Eric Carle's Hungry Caterpillar Takes the Stage Off Union Square
More than 75 puppets and a handful of Eric Carle stories fill an hour built for the youngest theatregoers, in a small house just off Union Square.
Jonathan Rockefeller's stage version of Eric Carle's picture books brings the stories to life with more than 75 handcrafted puppets and original music that invites small children to play along. The production says it has played to more than 3 million children in over 22 countries.
The New York run at DR2 Theatre plays through January 10, 2027. Shows are short and pitched at families with very young kids, and the audience regularly spans babies to grandparents.
Ticketmaster sells performances through January 10, 2027, mostly weekend mornings and early afternoons, with extra weekday shows around Thanksgiving and the winter holidays. The production does not offer refunds or exchanges.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar ShowDR2 Theatre, 103 East 15th Street, New York. About 55 minutes, no intermission. Runs through January 10, 2027.ticketmaster.evyy.netBeside a Landmark Bank on Union Square
DR2 Theatre is the smaller of two stages run by the Daryl Roth Theatre, which opened in 1996. Its main house at 101 East 15th Street fills the columned former Union Square Savings Bank, and DR2 sits next door.
The show is in DR2 at 103 East 15th Street, not on the main stage in the bank building at No. 101. Doors open 30 minutes before each performance, and the box office opens at least an hour before curtain. It is closed on Mondays.
A Small Room Kept for Young Audiences
The Daryl Roth Theatre calls DR2 its intimate house and uses it for DR2 Kids, programming meant to introduce the youngest patrons to theatre, from Paddington Bear to this caterpillar. Seats run in rows lettered A to N, and rows A to C are the VIP seats, which add a photo with the Caterpillar after the show.
The show runs about 55 minutes with no intermission. The production never asks children to stay quiet; its only request is that the adults with them keep phones off until the end. It describes the theatre as wheelchair friendly and asks anyone who needs help to tell staff on arrival, and it designs the show to suit children with sensory needs, with a quiet area in the foyer during the performance.
Lap Seats, Strollers and the Nut Rule
Everyone needs a ticket, whatever their age. The one exception is a lap seat for a baby 12 months or younger, bought in person at the box office on the day of the show, one per adult. Plan on 15 dollars, the figure on the show's own ticket page, though the Ticketmaster event note still says 10. A child over one can sit on a lap but needs a full ticket.
Stroller space is tight. Strollers are parked unsupervised beside the box office, and the production asks families to leave them at home if they can. Food containing nuts is not allowed in the theatre, so pack snacks with that in mind.
Photos After the Bows, and Which Stories You Get
Photography is not allowed during the performance. The puppets come back on stage after the show, under better light, for photos. A posed picture with the Caterpillar comes with VIP seats, or can be bought on the day at the merchandise stand in the lobby, where space is limited and cash is not accepted.
The four stories change across the run. The show's New York page bills the holiday edition as Dream Snow, The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse, Mister Seahorse and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, while the theatre's page for the same run names Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and The Very Busy Spider alongside Mister Seahorse. The Caterpillar is the constant.
📍 DR2 Theatre, 103 East 15th Street, New York, NY 10003, just off Union Square.
Get there when the doors open, half an hour before curtain, and let the caterpillar take it from there.