage Adaptation is at Mercury Theater in Chicago now through through June 12, 2022! Katie and Rita’s families had the opportunity to go and absolutely loved the show. Keep reading for their reviews and a sneak peek for what you can expect from the performance.
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.
Katie’s Review of Winnie the Pooh
From the first sound of Winnie the Pooh’s voice, the audience was transported to The Hundred Acre Woods. The Winnie the Pooh show didn’t miss a single detail. There’s something so magical about Tigger’s irreplaceable giggle and Eeyore’s somber tone. Bumblebees buzzed, leaves fell on audience members at the first sign of autumn.
We loved to clap and cheer for Winnie the Pooh as he searched for his jar of Hunny. We loved the animated facial expressions of the puppeteers as they guided our childhood favorites around the stage. My 3, 6 and 8 year-old were all equally excited to be watching the show. We were all transported back to our childhood as we witnessed tender moments between these classic friends.
The theater is small enough that there truly isn’t a bad seat in the house. For it being a family-friendly atmosphere, the quality of set design, costume, and acting performances, is amazing.
The show was about 60 minutes with no intermission, the perfect length for little guests.
Mercury Theater is situated in the Southport Corridor, a lively neighborhood on Chicago’s north side. For our morning performance, we were able to easily find street parking directly in front of the theater. (Note: it was a maximum of 3-hour parking session, more than enough time for the show) I would imagine that evening performances may be more difficult to find parking, so plan ahead with your timing. There are plenty of local restaurants right along Southport Avenue if you’re looking to enjoy a meal while you’re in the city.
Rita’s Review
Winnie the Pooh was a wonderful first theater experience for our twin 4 year old sons. The music, voices, colors, and stage lighting all created such an amazing sensory experience for the entire family. The excitement of the entire audience was palpable and this well-known childhood story was appreciated by all ages. The puppetry stood out most to me. The coordination of foot and hand work was impressive as each performer brought their character to life.
Contrary to a typical musical, Winnie the Pooh mixes storytelling and music, which kept the kids entertained and engaged. The hour long performance was a perfect length and my kids are still singing the music afterwards. What a huge hit for our family!
Winnie the Pooh Performance Info
Performances are Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., Saturdays at 10 a.m., 2 and 7 p.m.and Sundays at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., with ticket prices starting at $38.
Mercury Theater Chicago
3745 N Southport Avenue
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 360-7365
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.
Interested in more live theater for kids? Head to our Theater Guides! We have a guide for Spring/Summer and another for Fall/Winter.
