Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate
Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate is a 2020 television special which was produced as an extension of Sesame Workshop's Caring for Each Other initiative in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.[1] The special follows Elmo and other Sesame Street characters having a virtual playdate, along with a few celebrity guests. HBO and WarnerMedia's parent company, AT&T, was the program's sole sponsor,[2] with United Health Care sponsoring the PBS Kids broadcast.[1]
| Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate | |
|---|---|
| Based on | |
| Directed by | Matt Vogel |
| Starring | See cast |
| Theme music composer | J. P. Rende |
| Opening theme | Elmo's Playdate Theme |
| Ending theme | "Sing" by Joe Raposo |
| Composer | J. P. Rende |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Production company | Sesame Workshop |
| Original release | |
| Network | |
| Release | April 14, 2020 |
| Related | |
| Elmo's Playdate: Scavenger Hunt | |
A second special, Elmo's Playdate: Scavenger Hunt, aired on August 6, 2020.[3]
Synopsis edit
The television special follows Elmo (with the help of his father Louie) as he has a virtual playdate with Big Bird, Grover, Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby, and some of his other friends over at Sesame Street via video conferencing, together with a few celebrity guests, figuring out new ways to play together considering the limitations of social distancing. The show also highlights the roles of emergency medical technicians, doctors, and other everyday heroes who are helping people throughout the COVID-19 public health crisis.[4]
Cast edit
Sesame Street Muppet Performers edit
- Jennifer Barnhart as Zoe
- Tyler Bunch as Louie
- Leslie Carrara-Rudolph as Abby Cadabby
- Frankie Cordero as Rudy
- Stephanie D'Abruzzo as Prairie Dawn
- Ryan Dillon as Elmo
- Eric Jacobson as Bert and Grover
- Peter Linz as Ernie
- Carmen Osbahr as Rosita
- Martin P. Robinson as Telly Monster
- David Rudman as Cookie Monster
- Matt Vogel as Big Bird and Count von Count
Humans edit
- Alan Muraoka as Alan
- Suki Lopez as Nina
Special guest stars edit
- Tracee Ellis Ross as Herself
- Lin-Manuel Miranda as Himself
- Taye Diggs as Himself (archived performance of "Let's Go Driving" with Elmo)
- Anne Hathaway as Herself
Broadcast edit
The special was broadcast at 7pm EDT on HBO and PBS Kids and was simulcast on WarnerMedia-owned networks: TBS, TNT, truTV, HBO Latino, Cartoon Network, and Boomerang. It also re-aired on select PBS stations across the United States.
In Canada, the special was simulcast on April 15 at 4pm on Corus Entertainment networks Global, Teletoon, YTV, Cartoon Network, and Treehouse TV.[5] on Singapore, the special was broadcast on Mediacorp's Channel 5 through its children's programming block Okto. It aired on April 19, following the network's telecast of One World: Together at Home.[6]
In the United Kingdom (where Elmo and Cookie Monster appeared as characters in spin-off shows, Sesame Tree and The Furchester Hotel), the special was broadcast on CBeebies on May 8,[7] and repeated on BBC One on May 30 at 1.15pm, marking the first time Sesame Street has been broadcast on the BBC's main domestic television network.[8]
In Japan, the special was broadcast on NHK Educational TV on May 17.[9]
In Australia, the special was broadcast on ABC Kids on May 30.[10]
References edit
- ^ a b "Primetime Special 'Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate' to Offer Families Connection in Challenging Times". Sesame Workshop. April 8, 2020. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ Steinberg, Brian (April 14, 2020). "AT&T Bets on Elmo to Connect With Consumers". Variety. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ Williams, Janice (July 29, 2020). "What's Coming to HBO Max in August 2020? Full List of Releases". Newsweek. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
- ^ Prior, Ryan (April 15, 2020). "Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tracee Ellis Ross and Anne Hathaway get us to Sesame Street in coronavirus special". CNN. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ "Entertainment: Corus Entertainment brings Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate special to Canada, across multiple networks April 15th". The Suburban. April 14, 2020. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ "Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate coronavirus special to air on Sunday". CNA. April 14, 2020. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ "Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate - CBeebies". BBC. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
- ^ Elmo’s Playdate special to air on BBC One, licensingsource.net, 29 May 2020
- ^ "NHKで16年ぶり『セサミストリート』Eテレで5・17放送". May 17, 2020.
- ^ "Virtual fun for kids: Celebrities reading books, dance classes, art lessons and more". Bounty Parents. June 1, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
External links edit
- Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate at IMDb