Nigel Plaskitt served as animal movement director for the show. Polynesia was puppeteered by Wim Booth (and Sarah Burgess in a later tour) and voiced by Julie Andrews. The show was directed by Steven Pimlott, with Choreography by Aletta Collins. The musical opened on July 14, 1998, running at the same time the film version starring Eddie Murphy was in theatres, also featuring animals from Jim Henson's Creature Shop. The production closed June 26, 1999.