Sesame Street's When Elmo Grows Up On Stage

Sesame Street Live's 2007 Production Continues Strong Nationally

Aug 11, 2009

When Elmo Grows Up features the characters of Sesame Street singing and dancing, about what they want to be when they grow up.

Children can experience the fun and magic of the Sesame Street Muppets, as they hit the stage in theatres and arenas across North America in “Sesame Street Live: When Elmo Grows Up”. This live, theatrical touring production features professional dancers as costume characters, performing to a mix of original and classic songs.

“When Elmo Grows Up” finds the Sesame Street characters preparing to put on a pageant, about what they want to be when they grow up. Segments in the show feature Telly's dream of being a cowboy, aspiring forest ranger Bert, firefighter Cookie Monster, weatherman Elmo, and train engineer Baby Bear.

Songs Include Parodies of Popular Music

This particular production includes classic tunes made for Sesame Street (“I Love Trash”, “Elmo's Song”), classic songs of Americana (“Casey Jones”, “I've Been Working on the Railroad”, “Home on the Range”), parodies of popular songs (“Down on the Corner” takes on a firefighting theme), plus a selection of songs original to the production (“Elmo's Weather Report”, “Magic in Me”).

Just as the music on the television show “Sesame Street” is listenable for adults, the producers of “Sesame Street Live” aim for the same, and generally succeed. Whereas many kids shows leave parents' ears ringing, the tunes here are plenty fine.

Based on Earlier Production

Interestingly, this Sesame Street Live show is actually based on an earlier production. In 1993, “When I Grow Up” began touring the United States to much applause. Now that a completely new generation of children is enjoying Sesame Street, the touring company has restaged the production with a new stage, new segments, new characters, and a greater focus on characters that have become more popular, particularly Elmo.

While Prairie Dawn still appears, three stars of the original show (Betty Lou, Grungetta, and Roxie Marie) are either eliminated or play bit parts. Zoe, Abby Cadabby, Rosita, and Baby Bear all join the cast, while Elmo's role has grown from a bit part to a title lead.

In the original production, Cookie Monster wanted to be a chef, not a firefighter. Elmo wanted to be a cowboy, now its Telly that dreams of the cattle drive, just as Roxie Marie's railroading aspirations have given way to Baby Bear's.

Sesame Street Live Started in 1980

Sesame Street Live is produced by VEE Corporation of Minneapolis; the first show opened in Bloomington, Minnesota in September 1980. The longest-running stage tour for children, there are currently four seperate touring companies travelling North American and the occasional country overseas. Each show has its own plot, sets, songs, and selection of Sesame Street characters.

The copyright of the article Sesame Street's When Elmo Grows Up On Stage in Musical Theatre is owned by Nicholas Moreau. Permission to republish Sesame Street's When Elmo Grows Up On Stage in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.