Sesame Street Live facts for kids

Sesame Street Live is an exciting live show that travels around, bringing your favorite Sesame Street characters to life! It's based on the popular children's TV show and is currently produced by Roundroom Live, with permission from Sesame Workshop.

The Story of Sesame Street Live

How It All Began

The idea for Sesame Street Live started in March 1980. A person named Vincent Egan created a company called VEE Corporation. He wanted to make a live show with characters from Sesame Street. Vincent Egan had previously worked on the Ice Follies tour, which sometimes featured Muppets.

Egan talked to Jim Henson's company and Children's Television Workshop. They were very interested in his idea. With some money from others, VEE Corporation was able to get the rights to use the famous Sesame Street characters.

First Shows and Early Success

The very first Sesame Street Live show opened in September 1980. It was held at the Metropolitan Sports Center in Bloomington, Minnesota. The show was a big hit for five days!

However, the next few shows in other cities didn't do as well. Vincent Egan realized that the advertisements might have been confusing people. They didn't clearly explain what kind of show it was. So, he changed the script and how the show was advertised. He also asked his lenders to wait for their payments.

That Christmas, the show played for four weeks in New York City. It was at Madison Square Garden's Felt Forum, which holds 4,000 people. About 100,000 people came to see the show! This huge success helped Sesame Street Live become very popular.

Growing the Show

After its big success, VEE Corporation quickly grew. By the 1981–1982 season, they had two different Sesame Street Live shows touring. They even added a third show that toured in Australia in 1982–1983. From 1983 to 1989, there were usually two Sesame Street Live shows on tour at the same time.

New Companies Take Over

Over the years, different companies have produced Sesame Street Live.

• On April 1, 2015, a company called Blue Star Media, LLC bought VEE Corporation. Later that year, the combined company changed its name to VStar Entertainment Group. Vincent Egan stayed on as an advisor.
• In November 2016, Sesame Workshop announced a new agreement. Feld Entertainment would take over producing Sesame Street Live shows. VStar Entertainment Group still creates other Sesame Street shows in different places. They also provide the costumes for the characters.
• As of spring 2024, Roundroom Live is the company that produces Sesame Street Live.

Different Shows and Stories

To keep the show exciting for audiences, new stories are created often. This means that even if Sesame Street Live visits the same city every year, you might see a different adventure! Because children grow up, shows are sometimes taken out of the tour for a few years. Then, they might come back with some changes.

Here are some of the different Sesame Street Live shows that have toured over the years:

Shows by VEE Corporation (1980–2015)

• Missing Bird Mystery (1980-1982)
• Super Spectacular Totally Amateur Show (1981-1983)
• Sesame Jamboree (1982-1984)
• Around the World (1983-1985)
• Save Our Street (1985-1987)
• Big Bird Goes to Hollywood (1986–87, 1988–1989)
• Big Bird and the ABCs (1987-1992)
• Silly Dancing (1989-1991)
• Sleeping Birdie (1990-1992)
• Let's Play School (1991-1992, 1995–1996)
• Where's the Birdie? (1992-1993, 1994–1995)
• Let's Be Friends (1994-1995)
• 1-2-3...Imagine! (1996-1997)
• Imagine... Ernie is King (1996-1997)
• Big Bird's Sunny Day Camp Out (2000)
• Out of this World (2003-2005)
• Elmo's Coloring Book (2005)
• Super Grover Ready for Action (2005-2006)
• Elmo's Green Thumb (2008-2009)
• 1-2-3 Imagine! with Elmo & Friends (2009)
• Can’t Stop Singing (2013)

Shows by VStar Entertainment Group (2015–July 2017)

• Elmo Makes Music (2016)
• Let's Dance! (2014–2016)
• Make a New Friend! (2014–2017)
• VStar also produces shows for specific locations like:
  • Beaches Resorts
  • SeaWorld theme parks
  • Sesame Place theme park

Shows by Feld Entertainment (July 2017–2023)

• Let’s Party! (October 2017—2023)
• Make Your Magic (October 2018—2023)
• C is for Celebration

Shows by Roundroom Live (Spring 2024–Present)

• Say Hello (Spring 2024)

Images for kids

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  The show When I Grow Up is performed daily at the Pantages Hollywood Theater in Universal Studios Singapore.

See also

• Influence of Sesame Street