PORTLAND — Elmo and his Sesame Street friends will explore Big Bird’s garden to find a new home for Elmo’s sunflower, Sunny, when Sesame Street Live’s “Elmo’s Green Thumb” takes the stage at Cumberland County Civic Center, Dec. 10-13.

Elmo has raised his sunflower, Sunny, from a seed, but his floral friend has outgrown the flower pot. Elmo and friends find Big Bird’s garden the ideal place for Sunny to flourish and grow, but they are too excited to wait. Rather than let Sunny follow nature’s course, Abby Cadabby, Sesame Street’s fairy-in-training, casts a spell to make Sunny grow. The spell does just the opposite and, instead of growing, Elmo and all of his friends shrink.

While Abby searches for just the right words to reverse the spell, Elmo, Zoe, Telly and friends explore Big Bird’s garden from a smaller perspective and learn some big lessons about patience, overcoming their fears and appreciating the role that each creature plays in our ecosystem — from dancing ladybugs and beautiful butterflies to grouchy beetles that scavenge the garden floor.

Performances will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10; at 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11; at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12; and at 1 and 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13.

Tickets are $12, $14 and $18. For more information or to charge tickets, call 775-3458. Tickets may also be purchased through Ticketmaster by calling 800-745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.