Pooh and the Perfect Day - Disney Live

DISNEY LIVE! WINNIE THE POOH AND THE PERFECT DAY

PLAYING AUSTRALIA WIDE - AUGUST 4 TO SEPTEMBER 20LAUNCESTON - ADELAIDE - NEWCASTLE - BRISBANE - CANBERRA - SYDNEY - PERTH

Disney Live! Winnie the Pooh and the Perfect Day, a new live show produced for the international stage by the makers of Disney On Ice, will see the loveable Pooh and his Hundred Acre Wood friends tour Australian cities from August to September.

After its worldwide debut in New Zealand in June, the 90 minute stage production launches in Launceston on August 4 and then travels to Adelaide, Newcastle, Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney and Perth. Tickets are on sale nationally through local ticket agencies.

In the first ever Disney Live! worldwide tour, bouncy trouncy Tigger, brave Piglet, gloomy Eeyore, bossy Rabbit, nurturing Kanga, precocious Roo and long-winded Owl embark on an all new adventure, as they create a surprise birthday party for "the silly, willy, nilly ole bear".

Keeping Pooh distracted from remembering that it is his birthday, Piglet accompanies the bear to visit each character and find out what they think makes a perfect day. Along the way, they get carried away in the adventures that unfold and take audiences through a musical and fantastical journey.

It is a charming story of friendship told with the help of Tracie the narrator and the three amusing, wacky and eager Hunny Helpers. She reads from the storybook to set the scenes and energizes the audience to participate. Hunny Helpers "Lank," "Crank" and "Blank" each provide constant humour and hi-jinx as they help change scenes, interact with the audience and follow Tracie's direction throughout the story.

Audiences will be charmed by beautiful set designs, an unforgettable music score, and delightful choreography as they watch the party preparations with Rabbit, bounce along with Tigger, and search for a "smackeral" of honey with Pooh. As Tigger would say "it's posilutely spendiforous".

"Disney Live! Winnie the Pooh and the Perfect Day offers audiences young and old an unforgettable live entertainment experience and a chance to see Winnie the Pooh like never before," said Producer Kenneth Feld, chairman and CEO of Feld Entertainment. "When the audience walks in and sees the set before them, they will feel like they are walking right into the Hundred Acre Wood. For many children, this will be their first theatrical experience, which will set the bar for what they expect to see for the rest of their lives."

"This production has truly been a lesson in simplistic elegance and charm," says Feld Creative Director Jerry Bilik. "Creating a show like Winnie the Pooh and the Perfect Day takes a commitment to the originality and integrity of Winnie the Pooh as well as the vision to interpret the characters into a live version that the audience can connect with."
vTigger bounces, Pooh and Piglet get carried away by balloons on a blustery day and Eeyore contributes his usual "enthusiasm" for the bustling activity around him, all while Rabbit franticly assigns tasks and manages the preparations for the party. Director BT McNicholl says about his role for the show, "whether I'm dealing with high-strung Rabbit, vulnerable Piglet or dour Eeyore, it's my job to bring them all together and create a wonderful experience in the Hundred Acre Wood."

The creative team also includes production designer Anna Louizos, who just recently designed the sets for Broadway shows Avenue Q and Golda's Balcony; lighting designer Patrick Dierson; and choreographer of the 15 strong cast, Christopher Gattelli, whose theatre credits include Chess, Adrift in Macao and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

State-of-the-art digital projection beamed onto stunning set designs and props transform the stage into a magical world. Digitally animated on a variety of backdrops, swarms of bees buzz in, horizons are "instantly" painted and Heffalumps lurk in Pooh's dreams.

Pulling and arranging from the vast library of Pooh music, Music Director David Loud incorporates songs such as "Winnie the Pooh," "Rumbly in My Tumbly," "The Whoop-De-Dooper Bounce" and other favourites into the show. From simple dance steps to the memorable songs to high-energy bouncing and syncopated kicks, everything comes together on the stage to create this new production.

Tickets are available nationally from June through local ticket agencies.
Ticket prices are $30.50 per seat; or $27.50 for any configuration of four.
Children under 12 months are free.
Transaction or booking fees may apply. For further information www.disneylive.com.au