The Tale of the Bunny Picnic

The Tale of the Bunny Picnic aired on HBO on March 26, 1986.

This one-hour storybook special tells the story of Bean Bunny, who learns that he is worthwhile even though he seems too insignificant to be of much help to anyone. As the story begins, a group of bunnies in a forest meadow make preparations for the annual Bunny Picnic, a special celebration of the first day of spring marked by a visit from the Storyteller Bunny.

Bean wants to help with the preparations, but his older siblings, Lugsy and Twitch, consider him to be a nuisance. When Bean wanders off into the forest, he becomes alarmed when he sees a dog, and goes back to warn the others. But a dog has not been seen in the area for many years, and because Bean has a reputation for daydreaming and pretending, no one in the warren will believe him.

This special was the first appearance of Bean Bunny, who would join the Muppet cast in The Jim Henson Hour, and would take a featured role in Muppet*Vision 3D.

Merchandise
The Tale of the Bunny Picnic was released twice on home video in the US and once in the UK. To date, it has never seen a digital release on either DVD, LD or a soundtrack of any kind.

Toy company, Applause, made a set of puppets based on the characters in this show. The set included Bean Bunny, Twitch, Father Bunny, and Great Grandmother Bunny.

A book based on this special was also published, illustrated by the special's conceptional designer, Diane Dawson Hearn.

Credits

 * Executive Producer: Diana Birkenfield
 * Producer: Jim Henson
 * Directors: Jim Henson and David G. Hillier
 * Writer: Jocelyn Stevenson
 * Music by: Philip Balsam
 * Lyrics by: Dennis Lee
 * Muppet Performers: Steve Whitmire, Richard Hunt, Camille Bonora, Ron Mueck, Jim Henson, Karen Prell, Kevin Clash, Louise Gold, Martin P. Robinson, Mike Quinn, David Rudman

Additional Credits

 * Co-producer: Martin G. Baker
 * Designer: John Bristow
 * Musical Director: Don Gillis
 * Conceptional Designer: Diane Dawson-Hearn
 * Puppet Design: Polly Smith, Jane A. Gootnick, Rollin Krewson, Joann Green, Jan Rosenthal, Connie Peterson, Norman Tempia, Cheryl Henson, Edward G. Christie, Ross Hill, Marian Keating, Jerry Gum, Will Morrison
 * Creative Advisor: Bonnie Erickson
 * Mechanical Design: Larry Jameson, Leigh Donaldson, Fred Buchholz, Thom Flowers, Tom Newby
 * Executive in Charge of Production: Duncan Kenworthy
 * Executive Producer: Diana Birkenfield