SMC Rewind: Under the Umbrella Tree
Posted 11 years ago by Tommy Television
The 90s had more than its fair share of puppet shows on TV, from Eureka’s Castle, to Allegra’s Window, and Today’s Special (Ok, so that was the 80s, but close enough). One show that I always find myself trying to remember is Under the Umbrella Tree.
Under the Umbrella Tree followed the adventures of Holly Higgins, Iggy Iguana, Jacob Bluejay, Gloria Gopher, Louis Bird, and Mitzi the Dog. There’s no main premise, just a bunch of puppets living under a huge indoor umbrella tree. It originally aired on CBC in Canada, but if you’re like me, you caught it in syndication on the Disney Channel.
The show was created by Noreen Young who, according to her website, makes some really cool and creepy looking puppets.
I don’t imagine any of these puppet shows would have done well without cool puppet designs. Under the Umbrella Tree has always been foggy in my memory, but one thing I always remember is the design of Jacob the Bluejay. It seems a lot of puppet shows in the 90s had a tropical or rain forest theme, with puppets that looked like they could have come right off the wall at the Rainforest Cafe, or off of a Trapper Keeper design.
Photo by rkelland
The show has been off the air for a few years now, but now you can buy DVD sets online. I wouldn’t mind getting the first volume to see what the show is like. If nothing else, I could hang on to it for a few years until I have some kiddoes that I can make watch shows from my childhood rather than theirs.
What was your favorite puppet show of the 90s?
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shannon
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the pizza
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Aaron