Tigger, Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse have some new kids on the block to contend with as Playhouse Disney Live! arrives in Newcastle

SOME of Disney's old favourites and two of its new brigade of entertainers have been brought together for the latest touring show, Playhouse Disney Live!, which visits Newcastle's MetroRadio Arena next week, May 9-11.

Mickey Mouse has been with us since 1928 and Tigger and Pooh Bear are well-known names to parents and grandparents, but fewer will be familiar with Disney Channel characters the Little Einsteins and Handy Manny.

The Little Einsteins have been around since 2005 and this section of the show features the adventures of four children and an intelligent transformable craft called Rocket.

Parents will be particularly pleased that the UK version of the Little Einsteins has seen the expression "Yeah" changed to "Yes" and the term "Mission Completion" is now "Mission Completed".

The educational pre-school hit runs alongside Handy Manny which, if you'll pardon the expression, features Hispanic handyman Manny Garcia and his talking tools.

Just like the UK's Bob the Builder, Manny is the animated answer to being helpful and frequently saves the day constructively.

Youngsters will see the story unfold as the Playhouse Disney Post Girl delivers party invitations to all of Mickey's Playhouse Disney pals launching an adventure full of music.

"We have a very demanding audience - kids - and we want to ensure we've exceeded their expectations for what could serve as their first theatrical experience,"

says producer Kenneth Feld.

"The show brings characters that children love from their favourite Playhouse Disney TV shows to the stage in an exciting musical production."

Producer Alana Feld is pleased with the level of inter-active scenes that appear in the show and says: "Kids will called on stage to dance to the Hot Dog song, all the while learning that everyone in the world can make music and it brings the world together."

The Little Einsteins take the audience on a flying musical field trip to China, India, Russia, Egypt, Italy, Japan, Spain and Africa while Winnie the Pooh and Tigger use the famous setting of the Hundred Acre Wood to solve a musical mystery.

Director Jay Smith warns the more self-conscious parents: "When we go into the woods, we have fun with the audience making nature songs with birds and frogs and bees that appear on the screen buzzing, tweeting and ribbiting."

It'll also help if you can shout out the four magic words of Meeska Mooska Mickey Mouse at the appropriate moment.

And if you make it all the way to the grand finale there's a Stomp-style dance routine featuring bricks, brooms and buckets.

■ Playhouse Disney Live!

Metro Radio Arena Newcastle May 9-11 Tickets: £13.50-£19.50 Box Office: 0844-493-6666. On line: www.metroradioarena.co.uk