We have a rare opportunity to see muppets making music this month – and for once it’s not a dodgy performance by the latest EDM flavour of the month or a celebrity DJ-wannabe.
As part of Abu Dhabi Summer Season, the globetrotting Elmo Makes Music tour will stop off in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi to delight and entertain the kids – and grown-ups who never quite grew out of Sesame Street.
Abby Cadabby loves to sing and wants to start a new band on Sesame Street. Join the fun as Abby, Elmo and friends discover "musical instruments" they never knew existed – including pots and spoons, trash-can lids and even cookie jars.
Everyone's favourite furry and feathered TV friends – including Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Bert and Ernie, and the number-loving Count – will be on hand to teach children that it is fun to make and enjoy beautiful music together. There will even be guest appearances from Muppet Show favourites, including the king of them all, Kermit the Frog.
Parent company Sesame Workshop is renowned for its commitment to quality, educational entertainment for kids – reflected in the meticulous planning that has gone into the production of the upcoming revival of the Arabic version of Sesame Street, Iftah Ya Simsim, which was recently filmed in Abu Dhabi and will premiere this year – and this commitment carries over into the live show. Through the razzle-dazzle of the musical fun, which we are assured will be "Broadway-quality", children will learn about patience, acceptance and teamwork.
The universal appeal of Sesame Street continues long after preschool. Adults will appreciate the high-tech stagecraft, clever script and music they will recognise and enjoy sharing with their children, including classics such as The Hustle, You Should Be Dancing and Rockin' Robin.
Elmo Makes Music packs more than 20 songs into its 90-minute running time (complete with a timely interval/bathroom break for youngsters), with rock 'n' roll staples parents will love interspersed with children's classics, including C Is for Cookie and The Alphabet Song.
Elmo himself is no stranger to pop stardom. His duet with Katy Perry, Hot N Cold, has racked up almost 100 million views on YouTube, and his musical segments have been a mainstay of the Sesame Street TV show since its 43rd season in 2012.
Sesame Workshop is a non-profit educational organisation that has grown out of the original show's debut on PBS in the US in 1969. It now produces localised Sesame Street programmes broadcast in more than 140 countries, and other acclaimed shows to help bridge the literacy gap, including The Electric Company.
Outside of television, the workshop also produces content for multiple media platforms on a wide range of issues of interest to children and parents.
The show's best known characters include Big Bird, the subject of a recent, acclaimed documentary, I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story, about the character and the 80-year-old performer, who has been wearing the costume and bringing the character to life since Sesame Street began.
Big Bird also played an unlikely role in the 2012 US presidential elections when his “I like PBS. I love Big Bird” comment sparked a national debate about public funding for broadcasters.
• Elmo Makes Music is at Abu Dhabi’s du Forum from tomorrow through Saturday, and at Al Ain’s Municipality Theatre on August 14 and 15. Visit www.abudhabievents.ae for and tickets for the show and other family events, including Barney the Dinosaur Live
cnewbould@thenational.ae
