Under the Umbrella Tree

Overview

Over its run, the show produced 285 episodes: 270 of them were 15 minutes long, and the remaining 15 were 30-minute specials. Each episode centers on a distinct theme, covering topics like sports, holidays, singing, dancing, exercise, and other activities. The stories consistently weave in valuable life lessons, such as the importance of keeping promises, being considerate of others, or taking responsibility for one's actions. Ken Sobol created the characters and wrote most of the episodes. Before this, Sobol had worked closely with Noreen Young on two other children's TV series, Readalong and Téléfrançais.

Gloria Gladys Grace Gabrielle Gardenia Glenda Gale Gopher, performed by Noreen Young, is the only female puppet living in the Umbrella Tree household. She resides and sleeps beneath the tree, entering her burrow from behind the couch. She has a love for music and the performing arts, though she keeps her more specific interests hidden, even from her closest friends.

Holly Penelope Higgins, played by Holly Larocque, is the sole human character. She acts as a parental figure and mentor to the three puppet characters, though she views them more as roommates. She takes care of most of the cleaning and cooking and pays the rent. Holly is described as funny, artistic, patient, and generous. She has an Uncle Jack, played by Don Westwood, and an Aunt Jill who never visits; the two are a musical duo living in England.

Ignatz "Iggy" Julio Iguana, performed by Bob Stutt, sleeps on a shelf in the Umbrella Tree residence. He sometimes thinks too highly of himself and makes honest mistakes. When he is not competing with his friend Jacob in sports or other activities, he plays guitar. His uncle, Rod Iguana, lives in Arizona, along with his cousins Emmet and Camille. Iggy is the shortest of the group and has a habit of tricking people into looking at their shirts, then pointing at their noses and laughing.

Broadcast

After Disney Channel stopped airing repeats of Under the Umbrella Tree in 1997 during a preschool block shake-up, the show couldn't appear elsewhere until Disney's broadcast rights expired in 2005. The series later found a home on TV3 Medford from 2009 to 2011, running both on weekdays and weekends within its children's lineup. In 2018, the Canada Media Fund uploaded a selection of episodes to its Encore+ YouTube channel in English and French. That channel closed its English and French pages on December 1, 2022.

DVD releases

In 2006, Noreen Young Productions in unison with Cinerio Entertainment began selling several episodes on DVD. To date, eight volumes have been released, with Volumes 1, 2, 3, and 4 featuring all-new introductions to the episodes with Iggy, Gloria, and Jacob, played by their original performers. Volume 1 includes Bird-Brain, Hamster Hullabaloo, The Trombone, The Best Hiding Place Ever, and Uncle Jack Comes Back. Volume 2 includes Chez Iggy, Hanky Panky, The Gingerbread House, and Love-Valentine's Day (a half-hour special). Volume 3 includes To The Dentist, Migration Party, Jacob's Girlfriends, Going Bananas, and Stargazing. Volume 4 includes Gloria Gets Rough, Private, The Aqua Show, and Live and Learn: Back To School (a half-hour special). Volume 5 includes Twins, Cranky Movie, Chickadee Tea, and Christmas Under The Umbrella Tree (a half-hour special). Volume 6 includes Iggy's Collection, The Princess and the Pea Soup, Sir Jacob of Blue, The Tooth Fairy, and Small Worlds. Volume 7 includes Growing, Gloria's Allowance, The Accordion Lesson, and Piano Lessons (a half-hour special featuring Jon Kimura Parker). Volume 8 includes Safety Poster Contest, Gloria Can't Sleep, Singing Telegrams, Hockey Holly, and Iggy's Airlines.