Playful People Productions Seeks Young Actors For WINNIE THE POOH

San Jose's Playful People Productions is looking for children between the ages of six and ten to bring to life the beloved characters in A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh. All rehearsals will be held online via Zoom, and the final performances will be filmed and presented online in April. For more information, call (408) 878-5362.

Welcome to the Hundred Acre Wood, where Winnie the Pooh is once again in search of honey. Along the way, he meets his pals, Tigger, Piglet, Rabbit and Owl; but soon discovers that Christopher Robin has been captured by the mysterious Backson! As they prepare for a rescue operation, the animals learn about teamwork, friendship and (of course) ... sharing snacks.

Winnie the Pooh participants will meet online as needed from January 19 through March 18 (online rehearsals are for two hours each Tuesday and Thursday, but not all children will be called for all rehearsals). Recommended for ages between 6 and 10, this theatre experience is a fun way for children to safely engage with their peers, get familiar with the structure and expectations of a theater production, and bring a beloved story to life. Final performances will be recorded and presented in mid-April. Winnie the Pooh will be directed by Maureen Driggs. Driggs has been teaching vocal and music lessons for over 20 years, as well as acting as Music Director for various organizations before co-founding Santa Clara Musical Theatre.

Playful People Productions was first founded in 2010 as a positive, inclusive, family-focused theatre company, and has operated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit since 2017. While initially providing classes, camps, and shows for kids, the company has grown to offer similar classes for adults and stages performances where family members can perform together. Normally performing out of the Historic Hoover Theatre in San Jose, the company immediately sprung into action in March, 2020 to create POP (Playful Online People) programming, converting all its theatre experiences to virtual formats and continuing to make arts and theatre opportunities available to kids and families during the pandemic.

Mother and daughter team Barbara Galiotto and Katie D' Arcey are Positive Discipline trained; both have worked as early Childhood Educators; and as professional directors with children's theater. The pair have approximately 50 years experience between them in the musical theater world and, together with a small team of permanent staff and an array of talented directors, teachers, and support personnel, offer beginner through advanced theatre experiences for the whole family.