Disney's Winnie the Pooh

Tuesday October 18, 2022 7:00 PM

Synopsis

It is nearly autumn in the Hundred Acre Wood, and just as change will soon come to the leaves in the Honey Tree, so too will it come to Christopher Robin’s long, lazy afternoons. As Pooh finds his friend out of the Wood and back to school - while finding himself fresh out of honey - so sets off the most adventurous and wonderful year the Wood has ever seen.

About the Show

At their core, the adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood are an invitation to play, existing somewhere between the real world and the make-believe. To bring Christopher Robin’s ‘toys’ to life as full-scale walking, talking puppets, is a wonderful return to the genesis of Winnie the Pooh who has gone from stitch to sketch and back again.

We’ve pored over our favorite moments and tableaus from Disney’s entire Winnie the Pooh catalogue - from Honey Trees to Heffalumps - and have built new stories around iconic Disney Pooh imagery that will feel both fresh, yet familiar. Our story features some of the great classic Disney Pooh songs over the last fifty years, building a tale to engage, entertain, and inspire both our littlest audience members and those who have long-considered themselves residents of the Hundred Acre Wood.

Created by Jonathan Rockefeller, and made by Rockefeller Productions - the renowned family entertainment company - alongside Disney Theatrical Productions. The puppetry in this production received a Drama Desk nomination for Best Puppetry Design. Following premieres in New York and Chicago, Pooh and friends are now delighted to be touring the United States beginning Fall 2022!

About Disney’s Winnie The Pooh

When the Winnie the Pooh books were first published, they were household names in Great Britain and across Europe, but not many families in America knew of Pooh. However, one man did know and cherished these books and wanted to share the delightful friends of the Hundred Acre Wood with kids across the United States. Walt Disney and his wife thoroughly enjoyed reading Winnie the Pooh to his daughters. After hearing his children’s giggles at bedtime and asking for more of these stories, Walt Disney knew he wanted to adapt Winnie the Pooh to bring this joy to many more children in the States. Disney received the rights to Winnie the Pooh in 1961, but he didn’t want to create a full movie right away. He had an idea to slowly introduce Pooh through shorts (also called featurettes) so children could slowly get to know Pooh and all of his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. With families more familiar with all the characters from the Hundred Acre Woods, he believed there would be more excitement and a bigger audience for the full length movie. He believed it would become classic and a household name and it worked!

While adapting Winnie the Pooh, the animators wanted to stay as close to the original beloved Earnest Shephard illustrations from the books. The only changes made were making sure all the characters could move well and have wide ranges of expression - this is what animators have to do when taking a still picture and making it animated! Disney also took care to make sure all the featurettes and stories were based on real chapters from the books, not only to make sure they captured the honesty, lovable characters and innocent childhood adventures of the original novels, but to remind children they could follow more adventures with Pooh in the books. That’s why the animators often drew Pooh and his friends inside the books, interacting with words of the pages, and interacting with the narrator. Along with songs written by the Sherman Brothers, Buddy Baker wrote and arranged the musical score for the first full length movie. He used different instruments to represent the different characters. For our show, different instruments and sounds were used to represent different seasons.

In 1977, the full length movie The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh was released which combined the previous featurettes with some new additional scenes as well as a new ending. Just as Disney had imagined and hoped for, many people flocked to see the new movie and children all across America fell in love with all the charming friends of the Hundred Acre Wood.

Community Foundation ad with image of a saxophone player from a GBPAC Block Party

Meet the Cast

COLDIN GRUNDMEYER (Winnie The Pooh) is thrilled to be playing that willy, nilly, silly ole bear on tour with this fantastic company. He’s a recent graduate from Montclair State University’s BFA Musical Theatre program and was most recently seen as the male swing in the Off-Broadway production of Friends! The Musical Parody. Other credits include A Chorus Line (Mike Costa) at Richmond Triangle Players, Guys and Dolls (Harry the Horse) at MSU, and Mary Poppins (Chimney Sweep) at Ocean City Theatre Company. He would like to thank his fiancée, his family, and his French Bulldog, Paco.

