The creators of the beloved children’s show Sesame Street have announced today that they will be producing the show’s first Off-Broadway stage production, titled Sesame Street: the Musical. The musical, set to premiere in September 2022, will be produced by Rockefeller Productions and Sesame Workshop, the production company behind the original Sesame Street and its attached media.
Sesame Street originally premiered in 1969 and is still running today, on its 52nd season. The show mainly features a wide array of Muppet-like puppets, such as Big Bird, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, Bert and Ernie, and Abby Cadabra, while also often using real-life actors and skit comedy to teach children about the alphabet, numbers, and basic social concepts like kindness, courtesy, and respect. In more recent years, the show has branched out to touch on more controversial topics like social inequality, autism, and addiction, breaking down the issues in ways that allow young children to understand them.
How “Sesame Street: the Musical” is Helping Sesame Street Move Forward
Since its premiere, Sesame Street has been generally positively received, the show winning twenty awards, including a Peabody Award and three Emmy Awards, by 1970, just a year after its premiere. Though there have been spots of negative reception, Sesame Street had won a total of 205 Emmy Awards by 2021, making it the most awarded TV series of all time. With this track record behind them, the show’s creators have begun exploring new avenues to expand the show, beginning with Sesame Street: the Musical. Jennifer Ahearn, a Sesame Workshop executive, told Deadline:
“As the world begins to open up, families and fans are looking forward to live, high-quality in-person experiences with their favorite brands, and Sesame Workshop is answering the call with the expansion of our themed entertainment offerings.”
Sesame Street: the Musical will feature a cast of Sesame Street’s beloved regular cast and some of the show’s well-known music numbers, along with new ones that have reportedly been developed specifically for the musical’s live premiere. The musical, produced by Rockefeller Productions, will take the stage in New York’s Theater Row theaters beginning September 22nd and running through November 27th, 2022.