Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration

Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration is a 2019 musical television special to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sesame Street. Hosted by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the special aired on November 9, 2019 on HBO, followed by a November 17 airing on PBS. Starring the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street from the past and present. Many of the retired cast members and characters reunited on the street for the first time in years since their last appearances. This is the final Sesame Street special to feature long-time Muppet performer Caroll Spinney, who performed Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch for 50 years as well as the cast member Emilio Delgado, who played Luis for 45 years.

Plot

The special opens with Cookie Monster looking for directions to Sesame Street (and picking up cookies along the way). After a montage of various versions of the theme song, he arrives on Sesame Street with Joseph Gordon-Levitt who really wants to take a picture under the famous street sign but the trouble is it has gone missing. It is up to Elmo, Abby, Rosita and Grover to find it in time for the big photo while stopping Joseph from finding out. Meanwhile, Gonger is flying away on a balloon and Cookie Monster needs to get him back down for the party. Human cast members, Gordon, Susan, Bob, Gina, Luis, Maria, Linda, Leela and Miles return as Norah Jones sings "Welcome to the Party". Joseph takes a trip through Sesame Street history bumping into some obscure characters along the way including Kermit the Frog who sings "Bein' Green" with Elvis Costello.

Whoopi Goldberg, Patti LaBelle, Sterling K. Brown, Itzhak Perlman, Fran Brill, Caroll Spinney and Debra Spinney all arrive to celebrate while there are musical performances from Nile Rodgers, singing "The People in Your Neighborhood" with Ernie and Grover, Solange Knowles, singing "I Remember" with Elmo, Abby, Grover and Zoe, and Meghan Trainor, singing "Count Me In" with Elmo and Abby. Other highlights include a medley of Sesame Street songs, Sterling learning how to eat cookies like Cookie Monster and Whoopi and Itzhak helping Ernie "Put Down the Duckie". The special ends with a performance of "Sing" by the whole cast, led by Patti as it turns out Big Bird and Snuffy were decorating the street sign for the big party.

Cast

Host

• Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Actors

• Alison Bartlett as Gina
• Linda Bove as Linda
• Emilio Delgado as Luis
• Olamide Faison as Miles
• Bill Irwin as Mr. Noodle
• Chris Knowings as Chris
• Loretta Long as Susan
• Sonia Manzano as Maria
• Bob McGrath as Bob
• Alan Muraoka as Alan
• Roscoe Orman as Gordon
• Nitya Vidyasagar as Leela
• Suki Lopez as Nina

Guests

• Fran Brill
• Sterling K. Brown
• Elvis Costello
• Whoopi Goldberg
• Norah Jones
• Solange Knowles
• Patti LaBelle
• Itzhak Perlman
• Nile Rodgers
• Caroll Spinney
• Debra Spinney
• Meghan Trainor

Muppeteers

• Pam Arciero – Goldilocks and Grundgetta
• Jennifer Barnhart – Mama Bear and Zoe
• Tau Bennett
• Warrick Brownlow-Pike – Gonger
• Tyler Bunch – Dish, Letter A and Horatio the Elephant (puppeteer only)
• Leslie Carrara-Rudolph – Abby Cadabby
• Frankie Cordero – Rudy
• Stephanie D'Abruzzo – Pink Jacket and Prairie Dawn
• Ryan Dillon – Elmo, Don Music, Roosevelt Franklin (puppeteer only) and Lefty the Salesman
• Stacey Gordon – Julia
• Christopher Thomas Hayes – Hoots the Owl
• Eric Jacobson – Bert, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, Guy Smiley, Harvey Kneeslapper and Two-Headed Monster (left head)
• John Kennedy – The Amazing Mumford
• Peter Linz – Ernie, Herry Monster and Captain Vegetable
• Spencer Lott
• Noel MacNeal – Letter C
• Paul McGinnis – Letter B
• Carmen Osbahr – Rosita, Ovejita and Spoon
• Martin P. Robinson – Mr. Snuffleupagus, Old MacDonald and Telly Monster
• David Rudman – Cookie Monster, Baby Bear, Letter Y and Two-Headed Monster (right head)
• Matt Vogel – Big Bird, Count von Count, Kermit the Frog, Forgetful Jones, Mr. Johnson and Sherlock Hemlock

Voices

• Chris Knowings – Roosevelt Franklin
• Peter Linz – Horatio the Elephant
• Caroll Spinney – Taxi Driver
• Jim Henson – The Baker (archival audio)

Songs

• "Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street?" (over a montage of various intros through the years)
• "Welcome (to the Party)" – performed by Norah Jones, Big Bird, and the human cast
• "The People in Your Neighborhood" – performed by Nile Rodgers, Grover, and Ernie
• "Bein' Green" – performed by Elvis Costello and Kermit the Frog
• "Medley: I Love Trash, ABC-DEF-GHI, Elmo's Song, One of These Things, Rubber Duckie, C Is For Cookie" – performed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Susan, Bob, Oscar, Big Bird, Elmo, Ernie and Cookie Monster
• "I Remember" – performed by Solange Knowles (feat. Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Grover, and Zoe)
• "Count Me In" – performed by Meghan Trainor (feat. Elmo and Abby Cadabby)
• "Put Down the Duckie" – performed by Hoots the Owl and Ernie with guest stars
• "Sing" – performed by the cast and special guests
• "This is My Street" – performed by Thomas Rhett and the cast (used during the end credits)

Critical reception

Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration has received generally positive reviews from television critics and parents of young children. Nardine Saad of Los Angeles Times wrote, "A party-themed event hosted by Sesame Street fanboy Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It features the beloved colorful muppets and plenty of former cast members for the Count to count and cookies for Cookie Monster to devour. Several celebrities were also — briefly — on hand to talk shop or sing a song. Or seven." Sandra Gonzalez of CNN wrote, "Honors the moments that taught generations of children the building blocks of learning through song, stories and silliness." Mark Kennedy of Associated Press wrote, "Fifty years ago, beloved entertainer Carol Burnett appeared on the very first broadcast of a quirky TV program that featured a bunch of furry puppets." Lauren Messman of The New York Times wrote, "Now Sesame Street will take a trip down memory lane with a special anniversary celebration, hosted by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The show will recreate iconic musical numbers, like "People in Your Neighborhood" and "It's Not Easy Being Green" with Kermit the Frog. Over the years, musicians like Johnny Cash and Destiny’s Child have stopped by to sing on Sesame Street, and the anniversary will be no different, welcoming stars like Meghan Trainor, Patti LaBelle, Elvis Costello and Nile Rodgers to join the beloved characters for special segments and songs."

External links

• Sesame Workshop website
• Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration at IMDb