JOSH BERNASKI (Ensemble) Josh is thrilled to bounce back into the Hundred Acre Wood and to share this beautiful show across the country! As a puppeteer, Josh performed in both the Chicago and Off-Broadway runs of Disney's Winnie the Pooh and in Mr. Popper's Penguins at Lifeline Theatre. A Chicago-based actor, Josh has performed throughout the Windy City and at regional theaters across the country. Proud graduate of Temple University, founder of The Connecting Routes Project, represented by BMG Talent. Thanks to Rockefeller Productions and the Pooh family for such a wonderful journey, and to his friends and family for their support.

LUKE DOMBROSKI (Ensemble) is an NYC-based actor, puppeteer, and writer. A proud AMDA graduate of their Integrated Conservatory program, he has performed across the country on tours and in regional theatres, in Rockefeller Productions’ That Golden Girls Show! A Puppet Parody (Dorothy. Yes, Dorothy) and multiple iterations of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show in NYC. Before the world ended, The Full Monty at The Argyle Theatre (Marty, Jerry/Dave/Malcolm cover).

KAITLYN LUNARDI (Ensemble) is ecstatic to be making her national tour and puppeteering debut with the incredible cast and crew of Winnie the Pooh. Originally a classically trained dancer, Kaitlyn later studied with NYU’s Atlantic Acting School, and recently completed her B.S. in Psychology with ASU. Recent credits include: Year One (Premiere Stages), Money Heist: The Experience (Netflix), and Wendigo (Raindance Film Festival Winner). Welcome to the Hundred Acre Wood!

BLAKE RUSHING (Ensemble) is very excited to be taking the Hundred Acre Wood on the road in the Winnie the Pooh: A New Stage Musical National Tour. Performance highlights include Mary Sunshine in Chicago (Broadway Theater Project), Pinocchio in Shrek (Creekview Theater), and Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast (ArtCentre Theater). Blake has also worked behind the scenes as the child casting assistant on seasons 51 and 52 of Sesame Street, and as the child guardian for the original runs of Winnie the Pooh Off-Broadway.

MELISSA XIAOLAN WARREN (Ensemble) is excited to be on her first national tour. Recent credits include Abby from Gordan Ferrel's the Girls Who Walked on Glass and messenger/ensemble in a reading of Jow Baker and Ray Roberick's new musical, Brooklyn's Bridge. She is a graduate of the Circle in The Square Theatre School with a focus in musical theatre.

HANNAH LAUREN WILSON (Ensemble) is a NYC based actor originally from Portland, OR. She received her B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from Coastal Carolina University. As an avid Disney fan, she is thrilled to make her national tour debut with this show. Regional: Cry-Baby (Lenora), Loch Lomond (Ailey), Heathers (Heather McNamara), Liza! Liza! Liza! (Young Liza Minnelli), Blood Brothers (Linda), Avenue Q (Kate Monster).

ROSS COUGHLIN (Christopher Robin). National tour debut! Upstate NY native. Wagner College grad, BA Theatre Performance. Regional: The SpongeBob Musical (Patchy the Pirate, Arizona Broadway Theatre). Many thanks to his family, friends, and teachers for their endless support. To all seeing their very first show: Welcome to the Hundred Acre Wood!

JONATHAN ROCKEFELLER (Creator, Director) and Rockefeller Productions have received global acclaim for their productions of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show based on the books of renowned author/illustrator Eric Carle, and New York Times Critic’s Pick Paddington Gets in a Jam, both of which resulted in a Drama Desk and Off-Broadway Alliance nominations. In addition to the current national tour of Disney’s Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Adaptation, Rockefeller Productions are also the creators of Sesame Street the Musical, a brand new Off-Broadway stage adaption which premiered at NYC’s Theatre Row this fall.

