Under the Umbrella Tree

A total of 280 episodes were produced over the years, with 270 being 15 minutes long and 10 being 30-minute specials. Every episode focuses on a different theme, such as sports, holidays, singing, dancing, exercise and various other activities. However, valuable life lessons are often woven into every story, such as the importance of keeping promises, being considerate of others or assuming responsibility for one's actions. The show's characters were created by Ken Sobol, who also wrote the majority of the series episodes. Sobol had previously worked closely with Noreen Young on Readalong and Téléfrançais, two other children's television series.

• Gloria Gladys Grace Gabrielle Gardenia Glenda Gale Gopher[3] (performed by Noreen Young) – Gloria is the only female puppet in the Umbrella Tree household and lives and sleeps 'under the umbrella tree', which is located behind the couch. It is known as her burrow. Gloria enjoys music and performing arts but can be shy with her interests, even around her best friends. She is also somewhat of a tomboy and does not like being treated any differently just because she is a girl.
• Holly Penelope Higgins[4] (played by Holly Larocque) – The only human cast member. Holly serves as a parental figure and mentor for the three puppet characters. She affectionately refers to Iggy, Gloria and Jacob as her 'roommates', although she seems to handle most of the day-to-day running of the household such as cleaning, cooking and is the one who pays the rent. She is known for being funny, artistic, patient and generous. Holly also has an Uncle Jack (played by Don Westwood) and an Aunt Jill, who work as a performing musical duo from England, although only Jack has actually visited the household.
• Ignatz "Iggy" Julio Iguana[5] (performed by Bob Stutt) – Iggy sleeps on the shelf at the Umbrella Tree residence and his characteristics include sometimes thinking too highly of himself and unwillingly making mistakes. He enjoys playing the guitar, and often sees Jacob as a friendly rival in sports and many other activities. He also has an uncle, Rod Iguana, who lives in Arizona and a formerly clumsy cousin named Emmet, and a female cousin named Camille. Iggy is the shortest of the trio. One of his favorite jokes is tricking someone to look down at their shirt before pointing a finger at the victim's nose.

Jacob Bluejay with puppeteer Stephen Brathwaite in 2006.

• Jacob Barnaby Blue[6] (performed by Stephen Brathwaite) – Jacob is the only member of the Umbrella Tree household capable of flight and sometimes enters the house by flying through open windows. He usually sleeps in his own bird house on the patio. Jacob sometimes invents things but they seldom work as he plans, resulting in a humorous outcome. Has a tendency to get things mixed up and saying "I knew that" whenever he finds out about something. Jacob is the tallest of the trio. As revealed in "How it all Began", Jacob was the first occupant in the apartment. Iggy and Gloria soon followed, and eventually Holly.[7] He was named after his twenty-times great-grandfather, Sir Jacob of Blue, said to have invented the catapult and defeated the evil Duke of Doublepeck, and married Lady Flyella.[8]

• Louis Bird (performed by Bob Stutt) – Louis is a friend of the Umbrella Tree gang, usually involved in festivities outside the apartment or in dialogue within several episodes. He is well known for overusing the term "indeed" and usually adds the phrase "hmm, indeed!" at the end of his statements.
• Mitzi the Dog (performed by Holly Larocque) – Mitzi is Gloria's best friend who is always seeming to get either herself or Gloria in trouble.
• Charles "Chuck" Chickadee (performed by Bob Stutt) – Chuck is Jacob's best friend who is extremely talkative and sometimes gets on everyone's nerves because of this.
• Chester Chickadee (performed by Stephen Brathwaite) - Chuck's father.
• Charlene Chickadee (performed by Noreen Young) – Chuck's mother.
• Chelsea Chickadee (performed by Noreen Young) - Chuck's little sister.
• Mrs. McMertree (performed by Noreen Young) - One of the gang's neighbours. She's known for wearing feather-themed clothes. Has a cousin named Madame Sonya.[9]
• Simon the Bat (performed by Bob Dermer) - A bat who is scared of people.
• E. Lizard-Beth Taylor - A lizard movie star that Iggy idolizes.
• Emmet Iguana (performed by Bob Stutt) - A cousin of Iggy's, he used to be rather clumsy.
• Mrs. Annabelle Higgins - Holly's mother.
• Lorraine (played by Holly Larocque) - Holly's Irish cousin.
• Matt and Martha - Two mice.
• Waldo Bunny (performed by Bob Stutt) - A smart bunny who is into computers.
• Calvin Crow - a gluttonous crow.
• Annette Parakeet (performed by Bob Stutt) - A female parakeet friend of Jacob's who plays basketball with him.
• Darleen Swan (performed by Noreen Young) - a swan ballerina.
• Mr. Fuller - A clumsy goat who runs the "Gifts and Gimmicks" shop.
• Rusty - A dog.
• Goldberg (played by Harvey Atkin) - A Jewish magician.