A Swingin’ Sesame Street Celebration Digital Album!

Last year's live Sesame Street jazz event "A Swingin’ Sesame Street Celebration" not only premieres on PBS today, but is now available as a digital album as well. 

The official description is below:

Jazz great Wynton Marsalis has been a frequent guest on Sesame Street—and now, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the landmark series, he’s returning the favor. On A Swingin’ Sesame Street Celebration, Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra host the Sesame Street gang in the “House of Swing” for a big band salute to a very special show.

On this digital album, which accompanies the release of a concert film by the same name, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s fresh arrangements of classic Sesame Street songs reveal the timeless appeal of the program’s repertoire. The concert assembles a star-studded lineup of Sesame Street characters—including Elmo, Abby, Big Bird, Bert & Ernie, and many more—to perform beloved earworms like “Rubber Duckie,” “I Don’t Want to Live on the Moon,” and “Elmo’s Song.”
No one is too young or too old to enjoy this hilarious, soulful, and joyous music—so be a part of our neighborhood and celebrate five decades of Sesame Street in swingin’ style.

 A PDF of the album's digital booklet can be found here. 

A Swingin’ Sesame Street Celebration can be downloaded through Amazon, Apple, and many more though Wynton Marsalis' website. 

Stay at "The Witches" Hotel!

In 1990, Jim Henson Productions released a film adaptation of Roald Dahl's The Witches. The Nicolas Roeg directed movies was in mostly filmed at The Headland hotel in Newquay, in Cornwall England. An actual hotel you can actually stay in. 

While the famous ballroom scene was filmed at a studio soundstage, the exterior (renamed the Hotel Excelsior), lobby, hallways, dining areas and other parts of the hotel were used in the film.

Ballroom not included

Rooms 223, 227 and 205 were used for some of the bedroom scenes.

The Headland hotel as looks today:

You can book a stay at the Hotel Excelsior, I mean the Headland here.
(Just beware of the soup!)

The Witches is available on Bluray and DVD from Amazon and is streaming on Netflix. 

Rare Muppet Clips Volume 10!

We're back with another batch of rare Muppet performances. 

Again, we do not own these clips, nor do we make any guarantees to how long they'll be available, so watch them while you can!

The Muppets Go Hollywood The Electric Mayhem  "Can You Picture That" (1979):

If you were lucky to finish The Muppet CD-ROM: Muppets Inside you may have heard  "The Ending Song" (1996):

The Muppet Show LWT syndicated promos (1981):

Sesame Street Live! Commercial's (1980s):

Funniest Joke I Ever Heard Kermit and Miss Piggy (1984):

Kermit and Cookie Monster PBS Promo (1970s):

If you like these be sure to check out parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.

If you find a rare Muppet clip and would like us to share it, please send us a link!

New Disney Parks Fozzie and Gonzo Holiday Pin!

As you know, Disney Parks started releasing their holiday selections. Now they've unveiled a new pin featuring Fozzie and Gonzo.

The pin features Gonzo showing off his new ugly sweater he received from Fozzie.

The pin is $9.99 and is available online at ShopDisney.com

Win The Dark Crystal: Book of Opposites!

Insight Editions is giving away copies of Dark Crystal: Book of Opposites. 

This colorfully illustrated board book will guide children to help Jen, Kira, and their friends learn about opposites by pointing out the differences between the kind Gelflings and the evil Skeksis. Concepts like fast and slow, light and dark, big and small will be revealed through touch and feel elements.

If you'd like to do the opposite of lose here are the rules:

• Comment on this post
• Like this post
• Share this post
• you may also tag a friend, but only if they do the same
• Winner must provide a physical mailing address, no PO Boxes.
• Open to winners in the US and Canada only

Just like in the presidential election, the winner will be selected Nov 3rd. 

This content is sponsored by Insight Edition

Update:

After placing the names of all the people who liked, shared, and commented on the original post on strips of paper in a bowl we have randomly selected our winner...

Ivan Guerreo!

Congratulations Ivan. Please contact us so we can get send you a copy of Dark Crystal: Book of Opposites!

Thanks to everyone else who participated as well. 

The Dark Crystal: Book of Opposites is available now from Insight Editions 

Take A Stroll Down LEGO Ideas Sesame Street!

We first shared Ivan Guerrero's Lego Sesame Street idea way back 2017 and it's finally a reality as today Lego officially announced LEGO Ideas 21324 Sesame Street!

Below are Ivan's , who goes by the builder name "bulldoozer", original concepts for the LEGO Sesame Street playset. 

Ivan attributes Jim Henson and his creations for shaping his creative career in the film industry. You can learn more about Ivan Guerrero in his 10K Club Interview.

