I had the opportunity today to view one of the student matinee performances of The House at Pooh Corner, put on by Stage One Family Theatre. I was accompanied by dozens and dozens of school children and teachers from various area schools in the audience. We all simply enjoyed the show. And what’s not to enjoy and love about the simplest of things, that of Winnie-the-Pooh and his entourage? It was a lovely show, with just the right amount of everything all laid out in 53 minutes.
The scene starts with Christopher Robin sitting on the floor, his wooden toy box nearby. He is saying hello to his stuffed animals, that of Pooh, Piglet, Eyeore and the rest of the gang. We delve into his imaginary world and are taken to Hundred Acre Wood. The set is simple, looking just like it does in the original books storied so long ago by A.A. Milne. Christopher Robin has been told by his parents that he is being sent to “Education” and he just has a few more hours with his friends. Eeyore is without a home, and Pooh and the rest are trying to learn to work together to build him a suitable house before winter hits, or an earthquake comes. The scenes are filled with great dialogue between all of the characters, and just when you think you won’t see Owl or Tigger at all, here they come to surprise the audience with their wit, antics, and Tigger’s bounding enthusiasm, charm, and humor. They had the audience rollicking with laughter more than once or twice. The children in the audience seemed captivated by the story and were enthralled throughout the show.
Weekend performances of The House at Pooh Corner occur this Saturday, October 12 and the following Saturday, October 19, with show times at 11am and 2pm. Ticket information can be found here. This show is suitable for ages 4 and up according to the StageOne website. There is a first time ever sensory friendly performance this weekend, at the 11am showing on October 12. According to their website, “Sensory-friendly performances are designed to create a safe and nurturing environment for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other individuals with sensory sensitivities.” Click here for more information about the sensory friendly experience. The weekend public performances are at The Kentucky Center in Bomhard Theater.
For the young at heart, the rest of the season includes The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, The Glorious Adventures of the Mighty Robin Hood, and Diary of a Worm, Spider, and Fly. For more information, check www.stageone.org for details, dates, and ticket information.
Image courtesy of www.kentuckycenter.org
