Nashville Children’s Theatre is giving the city’s youngest readers a story they already love, supersized. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show runs November 14, 2026 through January 3, 2027 at the NCT Hill Theatre, bringing Eric Carle’s classic picture book to life with gorgeous, larger-than-life puppets.
Created by Jonathan Rockefeller and directed by Jonah Jackson, the production journeys through four beloved Eric Carle books, immersing children in the author’s world of vibrant colors and well-known characters. The hungry caterpillar munches his way through the week — one apple, two pears, and that famous Saturday feast — before the magical transformation every child in the audience is waiting for.
It is an ideal first theatre experience: gentle, visual, joyful storytelling designed for young audiences and the grown-ups who read to them. Saturday performances at 2:00 p.m. are listed through the season, with tickets from $28.50 to $38.50, making it an easy holiday-season outing in downtown Nashville at 25 Middleton Street.
Nashville Children’s Theatre, the oldest professional theatre for young audiences in the country, has been introducing Nashville families to live performance for generations — and a caterpillar this charming is a very happy place to start.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
