Open Huis in Sesamstraat

Open Huis in Sesamstraat was a special 45 minute episode of Sesamstraat, the Dutch co-production of Sesame Street. It aired on September 3rd, 2005.

In 2005, the staff felt that the Sesamstraat street set needed to be updated after 25 years. Erly Brugmans designed a completely abstract set that looked like a world from a child's imagination, with toyblock-like buildings, enormous broccoli for trees, dunes in the distance and a large tower with a lightup clock. Simple set pieces can be moved around everywhere: for instance, during bedtime scenes, the street is filled with beds.

Open Huis in Sesamstraat (Housewarming on Sesamstraat) celebrates the introduction of the new street set, and Sesamstraat's 30th anniversary. The special was taped for a live audience. Tickets for the taping were given away as prizes for a Sesamstraat drawing contest.

In Open Huis, the whole Sesamstraat cast reenacts the most classic sketches and songs from recent seasons (including a classic yet risky sketch in which Ieniemienie and Elvan talk about how girls get breasts when they grow up).

As a special surprise, Ernie, Bert, Elmo and Cookie Monster flew in from America to perform with the Dutch cast for the very first time in the history of Sesamstraat. Ernie performed 'Rubber Duckie' in the bath tub, and the famous 'Banana in your ear' routine with Bert. Cookie sang 'If Moon Was Cookie' on the beach by night. Most of the American appearances were lipsynched to existing dubbed material, with the exception of Ieniemienie and Elmo's rendition of "Sing After Me". Kevin Clash came to the Netherlands to perform Elmo.

There are also a couple of mime sketches by Hakim Traïda and the hand puppetry of Lejo.

The special ends with everyone, including the American cast, joining in with Purk's signature 'baby talk' song.

In honor of their very first appearance in The Netherlands, Bert and Ernie hosted a press conference about Sesamstraat's birthday, a few days before the special aired. Bert and Ernie's puppeteers lipsynched to the voices of Paul Haenen and Wim T. Schippers, who performed their improvised dialogues with the press from off screen. Kevin Clash performed Bert, although he could not understand what was said! The press conference did not air on television; it could be downloaded on the Internet.

Scenes

 * Sketch: Snow White (Buurman Baasje is asked to play the prince)
 * Mime: Hakim: heavy suitcase with a feather inside
 * Song: Troeteleendje (Rubber Duckie) - Ernie
 * Sketch: Tommie complains to Paula that he wants a grandfather
 * Song: Als De Maan Een Koekie Was (If Moon Was Cookie) - Cookie Monster
 * Sketch: Tommie and Ienie sell Sien kisses for one euro
 * Sketch: Banana in your ear 1 - Bert and Ernie
 * Sketch: Lejo: "Sopdroe!"
 * Song: Vogeltje Hendrik (Little Bird Hendrik) - Frank with Pino, Tommie, Ieniemienie, Purk and Elmo
 * Sketch: Banana in your ear 2 - Bert and Ernie
 * Song: Mijn Achterkant (My Back Side) - Pino
 * Sketch: Lejo: Mano finds an annoying finger
 * Song: Zing Wat Ik Zing (Sing After Me) - Ieniemienie and Elmo
 * Sketch: Pino asks Buurman Baasje if he can walk his dog
 * Song: Opa's Kleuterklas (Grandfather's Kindergarten) - Tommie with Aart
 * Sketch: Elvan explains to Ieniemienie how girls get their breasts
 * Song: In Bad (Take a Bath) - Tommie
 * Sketch: Hakim: heavy balloon
 * Sketch: Aart shows Pino and Purk the proper way of playing peekaboo
 * Song: Purk Lied (Purk Song) - The whole gang

Cast
Puppeteers:
 * Judith Broersen as Purk
 * Kevin Clash as Elmo (manipulation only)
 * Renee Menschaar as Pino
 * Leo Petersen (Lejo)
 * Bert Plagman as Tommie
 * Catherine van Woerden as Ieniemienie
 * more...

Actors:
 * Elvan Akyildiz as Elvan
 * Sien Diels as Sien
 * Frank Groothof as Frank
 * Gerda Havertong as Gerda
 * Rik Hoogendoorn as Rik
 * Lot Lohr as Lot
 * Paula Sleijp as Paula
 * Aart Staartjes as Aart
 * Hakim Traïda as Hakim
 * Martin van Waardenberg as Buurman Baasje

Voice Actors
 * Hein Boele as Elmo
 * Paul Haenen as Bert
 * Pieter Piekos as Cookie Monster (Hero Muller is erratively credited)
 * Wim T. Schippers as Ernie