Jonathan Rockefeller (Creator, Written by, Director)
Zach Pizza (Lighting Design)
Nate Edmondson (Sound Design, Compositions)
Jeff Guidice (Head of Production)
Mason Huse (Head of Touring; Production Supervisor)
Rebecca Johnston (Touring Production Stage Manager)
Vic Cairl (Director of Marketing & Ticketing)
Krista Robbins (Company Manager)

Produced by Rockefeller Productions

Tour Booked by Rockefeller Bookings: Josh Sherman (Head of Bookings)

Various Main Street Cedar Falls location logos

Friendship Village ad with images of their residents

Coloff Media ad with logos and names for each of their stations

Text reads Friends Always HAve Fun with patrons in the hall laughing

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Director $1,800-$2,399"]
Duroe Family Foundation
Dorothy K Glascock
Reginald & Kathy Green
L & N Transportation Services, Inc
Brooks & Wendy Martin
John & Stacie Monaghan
Mike Peterson
R & N Investment Properties LC
Jeffry & Christina Sales
Larry & Jacqueline Betts
Bremer Mutual Insurance
Jim & Frankee Oleson
Mrs. Dianne L Phelps[/collapse]

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Investor $1,200-$1,799"]
Dr. Janice Abel
Jay & Kathy Agness
Jim & Karen Beckwith
Alan & Carol Brown
Bill & Moria Brown
Brian & Katie Burkhardt
Steve & Gerry Chamberlin
Amy & Jim Coloff
Cathy Craig
Russell & Diane Curtis
Randall K Druvenga
Cynthia Jean Helgeson
Kurt Herbrechtsmeyer
Jay and Lynn Horan
Brian Lageschulte & Lisa Vry-Lageschulte
Robert & Kelli Lenz
Margie C Polacek Revocable Trust
Marleta Matheson
Randall & Paula McDougall
Esther & Bill McGuire
Cheryl & David Neill
P & K Properties
Todd S Peterson
Kathleen Porter
Debra Prescott
Gail Rathe
Joan A Rozendaal
Marietta M Schemmel
Gaylen & Mitzi Tann
Steven & Eleanor Vanous
Bonnie Wetzel
Al Natvig & Debra Yankey
Karen & David Zwanziger
Thomas & Amy Bower
Russell & Golnar Buchanan
Melinda E Ehrig
A. Maxine Engelkes
Matthew & Pooneh Glascock
Stacy Harris & Sheri Dean Harris
Eric & Lori Johnson
David Ludwig & Cheryl Novak
Magee Construction
Mike & Traci Mallaro
Steve & Kathleen McCrea
Donna M McDermott
Dale & M.Therese Minor
Jim & Becky Mudd II
Neysa Klepfer Family Fund
Panther Builders LLC
Ardy & Jim Rydell
Todd & Beth Schildroth
Paul & Liz Stapella[/collapse]

