A
plethora of stars were seen at the opening night red carpet arrivals
for the New York premiere of the new live stage production, Disney Live! Winnie the Pooh,
presented by Feld Entertainment, Inc. The event took place at the
Beacon Theatre (2124 Broadway at West 74th Street) on December 7th. Attending the premiere was Academy Award-nominee Rosie Perez; Emmy-winner James Gandolfini; "Spin City" star Michael Boatman; stage and screen legend Lauren Bacall; NY Yankees catcher Jorge Posada; The Producers and "Desperate Housewives" star Roger Bart; CNN anchor Paula Zahn; comedian Judy Gold; "Live with Regis & Kelly" producer Michael Gelman; "All My Children" stars Vincent Irizarry, Cameron Mathison and Teri Evans; Tony Award-winner Brian Stokes Mitchell
and many more, with special guest attendees Mickey & Minnie Mouse,
who will make their New York City stage debut next season in their very
own Disney Live! production. The
event is timed to celebrate Winnie the Pooh's 80th Anniversary. The
show will begin a holiday engagement that will run through Wednesday,
December 28. Produced by Feld Entertainment, Inc. (Kenneth Feld,
Chairman and CEO), Winnie The Pooh is the first in a series of live touring family stage productions featuring beloved Disney characters and stories. "Inspired directly by Disney's cherished animated films and the classic Pooh tales, Disney Live! Winnie The Pooh
is an interactive, three-dimensional, state-of the-art theatrical
production, directed by B T McNicholl, with musical direction by David Loud and choreography by Christopher Gattelli,"
state press notes. The show "is a charming tale of friendship, starring
some of the most beloved characters in children's literature – the
hunny-loving Winnie the Pooh and his friends Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore,
Rabbit, Kanga, Roo and Owl. Together, they embark on a 'splendiforous'
musical journey through the Hundred Acre Wood while planning a surprise
birthday party for a distracted Pooh."