Let's Play School

Program cover art by Joe Mathieu.

Program cover for later runs of the show, with Elmo and Zoe added.

Professor Grover, Bert, Ernie, and Prairie Dawn

Professor Grover and Big Bird

Let's Play School Cast

Let's Play School is a Sesame Street Live show first produced by VEE Corporation in 1990. It was repeated in 1995 and 1998.

Plot

"Professor" Grover teaches the gang all about school. He gives his students an assignment to bring something for show-and-tell and Big Bird can't decide what to bring.

Characters

Big Bird, Grover, Bert, Ernie, Cookie Monster, Prairie Dawn, The Count, Elmo, Oscar the Grouch, Grundgetta, Betty Lou, Barkley, Green Honker, Gold Honker, Pink Honker, Amanda, Jodie; Special Appearances by Q and U

Note: Zoe, who first appeared as a stage character in 1994's Let's Be Friends, was added to the cast in later versions of the show.

Performer Cast

• Leesa Osborn as Prairie Dawn

Acts

Act I:

• Going to School
• Roll Call
• Spelling Class
• Music Class
• Reading Class

Act II:

• A Lesson in Safety
• Math Class
• A Very Special Guest
• Show and Tell
• Goodbye Friends

Songs

Original Songs
Lyrics by Decker Velie; Music by Peter Johnson

• "Good Friends, Let's Play School"
• "Listen to Your Heart"
• "Show and Tell"
• "The Whatta Whatta Name Game"
  Lyrics by Decker Velie, Jane Lancelloti and Peggy Poore

Music

• "Sesame Street Theme"
• "People in Your Neighborhood"
• "Come On and Count"
  Words and Music by Paul Walberg
• "The Music Goes 'Round and Around"
• "Willie and the Hand Jive"
• "The Bunny Hop"
• "I Only Want to Be with You" (spoofed as "I Only Want to Be with Q")
• "Till There Was You"
• "Together Wherever We Go"
• "Side by Side"
• "Bonanza Theme"
• "Orange Blossom Special"
• "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)"
• "Down on the Corner"
• "The First Day of School"

Voices

• Jim Henson as Ernie
• Frank Oz as Bert, Cookie Monster and Grover
• Caroll Spinney as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch
• Pam Arciero as Grundgetta
• Jerry Nelson as The Count
• Fran Brill as Prairie Dawn and Betty Lou
• Kevin Clash as Elmo
• Fred Garbo as Barkley the Dog

Credits

• Executive Producer: Vincent E. Egan
• Produced by Bob Shipstad
• Written by Nancy Sans
• Directed and Choreographed by Marilyn Magness
• Art Direction by Jim Waters
• Music Direction by Peter Johnson and The Music Staff
• Lighting Direction by David Agress
• Character design by Jim Henson, Donald Sahlin, Caroly Wilcox, Kermit Love, Michael K. Frith
• New Sesame Street Live Characters designed by Jim Henson, Michael K. Frith
• Costumes designed and built by Jim Henson Productions, Inc.
  • Design and supervision of construction: Connie Peterson
  • Assisted by Tom McAlister, Michelle Matland, Jason Weber, Faye Kreinberg, Don Creech
  • Additional costumes designed by Polly Smith, Julie Zobel
  • Mechanical animation by Mae Canaga, Marilee Canaga
• Vocal Recording Coach: Dave Conner
• Program — Sesame Street Illustrations by Joe Mathieu

Notes

• According to Jim Waters and Douglas Kinsley, this Sesame Street Live show was the last time Jim Henson recorded the voice of Ernie before his death.

Gallery

Sample pages from the show's program.

See also

• Let's Play School (book), a 1984 Talk 'n Play book-and-tape set
• Let's Play School (View-Master), a 1988 View-Master Interactive Vision game

External links

• Toledo Blade - "Sesame Street Live's classroom act", March 1, 1992