The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special is a Sesame Street television special produced for Sesame Workshop's Coming Together initiative. It was released on HBO Max and broadcast on PBS Kids on October 15, 2020.
The special features Muppet characters Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Gabrielle, her cousin Tamir, humans Alan, Charlie, and Gordon, plus special guests Yara Shahidi, Christopher Jackson, and Andra Day. The special also features three original songs, "How Do You Know?", "Here's What We Can Do," and "Listen, Act, Unite!" (the latter written and performed by Jackson with Day).
Cast[]
- Muppet Characters
- Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Gabrielle, Tamir, Louie, Rosita, Oscar the Grouch, Anything Muppets, AM Monster, Square, Letter U
- Sesame Street Muppet Performers
- Tau Bennett, Tyler Bunch, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, Ryan Dillon, Chris Thomas Hayes, Eric Jacobson, Megan Piphus, Carmen Osbahr
- Cast
- Alan Muraoka (Alan)
- Roscoe Orman (Gordon)
- Violet Tinnirello (Charlie)
- Special Guest Stars
- Andra Day
- Christopher Jackson
- Yara Shahidi
- Animation Voice Over
- Chris Knowings
Credits[]
- Executive Producer: Benjamin Lehmann
- Producers: Michael Cargill, Ken Scarborough
- Consulting Producer: Geri Cole
- Co-Producer: Matt Vogel
- Content Producer: Autumn Zitani Stefano, M.A.
- Coordinating Producer: Mindy Fila
- Senior Producers: Karyn Leibovich, Stephanie Longardo
- Directed by Alan Muraoka, Chuck Vinson
- Written by Geri Cole
- Upstander Animation Written by Sarah Jackson
- Puppet Captain: Matt Vogel
- Senior Vice President of Curriculum & Content: Rosemarie T. Truglio, Ph.D.
- Senior Vice President, U.S. Social Impact: Jeanette Betancourt, Ed. D.
- Henson Production: Melissa Creighton, Joseph Roddy, Carolyn Fanelli
- Music Director: Bill Sherman
- Music Director (Arrangements and Orchestrations): Joe Fiedler
- Music Editors: Tyler Hartman, Paul Rudolph
- Music Director (Vocals): Paul Rudolph
- Music Coordinator: Tyler Hartman
- Audio Editor: Paul Rudolph
- Music by Joe Fiedler, Christopher Jackson, Bill Sherman
- Lyrics by Utkarsh Ambudkar ("How Do You Know"), James Monroe Iglehart ("Here's What We Can Do"), Christopher Jackson ("Listen Act Unite")
- Script Supervisor: Jennifer Capra
- Special Thanks to: Saxton Moore Productions, Lion Forge Animation, Taska Carrigan, Erica Carter, Holly Collinworth, Jennifer Demczar, Dr. Derrick Gay, Jason Pattan, NurseCorps
- The Jim Henson Company NY Creature Shop: Nicolina Dante, Rollie Krewson, Lara MacLean, Laura Manns, Constance Peterson, Kate Rusek, Sierra Schoening, David Valentine, Jason Weber, Stacey Weingarten
Awards[]
In 2021, the special received awards for "Outstanding Children's Program" in the Producers Guild Awards, and "Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special" (for writer Geri Cole) in the NAACP Image Awards.[1] The special also won two Daytime Emmy Awards.