Big Bird's Super Spectacular Totally Amateur Show

Program Cover Art by Joe Mathieu

The show's Muppet cast.

Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch.

Grover, Stuie, and Cookie Monster perform "Fur."

Some of the lovable monsters of Sesame Street.

Herry Monster, Frazzle, Ernie, and Cookie Monster performing "Breakfast Time."

Prairie and Ernie in "Don't You Know You're Beautiful?"

Big Bird's Super Spectacular Totally Amateur Show was the second Sesame Street Live show, produced by VEE Corporation in 1981. It was repeated for the 1982-1983 tour year.

The show introduced more Sesame Street characters to the Sesame Street Live troupe, including Prairie Dawn, Gladys the Cow, Frazzle, Fred the Wonder Horse, Simon Soundman, Herry Monster, and the Two-Headed Monster, along with several new monster characters.

Characters

Big Bird, Prairie Dawn, Ernie, Cookie Monster, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, Bert, Count von Count, Stuie Monster, Herry Monster, Frazzle, Two-Headed Monster, Pinkie Monster, Mona Monster, Simon the Sound Man, Fred the Wonder Horse, Gladys the Cow, Granny, Teenager

Gladys the Cow, Fred the Wonder Horse, and the Two-Headed Monster were each performed by two actors inside the costume. This is the only show featuring Frazzle, Gladys, Fred, the Two-Headed Monster, and Stuie.

Songs

Act I

• "Big Bird's Super Spectacular Totally Amateur Show" — Big Bird, Granny, Teenage, Simon the Sound Man, Prairie Dawn, Ernie, Bert, The Count, Gladys the Cow
• "The Lovable Monsters of Sesame Street" — Stuie, Grover, Herry, Cookie, Pinkie, Mona, Frazzle, Two-Headed Monster
• "I Like to Play Piano" — Prairie Dawn and Ernie
• "The Grouch Song" — Oscar the Grouch
• "Breakfast Time" — Cookie Monster and Ernie
• "Stop!" — The Count, Prairie Dawn, Herry, Simon the Sound Man, Cookie, Grover, Fred the Wonder Horse, Big Bird

Act II

• "Fur" — Stuie Monster, monster chorus
• "Stand Up and Clap Your Hands" — Big Bird and friends
• "Don't You Know You're Beautiful" — Ernie and Prairie Dawn
• "Pigeon" — Bert
• "I Want a Monster to Be My Friend" — Prairie Dawn, monster chorus
• "Sing" — The entire cast

Merchandise

There were some items exclusively available for the tour. Among them were four posters, a souvenir program, banners, and pennants.

Voices

• Jim Henson as Ernie
• Frank Oz as Cookie Monster, Grover and Bert
• Caroll Spinney as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch
• Jerry Nelson as The Count, Simon the Sound Man, Fred the Wonder Horse, Herry Monster, Frazzle, and one of the Two-Headed Monster
• Richard Hunt as Stuie Monster, Gladys the Cow, and one of the Two-Headed Monster
• Fran Brill as Prairie Dawn
• Kathy Mullen as Granny and Mona Monster
• Louise Gold as Teenager and Pinkie Monster

Credits

Music director Paul Walberg and recording engineer Allen Kaufman work on a dialog sequence together for Big Bird's Super Spectacular Totally Amateur Show. (Piper Recording Studio, Torrance, CA.)

Behind the scenes at the Muppet Workshop: Stephen Rotondaro works on Prairie's dress while another builder assembles Mona.

• Executive Producer: Vincent E. Egan
• Produced by Bob Shipstad
• Directed and Choreographed by Anita Mann
• Assistant Choreographer: Diane Arnold
• Written by Jon Stone and Joseph Bailey
• Production Associate: Paul Walberg
• Art Director, Scenic Designer: Jim Waters
• Muppet Character Design by Jim Henson, Donald Sahlin, Caroly Wilcox, Kermit Love
• New Sesame Street Live Muppets designed by Michael Frith
• Muppet Costumes designed and built by Muppets, Inc.
  • Design and supervision of construction: Connie Peterson
  • Mechanical animation by Mae Canaga; Assisted by Marilee Canaga
• Performance Director: Diane Arnold
• Music Director: Paul Walberg
• Dialogue Editing, Music Recording and Mixing by: Allen Kaufman
• Program — Muppet Illustrations: Joe Mathieu

Notes

• In the show's debut (as well as its original program), Mona and Pinkie were originally named "Turquoise Monster" and "Pink Monster."

Gallery

Sample pages from the show's program: