“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think,” says wise Winnie the Pooh, the lovable storybook character who has touched hearts across the globe since the story collection was first published in 1926. Now, for another year, the anthropomorphic bear and his esteemed pals will take the stage in life-size puppet form, following the show’s record-breaking premiere in 2021. Written and directed by Jonathan Rockefeller—who previously adapted The Adventures of Paddington Bear and The Very Hungry Caterpillar for the stage—the show is a series of nostalgia-inducing vignettes that follow the “Hundred Acre Gang” through the seasons. As Winnie the Pooh works his way out of sticky situations, he preaches the values of friendship, the magic of a good hug, and, importantly, that you don’t need pants to be taken seriously. —Nyla Gilstrap