LEWISTON – Sunny days are on their way for area families, courtesy of Elmo, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster, Grover and many other Sesame Street favorites.

Sesame Street Live – Super Grover! Ready for Action is coming to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee for three performances March 20-21. The gang of friendly, furry favorites will bring music, dancing and a few lessions for children – in true Sesame Street fashion.

Super Grover! Ready for Action emphasizes the importance of establishing healthy habits at an early age. “This show is one of the newest Sesame Street Live productions. It focuses on healthy habits – like exercise, getting enough sleep and good hygiene,” said Samantha Richman, who plays Elmo on the tour.

These lessons are taught through a story about how Elmo and his friends, “The Fabulous Five,” help Super Grover find his lost superpowers. One of the main lessons the show teaches is the importance of moderation, according to Richman. “Even Cookie Monster is eating more fruits and veggies.”

“But, Cookie Monster will always be Cookie Monster. He’ll always love his cookies, but just not eat as many as he used to before,” she added.

The 90-minute show is jampacked with fun songs and dances for all ages. “Sesame Street Live is a Broadway-style production,” said Richman, who holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in dance from Marymount Manhattan. “The sets, lights, music, dance numbers and costumes are all big.”

Super Grover! Ready for Action includes versions of many familiar songs – from “Sunny Days,” “Old MacDonald” and “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” for children to songs like “Splish Splash” that adults will recognize. “It really is a show that the whole family will enjoy,” said Richman.

The Sesame Street Live tour opened last August in Fargo, N.D., and will make stops in 40 to 50 cities, wrapping up in Canada sometime in June. “It’s great to travel to so many places,” Richman said. “We’re very excited to be coming back to Maine. We were recently in Portland and loved it up there. So, it’s a great that we get to go to Lewiston and return to Maine. Our last time, in Portland, was my first time to Maine, and it was so beautiful. I can’t wait to go back.”

“My favorite part of doing Sesame Street Live is that it’s family theater,” said Richman. “There are a lot more kids seeing this type of show than other musicals, and it’s great to get them out there experiencing theater. I just love seeing the happy kids in the audience, dancing and singing along. It’s the best part of what we do.”

For more information about the show, go online to www.sesamestreetlive.com.

Behind the scenes:

Each tour travels nearly 20,000 miles in a given season.

A typical tour includes 28 people: 17 performers, 8 crew members, a company manager, an assistant company manager and a performance director.

Scenery and costumes for each tour are carried in two 48-foot semi trailers.

When traveling overseas, the equipment arrives via cargo jet in 10 airfreight pallets weighing nearly 40,000 pounds.

The entire show set-up takes about 7 to 8 hours, while the “load out” takes only 3 to 4 hours.

More than 250 lamps are built into the scenery, with about 80 additional stage fixtures lighting the way for the characters.

Big Bird is made from 4,000 custom-dyed turkey feathers. Each feather is handsewn to a piece of yellow organdy fabric before being attached to the costume.

Performers range in height from 4 feet 10 inches to 6 feet 2 inches, and the Sesame Street Live Muppets range in height from 5 feet (Elmo) to 8 feet 2 inches (Big Bird)

Each tour’s wardrobe department does 20-30 loads of laundry a week.

Source: VEE Corp.
Go and do

WHAT: Super Grover! Ready for Action

WHEN: 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 20; 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 21

WHERE: Androscoggin Bank Colisse

TICKETS: $11, $13 and $17. A limited number of $24 Super Circle seats are also available. A facility fee of $1 will be added to all ticket prices. To charge tickets by phone, call 877-GO-TIX-GO. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.thecolisee.com.

MORE INFO: Call the box office at 783-2009.