Question about Bear in the Big Blue House Live!

[StephanieMouse]

I'm in the middle of a debate and I need a little help. (It's sad that my debates are about Playhouse Disney!) How does the Bear in the Big Blue house work in Playhouse Disney live? Is there actually someone in there? Is Bear controlled like a puppet? Is he totally animatronic?
Any insight you could offer would be helpful!
Thanks!

 

[Robo]

I'm in the middle of a debate and I need a little help. (It's sad that my debates are about Playhouse Disney!) How does the Bear in the Big Blue house work in Playhouse Disney live? Is there actually someone in there? Is Bear controlled like a puppet? Is he totally animatronic?
Any insight you could offer would be helpful!
Thanks!

To quote David Letterman...

It's just a GUY, in a SUIT!

(But there are additional puppeteers involved.)

 

[pixie@heart]

It certainly looks like Bear! The soundtrack is definitely pre-recorded, but Bear is real...the rest of the gang from the show is puppets though. My kids love the show. They encourage the little ones to get up and dance with them. When we were there last it was Bear, Stanley, Pooh, and JoJo.

 

[sweetinmaine]

Our 2 little grandsons loved the show! They are 2 and 4 years old. They danced and sang along with all of the other kids. We're planning on going again in October...

 

[sticker231]

To quote David Letterman...

It's just a GUY, in a SUIT!

(But there are additional puppeteers involved.)

He isn't real?

 

[bags6490]

The show is on a stage that has cut outs in the floor to allow puppeteers to control the puppets. There is music, bubbles falling from the ceiling, streamers, and what not. Folks sit one the floor and the kids are allowed at times to go foward next to the stage with "Jamie" the host to dance, bounce, and what not. "Jamie" can be a boy or a girl. We tend to like the guy Jamie better than the girl jamie that they have now. A couple years back they had a red headed girl that was great but I have not seen her in a while. Try to sit in the middle section because if you dont some of the puppets views will be blocked and some of the props wont look right.

With 3 DDs ages 2,3,and 7 I have been to this show a number of times...sometims more than once a day...but it is a great show for letting the kids blow off some energy before a sit down meal. Enjoy!!!

 

[english rose 47]

Is this Playhouse dDisney you are talking about ?DGS will love it!!!

 

[Robo]

He isn't real?

Well, the GUY is.

 

[sticker231]

But seriously, the show is great for the kids. My kids 5,4,3 all love the show. They get up and sing and dance during the show. It is a must for us every trip, sometimes more than once.

 

[minniebeth]

I, I personally loved the show, but if you have a non-participatory child like I do, who does not like a lot of people around, they might not enjoy the show as much as the other little ones do!

 

[poohspals]

We had to see it three times with my daughter (23 months at the time)

 

[pugcrazy]

I'm in the middle of a debate and I need a little help. (It's sad that my debates are about Playhouse Disney!) How does the Bear in the Big Blue house work in Playhouse Disney live? Is there actually someone in there? Is Bear controlled like a puppet? Is he totally animatronic?
Any insight you could offer would be helpful!
Thanks!

From a friend that has done the puppet work on Bear and Tutter:

Bear is a person in a suit. The actor's shoulders are about the same height as Bear's, but the actor is "hunched" over to see a monitor mounted in the belly. The actor is almost sitting, most of the time, on a stubby stool that is Bear's rear. The actor's left arm is extended up to control the head and mouth and the right arm is actually the right arm. The left arm of Bear is controlled by a string that runs to the underside of the chin back to the right arm.

Hope that helps.

 

[StephanieMouse]

Thanks so much for all the help. According to the last post, it turns out that everyone that I was discussing this with was wrong, so it's good to finally have an answer. Maybe now I can have some grown-up debates!

 

[poohspals]

Bear is a person in a suit. The actor's shoulders are about the same height as Bear's, but the actor is "hunched" over to see a monitor mounted in the belly. The actor is almost sitting, most of the time, on a stubby stool that is Bear's rear.

How uncomfortable must that be? I will look at him in a different light next year!!

 

[LaraK]

We loved this....sure WE could tell it was a guy in a suit, but the kids couldn't!

 

[pugcrazy]

Just to add one other tidbit, the suit is almost exactly the same as the one used for filming the shows. Main difference is they use a wireless connection for the monitor at MGM and wired monitors for filming.

 

[paulfoel]

It certainly looks like Bear! The soundtrack is definitely pre-recorded, but Bear is real...the rest of the gang from the show is puppets though. My kids love the show. They encourage the little ones to get up and dance with them. When we were there last it was Bear, Stanley, Pooh, and JoJo.

Definitely smells of sweaty kids in there though !!!

 

[dan-tot]

You will want to get up close and in the middle section. You don't want to get next to the stage because you will not be able to see pooh or piglet. I didn't know how much of a puppet bear is. I guess thats why he doesn't to mett and greets?


Dan-tot