Bear in Mind

Tutter, the irritable but endearing mouse, will be there. Look for Treelo, the playful lemur, and Ojo, the bear cub, who can be both brave and fearful.

Keep an eye out for the mischievous and slightly annoying purple otters Pip and Pop. And, of course, Bear, the honey-colored, 7-foot-tall father of the house who represents the ideal parent.

If you know preschool children and their favorite shows, odds are you already recognize these characters from “Bear in the Big Blue House,” the half-hour Jim Henson children’s series shown daily on the Disney Channel.

Now, Bear and his friends will come to life in three free, 15-minute shows at the Glendale Galleria this weekend.

The show, which has been performed at malls across the country, is extremely successful with young children, and for good reason.

Its characters--and the rustic, old-fashioned blue house they inhabit--possess the same dreamy and wholesome nature that defines good literature for children.

The performance includes a replica of the Big Blue House, where Bear and his pals will interact with children.

There will also be plenty of the show’s signature songs such as “The Bear Cha Cha Cha,” and the lilting “Goodbye Song,” where Bear and Luna (the moon) reflect and sing in the quiet of the night. Bear and his idyllic lifestyle of cozy family gatherings and gentle friendship have clearly struck a chord with audiences. The show has drawn thousands of adults and children at other malls.

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Interestingly enough, the series didn’t originate from the creator’s happy childhood memories. Instead, it stemmed from the comfort and happiness he craved.

“I grew up in a family that wasn’t very nurturing,” said Mitchell Kriegman, the creator and frequent writer / director of the show. “The development of the show came from my sense of fantasy about what a wonderful world could be like.”

Kriegman, who has three children, models his characters after his family. Bear, he said, became the image of his wife or himself with his children. “There are things that Ojo says that literally came from one of my sons,” he added.

Kriegman is no stranger to sophisticated children’s fare. His previous show, “Clarissa Explains It All,” received a Parents Choice Award and was nominated for an Emmy (‘Bear” has also been nominated). And his resume includes stints writing fiction for The New Yorker and comedy for “Saturday Night Live.”

But “Bear” might be his biggest accomplishment. By creating its idealized reality, Kriegman has managed to stir a ray of hope in both children and adults.

“I feel like these positive fantasies are one of the main things that get us through a life filled with complexities, unfairness and all sorts of levels of satisfaction and dissatisfaction,” he said.

BE THERE

On the Road with Bear in the Big Blue House. Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Glendale Galleria. Show times: 1, 3 and 5 p.m. Free. Information: (818) 240-9481.

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” I feel like these positive fantasies are one of the main things that get us through a life filled with complexities, unfairness and all sorts of levels of satisfaction and dissatisfaction.”

MITCHELL KRIEGMAN, Creator and frequent writer / director of “Bear in the Big Blue House”