Elmo's Musical Adventure: Peter and the Wolf

Peter and the Wolf (marketed as Elmo's Musical Adventure: The Story of Peter and the Wolf) is a 2001 Sesame Street adaptation of the musical story "Peter and the Wolf" by Sergei Prokofiev. The narrative uses Prokofiev's original score, as performed by the Boston Pops Orchestra.

Synopsis
Elmo (on the violin), Big Bird (drums), Telly (tuba) and Zoe (piano) have started their own band. Baby Bear listens in, but they can't seem to figure out what goes wrong when they all try to play together. Papa Bear arrives to announce that he's taking his son to see the Boston Pops Orchestra, who will be playing Prokofiev's ballet, Peter and the Wolf.

They arrive at Symphony Hall (shot on location, and on a separate sound stage) and they meet an old friend of Papa Bear's: the Boston Pops conductor, Keith Lockhart. Backstage, Lockhart introduces Baby Bear to the solo instruments that each play a character in the story (much like it would be done on an album recording of the piece). Baby Bear is trying to understand how music can tell a story without any words. Though he is still not sure, they head back to their seats as the rest of the audience is arriving. (Seen here in cameos: Caroll Spinney, Martin Robinson, Fran Brill, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, John Tartaglia, Pam Arciero, John Kennedy, writer Christine Ferraro and Muppet wrangler Michelle Hickey).

As the music plays, Baby Bear pictures the events of the story in his head (with a little help from his father). Peter is portrayed by Elmo, who runs in with the bird (Zoe), the duck (Telly) and the cat (Oscar)... all dressed for the part. Peter's Grandfather (Big Bird) warns Peter not to go looking for the Wolf, that the hunters (the Two-Headed Monster) will take care of it. As the story unfolds, each character is accompanied (in Baby Bear's imagination) by the instrument soloist we met earlier backstage. The story plays out and Baby Bear has a better understanding of how music can tell a story.

On their return to Sesame Street, Baby Bear has also figured out why Elmo's band doesn't sound quite right: they need a conductor to keep them in time and so that they all don't play over each other. Baby Bear volunteers for the job. With his help, they're finally able to play music together.

DVD extras
This special was released on DVD in 2001. It was rereleased in 2008, packaged with Sing Yourself Silly in a Sesame Street Double Feature.

The DVD version includes various extras including a game in which you must match the sound of an instrument to its picture and a game that involves matching a theme from the ballet to the corresponding character. An additional section allows you to watch scenes from the story with just footage of the Boston Pops playing the piece (in these scenes, Baby Bear and Papa Bear can be seen on location in Boston Symphony Hall). Information on the Muppets and a parents section round out the extras.

Credits

 * Executive Producers: Nancy Kanter, Karin Young Shiel
 * Producer: Jill Danton
 * Writer: Christine Ferraro
 * Director: Emily Squires


 * Starring Jim Henson's Sesame Street Muppets
 * Kevin Clash as Elmo
 * Caroll Spinney as Big Bird & Oscar
 * Fran Brill as Zoe
 * Martin P. Robinson as Telly
 * David Rudman as Baby Bear
 * Joey Mazzarino as Papa Bear
 * Noel MacNeal as the Wolf
 * Carmen Osbahr as Rosita
 * and Jerry Nelson


 * With Muppet Performers: Pam Arciero, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Eric Jacobson, John Kennedy, Rick Lyon, Jim Martin, John Tartaglia, Matt Vogel


 * Special Guest Stars: Keith Lockhart and The Boston Pops Orchestra


 * Also appearing:
 * Klea Blackhurst as the French Horn Player
 * Angel Desai as the Flute Player
 * Sarah Knowlton as the Oboe Player
 * Sean McCourt as the Clarinet Player
 * Kirk McGee as the Bassoon Player
 * Melissa Murray as the Violin Player
 * David Titus as the Kettle Drum Player


 * Associate Producer: Dionne Nosek
 * Associate Director: Ken Diego
 * Production Designer: Laura Brock
 * Costume Designer: Jennifer Bryan
 * Lighting Director: Dan Kelly


 * "The Music That We Play"
 * Lyrics by Christine Ferraro
 * Music by Mike Renzi


 * Senior Muppet Consultant: Kevin Clash
 * Jim Henson's Muppet Workshop: Stephen Rotondaro, Carol Binion, Fred Buchholz, Alex Ferguson, Carlene Hartmann, Michelle Hickey, Emily Lawson, Michael Schupbach, Erin Slattery, Karena Wienands


 * Post Production Supervisor/Editor: Scott Doninger, Full Circle Post
 * Sound Design and Mix: Jake Karlsmark, Hotwax Recording, Inc.
 * Post Scoring: Mike Renzi
 * Music Supervisor: Danny Epstein
 * Vocal Director: Dave Conner
 * Special Actor Casting: Cindi Rush CSA
 * Talent Producer: Danette De Sena
 * Stage Manager: Hank Neimark
 * Additional Stage Manager: Jonathan Siegal
 * Control Room PA: Heather Dick
 * Technical Director: Richie Wirth
 * Camera: Frank Biondo, Shaun Hearkins, Mark Whitman
 * Audio: Blake Norton, Carla Bandini-Lory
 * Utilities: Chuck Tutino, Gordon Price
 * Video: Dick Sens
 * Wardrobe Supervisor: Suzanne Kelly
 * Key Hair: Karen Specht
 * Key Make Up: Joe Cuervo
 * Head Electrician: Craig Evans
 * Head Carpenter: Steve Ruggerio
 * Property Master: Steve Dannenberg
 * Opening Title: Covi Company
 * Assistant Art Director: Paul Robinson
 * Art Department Coordinator: Jessica Milstein
 * Child Talent Coordinator: Theresa Anderson
 * Production Assistants: Melanie Pal, Elysa Marden, Sanjay Singh
 * Production Intern: Pamela Salmon


 * For Evening at Pops
 * Executive Producer/Director: Bill Cosel
 * Coordinating Producer: Susie Dangel
 * Audio Producer: John McClure
 * Associate Producer: Anne Houlihan
 * Lighting Designer: Chas Norton
 * Sound Mixer: Steve Colby


 * Director of Artistic Programming, Boston Pops: Dennis Alves


 * For the Boston Symphony
 * Managing Director: Mark Volpe
 * Orchestra Manager: Ray Wellbaum
 * Manager, Boston Pops: Tony Beadle


 * Executive In Charge Of Production for Sesame Workshop: Jodi Nussbaum
 * Executive In Charge Of Production for Sony Wonder: Jeff Holder


 * Special Thanks: Becky Mancuso-Winding, Alice Cahn, Sharon Lyew, Tina Ellis, Rosemarie Truglio, Wendy Moss, Amy Cohen, Jill Colley, Catherine Farrell, Janelle Courts, John Stamatis, William Easterling, Yee Ki


 * The Boston Pops Orchestra taped courtesy of "Evening at Pops", a co-production of the Boston Symphony Orchesta, Inc. and WGBH-TV, Boston.


 * This program is based on "Peter and the Wolf" with music by Sergei Prokofiev and with text that is adapted from the original story by by Sergei Prokofiev, and is presented by arrangements with G. Schirmer, Inc.


 * "Peter and the Wolf" by Sergei Prokofiev
 * (C) 1937, 1940 G. Schirmer, Inc. (ASCAP)
 * All Rights Reserved.