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Contributor $600-$1,199"]
Chad & Kimberly Abbas
Russell & Mary Adams
Darla & Eric Andersen
Hank & Jo Bagelmann
Maelou Baxter
Charlene Beckman
Don & Linda Blau
Boe Family Fund
Denise & Jim Bouska
Don & Dianna Briggs
Lisa Brodersen & Kirby Baumgard
Steve & Stacy Carignan
Bruce & Diane Clark
Scot & Kristin Clay
Greg & Robin Cooper
Julie & Roger DeSloover
Michael & Patricia Deters
Duke Dierks & Lisa VanAllen
Barb A Dodd
Dr. Craig & Carmen Driver
Sara Dunbar & Richard Olmstead
Jason & Angie Edgington
Todd & Rebecca Ellison
Karen Fischels
Lois A Fisher
Dr Angeleita Floyd & Dr Scott Cawelti
Habbo & Holly Fokkena
Donald & Kim Foth
Francis L Pardoe Trust
Cheryl & Leon Galehouse
Dr Russell & Janae Guay
Gowri & Sanjay Gulwadi
Joel & Linda Haack
Jean F. Hansmeier
Nicholas & Glenda Hellenthal
Lance & Cindy Hemel
Noreen Hermansen
Todd & Carolyn Holcomb
Jim & Leayn Holmes
Duane Hosch
Terri & Cletus Hyacinth
Steve & Terri Jackson
Keith D Oltrogge CPA
Jean & Jerry Keller
Adel & Thomas Kessler
Judith & Stephen Koopmeiners
Martha R Kroese
Monica & Robert Kruse
Russ & Angie Laures
Jeff & Louise Lawson
Bob & Cherin Lee
Douglas & Rosie Lindaman
Christina Lorenz
Ben & Carmen Mason
David & Cindi Mason
Dan & Harriett McMahill
Mary Mehlhaus
Jane Mertesdorf
Scott & Sharry Messer
Mary Ann Mumm
David & Rebecca Nation
Ann & Jons Olsson
Patterson First Fruits
Helen M. Pearce
David Rabe
Greg & Renae Raecker
Robert M & Bonnie J Humble Family Fund
Max & Nancy Schreiber
Terry & Ann Seliga
Nancy & Ira Simet
Sandra L Sommerfelt
Lois J Staff
Marnie Stewart
Thomas & Charlotte Strub
Susan & Dale Swanson
Dan & Kathy Swift
Merlin & Lois Taylor
Ellis & Lisa Vann
Jeff & Mary Weld
Jean & Jon Wiesley
Kerri Wilson
Robert & Rosemary Beach
Judy Beckman
Beecher, Field, Walker, Morris, Hoffman & Johnson PC
Tony & Shellie Beuter
Nate & Deb Beving
Michael & Janice Blevins
Doreen & James Cook
Rosemary Curran
Jane F Demmer
Jacqueline J Fisher
Larry & Jean Gregory
Bill S Harwood
Anne Hennessey
Richard & Lisa Hurban
Dorothy & Hans Isakson
Gary & Marlys Karkosh
Dennis & Jean Kinard
Randall Maas
Donna Miller
Scott & Cindy Miller
Montage
Craig A Nahnsen
Danny & Karen Nahnsen
Cheryl & Mark Nook
Steven & Marcia O'Brien
Anthony & Jennifer Onuigbo
Penny & Scott Perkins
Mary Rittgers
Keith & Jodie Ruffcorn
Cory & Molly Schmehl
Jim & Vicki Schmitz
Catherine & Brett Showalter
Dr. Audrey L Smith
Linda L Smith
Cathy & Rick Young
Larry & Ida Zars
Jeffrey & Barb Zotz[/collapse]

