Everyone’s favorite, lovable bear in a duffle coat and battered hat is visiting Merchant Hall this month – and starring in his own play! Paddington Gets in a Jam (4/3) is a sweet comedy for young audiences, filled with hilarious chaos sure to delight. In fact, Paddington Bear has been delighting audiences for decades; the very first book, A Bear Called Paddington, was published in 1958. Author Michael Bond was working as a BBC cameraman when he bought a lonely-looking teddy bear on Christmas Eve in 1956 and was inspired: “I saw it left on a shelf in a London store and felt sorry for it. I took it home as a present for my wife Brenda and named it Paddington as we were living near Paddington Station at the time. I wrote some stories about the bear, more for fun than with the idea of having them published. After ten days I found that I had a book on my hands,” he recalls on Paddington.com. Bond’s living legacy has only grown – the original book has sold more than 35 million copies in 40+ languages, and Paddington has starred in dozens of stories. Several television adaptations have been created, originally in 1966 and most recently in 2019. Paddington’s repertoire also includes two feature films. Be sure to join us when he takes the stage at Merchant Hall on April 3!