Sesame Street Stays Up Late is a 1993 New Year's Eve special with guest appearances by characters from some of the international versions of Sesame Street. The special was first broadcast by PBS on December 29, 1993[1] with the subtitle A Monster New Year's Eve Party. It was later retitled Sesame Street Celebrates Around the World for home video and was adapted into book form.
Synopsis[]
Everyone on Sesame Street is preparing to celebrate New Year's Eve as they all go Around the Corner to hold the party. However, Telly quickly discovers that this means the current year ends. He becomes afraid that he soon will enter an unknown year, and starts a campaign to prevent the new year from coming. Lily Tomlin makes an appearance as her Laugh-In character Ernestine the Telephone Operator.
Meanwhile, Elmo is the host of the Monster News Network, showing how New Year's Eve is celebrated around the world. This is done by showing segments created by the Sesame characters from the different co-productions around the world.
The international Sesame Street characters who appear are:
- Moishe Oofnik (here referred to as "Oofnik the Grouch") and Kippi Ben Kippod from Israel's Rechov Sumsum
- Tita from Portugal's Rua Sésamo
- Tiffy, Samson and Finchen from Germany's Sesamstrasse
- Max Mekker, Alfa and Bjarne Betjent from Norway's Sesam Stasjon
Rosita and Elmo's Cousin Pepe appear in the special to represent Mexico, while Elmo's cousin Elmo-noske represents Japan.
As the new year draws closer, nearly everyone stands around the corner awaiting the countdown. Earlier, Big Bird comes up with the idea of tossing a beach ball into the air, just like in Times Square. So they have Wolfgang the Seal balance the beach ball on his nose for the event. Once the countdown reaches zero, Wolfgang the Seal removes the beach ball in slow motion. After the ball falls to the ground, the citizens cheer, and Telly is overjoyed to see that nothing bad happened. Then, Big Bird has everyone make New Year's wishes while eating grapes, followed by singing "Faces That I Love."
After the credits roll, everyone wishes the viewers "Happy New Year!" and continue to celebrate (even Slimey, much to Oscar's chagrin). The words "THE END" then appear onscreen and Cookie Monster eats one of the letters, exclaiming "Me love credits!"
Songs[]
- We're Gonna Stay Up Late and Party
- Bashanah Habaah
- It's New Year's Eve
- New Year Chorale for Six Grouches
- Faces That I Love
Notes[]
- This special also features one of the first new appearances of Ernie since Jim Henson's death. Steve Whitmire took over as his performer, doing the character's voice for the first time for a TV appearance.
- Besides Oscar's mom and Uncle Hank, three more Grouch relatives join Oscar's party line, performed by Joey Mazzarino, David Rudman, and Kevin Clash. Earlier in the special, Oscar names cousins Ethyl and Fred.
- Mazzarino also performs a bespectacled orange crew member for the Monster News Network, and Rudman performs a grey monster who gets a party horn blown through his ear (declaring "It work").
Home video[]
The special was released on home video as Sesame Street Celebrates Around the World, featuring a modified title sequence.
Credits[]
- Executive Producer: Nina Elias-Bamberger
- Writer: Lou Berger
- Director: Chuck Vinson
- Music Composed and Conducted by Stephen Lawrence
- Production Designer: Victor DiNapoli
- Costume Designers: Bill Kellard, Terry Robinson
- Muppets, Costumes, and Props: Ed Christie, with Mark Zeszotek, Peter MacKennan, Stephen Rotondaro, Laurent Linn, Mark Ruffin, Carlo Yannuzzi, Fred Buchholz, Connie Peterson
- Creative Consultant: Kevin Clash
- Segment Producer: Ellen Goosenberg Kent
- Associate Director: Ted May
- Assistant to the Executive Producer/Children's Casting: Nina Shelton
- Production Coordinator: Chrissy Ferraro
- Music Coordinator: Danny Epstein
- "Stay Up Late and Party" and "Faces That I Love" lyrics by Lou Berger, music by Stephen Lawrence
- "New Year Chorale for 6 Grouches" by Christopher Cerf & Lou Berger
- Graphic Designer: Mike Pantuso
- Set Decorator: Nat Mongioi
- Art Director: Bob Phillips
- Assistant to the Producers: Danette DeSena
- Animation: Al Jarnow
- Choreographer for Portuguese Segment: Julio Leitao
- Technical Director: Ralph Mensch
- Sound Effects: Dick Maitland
- Audio: Blake Norton, Tim Lester
- Cameras: Frank Biondo, Dave Driscoll, Manny Gutierrez, Miguel Armstrong
- Videotaped at Lifetime Television and Kaufman Astoria Studios in New York
Cast[]
- Muppets
- Alfa, Baby Bear, Bert, Big Bird, Bjarne Betjent, Cookie Monster, Count von Count, Cousin Pepe, Elmo, Elmo-noske, Ernie, Finchen, Grouches, Grover, Kippi Ben Kippod, Max Mekker, MNN Logo Monsters, Moishe Oofnik, Mrs. Grouch, Oscar the Grouch, Prairie Dawn, Rosita, Samson, Slimey, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Telly Monster, Tiffy, Tita, Uncle Hank, Wolfgang the Seal, Zoe
- Background Muppets
- AM Monsters, Baby Natasha, Bats, Benny Rabbit, The Big Bad Wolf, Gladys the Cow, Herry Monster, Mr. Honker, Honker, Hoots the Owl, Horse, Humphrey, Ingrid, Kermit the Forg, Lambs, Merry Monster, Roxie Marie, Penguins, Sherry Netherland, The Squirrelles
- Human Cast
- Gordon, Susan, Luis, Maria, Ruthie, Gina, Bob, Celina, Savion, Linda, Angela, Jamal, Tarah, Carlo
- Actors
- Carlo Alban, Alison Bartlett, Linda Bove, Ruth Buzzi, Annette Calud, Emilio Delgado, Savion Glover, Loretta Long, Sonia Manzano, Bob McGrath, Angel Jemmott, Roscoe Orman, Jou Jou Papailler, Tarah Schaeffer
- Muppet Performers
- Caroll Spinney, Pam Arciero, Fran Brill, Kevin Clash, Jim Kroupa, Peter Linz, Rick Lyon, Noel MacNeal, Jim Martin, Joey Mazzarino, Alison Mork, Jerry Nelson, Carmen Osbahr, Frank Oz, Martin P. Robinson, David Rudman, Steve Whitmire, Bryant Young, Ivy Austin (uncredited)
- International Muppet Performers (uncredited)
- Gilles Ben-David, Geir Børresen, Hanne Dahle, Uta Delbridge, Klaus Esch, Åsmund Huser, Marita Stolze, Sarai Tzuriel
Sources[]
- ↑ O'Connor, John J. (Dec 29, 1993). Review/Television - Monsters and Children Welcome at This Bash. The New York Times.