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Patron $300-$599"]
John & Maureen Allan
Dr. Mark and Susan Andrew
Dan Breitbach
Brown Bottle - Cedar Falls
Gary & Donna Brown
Bill & Kathy Calhoun
Jim & Jackie Campbell
Jo R Capoccioni
Larry & Barbara Cardamon
Jane & Scot Christiansen
Carolyn & John Christman
Nate & Katy Clapham
Laurie & Blake Conover
Edwin & Eileen Dams
Frank & Cary Darrah
Susan & Brian Davis
Robert & Mary Beth Dieter
Russ & Cindy Dodd
Mr. and Mrs. Henry W Doepke
Susann Doody
Dorothy R Frank Revocable Trust
Janet M Drake
David & Helen Duncan
Lara & Bryan Earnest
Jeffrey & Lori Engel
Frank Esser & Pamela Trelstad
Beverly A Fish
Roger & Janele Fish
Kimberly Folkers & Bruce Ecker
Edward Gallagher III
Patricia L Geadelmann
John & Sandra Golz
Virgil & Diane Goodrich
Paul & Gina Greene
Jeff & Mary Margaret Halverson
Barbara Hamilton
Brad & Rhiannon Harms
Judith F Harrington
David & Linda Harris
Thomas & Marcia Hartson
Randy & Launa Hashman
Norma Hassman
Doreen M Hayek
Larry & Jewell Hays
Mark Hecimovich
Cindy & Dan Herndon
Blake & Sally Hollis
Dutch & Maria Imfeld
Janis & Steve Jehle
G. Jeri Jenner Karr
Doug & Connie Johnson
Roy & Rita Justis
Robert & Dee Kahler
James & Cynthia Kenyon
Mike & Kerry Kloos
Dan & Jan Krause
Robert & Louise Krogh
Roger & Barbara Kueter
Denis & Julia Kuhlmann
Joanne Latta Reeves
Katy B Lockard
Stan & Rose Lorenz
Linda & Charles Lott
Chris Manatt
Daryl & Pat Marks
Linda Lou McDonald
Carolyn & Norman McElwain
Robert & Karen McGinn
Dee McMullen
Joshua & Laura Meyer
Larry & Sherry Millang
Dwayne & Ardith Miller
Jim & Kim Miller
Nancy & John Miller
Eldo & Carolyn Moeller
Joe & Maria Murphy
Thomas & Debbie Newton
June M Niedert
Alex & Hillery Oberle
Barb & Kevin O'Rourke
David & Celina Peerman
Peters Construction Corp
Carol Phillips
Bonnie F Sadler
Ruth Schild
Marlene M Schmidt
Ruth Anne & Ronald Schneck
James & Jane Seeley
Margaret A Shay
Bill & Mary Shepherd
Susan Sherwood
Nancy R Shirey
Arlo & Susan Sime
Robert Simmens
Sherri T Snow
Matthew Sojka
Joanne & John Stillman
George R Suppes
Thomas & Sue Taiber
Joanne & Robert Tefft
The Taiber Family Fund
Janet Thompsen
Joy & Rod Thorson
Donald A Weber
Angela Weekley
James and Dorothy Wilson
John & Robin Windolf
Lois Wishmeyer
Jeff & Judy Adams
Georgia L Murphy Bennett
Thomas & Linda Blevins
Michael Bobeldyk
Marion & Jack Boyer
Kari Britain
Kasey & Troy Buchholz
Sid & Marcia Bunger
Dorothy Clausen
Robert & Linda Cmelik
Michelle & Randy Cook
Susan & Paul Crawford
Brad & Terri Dehoff
Greg & Carol Dotseth
LaVonne & Scott Edwards
Bob & Jean Eich
Jeremy & Jessica Eilers
Kevin & Kimberly Engels
Austin Foster
Russ & Kathy Franke
Robert J Frederick
Len & Gail Froyen
Jeffrey Funderburk
Fusion Dance & Fitness
Gary R Kelley Studio
R. Allen & Pamela Hays
Thomas & Virginia Hoag
Bertie Jepsen
Sally & John Jordan
Keith Kreun
Marty & Christa Leary
Pat & Gene Leonhart
Mary M Lyman
James & Kathy Madill
Doug & Susan McFarlane
Patricia A McGivern & Randal K Robinson
Miller Gift Fund
Janice Miller
Peoples Savings Bank Ventures
Sheila R Pester
Pat Petrides
Stanley Poe
Muriel & Scott Poppens
Beth Primrose
Jolene & DeWayne Purdy
Chitra Reddy
Roskamp Leasing
Florence Schall
Alan & Donna Schmeidel
Jeff & Mary Schwake
Paula Sexton
Gary & Cheryl Sharp
Mr. Steven Sinnott
Bill & Mary Lou Snyder
Virginia Svoboda
Swales Precast Inc
Gaylen & Jolyn Timmer
Chad J Timmins
Lynn & Teri Trask
Sarah A Turner
Jacky & Jerry Venenga
Kurt & Shelby Wiethorn
Kevin & Carolyn Wolff
Richard & Jane Worm
Phyllis A Zager[/collapse]