While LEGO went with a slimmed down and modern look of the street, and opted for no humans we still delighted to see Ivan's idea come to fruition. 

Ivan's nostalgic and playful concept model was brought to life as an official LEGO Ideas set by LEGO Model Designer Ollie Gregory with graphic design by Crystal Marie Fontan. In addition, the new LEGO moulds for the minifigures were created by Jaime Sanchez, Stewart Whitehead & Ann Chen.

From Bert and Ernie’s apartment to Big Bird’s nest and Hooper's Store, many of our favorite sesame Street locals have been incorporated into this set... even if Ernie and Bert's' apartment isn't in the right place (they live in the basement, not the penthouse).

The Elmo, Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, Bert, Ernie and Big Bird figures were created specifically for this LEGO Ideas set and they represent the first time in LEGO Ideas history that new LEGO elements have been created specifically for one of their sets. 

Once built, the 1,367-piece LEGO 123 Sesame Street measures 9” (24cm) high, 13.5” (35cm) wide and 8.2” (21cm) deep.

Official Product Description:

Sesame Street has been a family-favorite TV show for more than 50 years. Now you can create a colorful, LEGO® brick version of 123 Sesame Street and relive classic scenes with this awesome LEGO Ideas (21324) build-and-display set for adults.

Instantly recognizable details: 
The 123 Sesame Street building features Bert and Ernie’s apartment, Elmo’s bedroom and Bert’s rooftop bird house, and is packed with authentic details and accessories to delight fans. To complete the iconic street corner scene, there is Hooper’s Store, Big Bird’s nest, Oscar the Grouch’s trash can and much more. This set includes Sesame Street character minifigures Elmo, Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, Bert and Ernie, plus a Big Bird figure, to spark imaginative fun.

Hopefully the release of this Sesame Street LEGO set will bring attention to Ivan's other Henson related sets including Labyrinth and The Muppet Show and they'll be made into official LEGO products as well. 

LEGO Ideas 21324 Sesame Street will be available to purchase November 1st from shop.LEGO.com and LEGO stores around the world, for a recommended retail price of US $119.99 – CA $149.99 – DE €119.99 – UK £109.99 – FR €119.99 – DK 1099 DKK (*EURO pricing varies by country. For regional prices please visit shop

"Out of the Shadows: The Henson Festivals and Their Impact on Contemporary Puppet Theater"!

With a foreword by Cheryl Henson, "Out of the Shadows: The Henson Festivals and Their Impact on Contemporary Puppet Theater" is a new coffee table book showcasing the Henson's work with puppet theaters around the world. 

GREENWICH, Conn. PRNewswire - 

What is the first name that comes to mind when you hear the word puppet?

Likely, it is Jim Henson. Many books and thousands of pages have been written about the beloved American icon's life and work. Out of the Shadows is the first to focus solely on his love of, and impact on, puppetry as a vital contemporary art form, an important and previously unexplored aspect of the Henson legacy.

The Jim Henson Foundation's International Puppet Festivals brought puppet theater into mainstream American theater. This year, 2020, marks the 20th Anniversary of the last Henson Festival and the 30th Anniversary of Jim Henson's death. Taking this timely opportunity for reflection and drawing from a wealth of first-hand experience, in Out of the Shadows Asch presents a visually rich narrative of the festivals and their continued legacy, including a comprehensive look at the contemporary puppet theater landscape.

To realize Jim Henson's vision for a puppetry festival in New York, Leslee Asch served as producing director, working with Jim's daughter Cheryl, who served as executive producer, to present five award-winning festivals that would equal European festivals and put U.S. puppet artists on the international stage. Between 1992 and 2000, the Jim Henson Foundation hosted the International Festivals of Puppet Theater in New York City, and developed a national touring program.

"Woyzeck on the Highveld," by Handspring Puppet Company of South Africa.
Directed and with animations by William Kentridge. Photo (c) Ruphin Coudyzer FPPSA

Many prominent New York theaters participated in the festivals, including: The Public Theater, La Mama E.T.C., HERE Arts Center, P.S.122 and The New Victory Theater. The breadth of notable participating artists included Robert LePage, director of Wagner's Ring Cycle at the Metropolitan Opera; Julie Taymor, the creator of Disney's The Lion King; and world-renowned artist William Kentridge, featured in a major MoMA exhibition.

Author Leslee Asch worked for Jim Henson and The Jim Henson Company for over twenty years. She is a recognized expert in the field and has published articles and catalogs on the subject, including The Art of Contemporary Puppet Theater, for the Katonah Museum of Art.

An exceptionally beautiful art/ coffee table book, designed to be cherished by anyone who cares about the visual or performing arts. 

The 248-page book is hardbound with dust jacket, and includes 156 photos (129 color), many full-page.

Available from: InForm Press and Amazon, $45