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Donor $120-$299"]
Don J Albertson
Marlene Behn
Jean & Tim Boller
Gale E Bonsall
Bradley Jacobson State Farm Insurance
Lynn & Elizabeth Brant
Bethany J Brooks
Linda Brooks
Ray & Judy Burfeind
Michelle & Jake Byers
Russell Campbell
Scott & Kathy Cessna
Mary Beth & Rick Conrad
Sharon Cornish
Nancy S Crammond
Gary & Debi Daters
Janet & Larry Dellinger
Margo Dierdorff
Barbara J Dowd
DWDeaver LLC
Sondra Dyer
Lyndsey Eldridge-Fortune
Mary Sue Ellinger
Larry Erickson
Ronald & Denise Flory
Bobbette Fortney
Fosters Mattress
Richard & Susan Frevert
Warren & Allaire George
Judy & Dennis Hagen
Jacqueline Halbloom & Scott Murphy
Douglas & Connie Herbon
June Hicks
Phyllis A Hillers
Bradley & Sandra Jensen
Barbara Keninger
Kathryn Koob
Larry & Onna Kriener
Christopher & Danielle Larimer
Elaine K Larsen
Ms. Martha Severance and Charles Latendresse
Kim & Kelli Manfull
Karen E Martin
Mary McCalley
Patricia McClure-Anderson & James Anderson
Mary McNeil
Fritz & DeAnn Michels
Dave & Chris Mitchell
Jan & Steve Moore
Thomas & Anne Nass
Jeanna North
Ted & Cheryl Ostrowski
Thomas & Linda Pattee
Mary E Paxton
Kathy & Tim Post
Mary & Ronald Potter
David & Elaine Prail
Mythili & K N Rajendran
Tony & Margaret Reid
Mary Rekers
Ronald & Cheryl Reusche
Myrna & Gregory Robinson
John & Mary Runchey
Mary Schlicher
Linda & Stan Schneider
Brian & Susan Sims
Susan & Richard Smith
Standard Distribution Co
Jerry & Diane Stockdale
Denise & David Tallakson
Carol & Toby Teare
Carol Thede
Sharon Thome
Marietta Thompson
Brooke Trent & Jubal Slone
Dee & Dave Vandeventer
Michael & Cynthia Weinert
Mitch & Ramona Zimbeck
Audrey A Adams-Sorge
John & Connie Arend
Jeanie Balthazor
Katie & Robert Bartelt
Ruth I Bass
Mary Ellen Beckman
Margaret J Beehner
Jim & Suzanne Benda
Karen A Betts
Cindy & Ken Bierstedt
William & Nancy Blake
Catherine A Bohlke-Werner & Steven Werner
Terry & Caryl Borcherding
Angie C Boreman
Walter & Teresa Brandt
Charles & Candace Brittain
Ronald & Mary Bro
R. Hovey Brom
James Buchs
Heather Burgett
Michael & Betty Butler
Kathie & James Cahill
Joyce Cawelti
Lacie & Alan Christensen
Michael & Vicky Christiason
Rick & Lauri Coffman
Theodore Collins
David & Gloria Congdon
Patricia Cook
Sally Davis
David & Brenda Durbahn
David & Joan Easton
Lorna Eaton
Kathleen A Franck
William & Kathy Freiberg
Peter & Karen Gartelos
Ann W Ginther
Dean & Judy Gleason
Craig & Judy Goetsch
David C Greene
Nancy & Jerry Hammer
Bruce Hayes
Sally L Hellwig
Karen Henry
Nancy & Jim Hughes
Joan & Ken Huhn
Wayne N Jarvis
Carl & Alyce Jenkins
Charles Jennissen & Laurie Stange
Donald & Pamela Johnston
Jean & Dave Kaumans
Priyanka & Navin Khadiya
Bill & Karen Komala
Michael L Lamb
Carol Larson
James & Dianne Larson
Marc Lattin
Tom & Sara Laures
Neal & Kay Leeper
Christi & Paul Lines
Ronald Lundy
Robert Claassen & Anne McCabe
Dr. James Arthur McCutcheon
Joseph & Andrea McGough
Nancy McHone
Tamara & Doug McReynolds
June & John Mehlhaus
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Michael
Cathie Miehe
Paige & Jaimie Miller
Daniel & Linda Mixdorf
Phillip J Nelson
Jim & Sandy Noelting
Mary & James Norton
Steven & Joyce Oaks
Linda J Pagel
Steve & LaVonne Paustian
Scott Peters & Stephanie Toering Peters
Bruce & Johna Petersen
Jeanette Marsh & Oliva Peterson
Donna & Greg Pipho
Marge Polacek
Bobbi J Porter
Professional Office Services Inc
Marilyn & Edward Quinn
Jan Robbins & Ruth Ratliff
Steven & Wanda Reinke
Richard & Annita Rettig
Suzanne Riehl
Royal & Barbara Roland
Michelle & Steve Rourke
Laurie & Terry Routt
Cherie Schafer
Lori & Dave Seawel
Saul & Linda Shapiro
Nancy Snider
Bertha & Thomas Stubenrauch
Dean & Shelly Sturch
Beth Thompson
Catherine & Leonard Upham
Joanna Van Gerpen
Dianne Van Gorp
KD & Jerry Vorland
Dick & Judy Wacha
Denise A Webster
John & Cindy White
Rita J Wilson
Donald & Mary Jo Woody
Leigh & Kathryn Zeitz[/collapse]