The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and Sesame Street to Celebrate Beloved Show's 45th Season with Behind-The-Scenes Exhibition

July 18, 2014 -- Since its debut in 1969, Sesame Street has been helping kids grow smarter, stronger and kinder with its signature blend of animation, music, and humor, and the help of beloved Muppets like Elmo, Grover, Big Bird, Bert and Ernie. To celebrate the groundbreaking show's 45th season airing this fall, Sesame Workshop and The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts will present "Somebody Come and Play": 45 Years of Learning on Sesame Street, a free multimedia exhibition for children and Sesame Street fans of all ages.

"Somebody Come and Play," named after the  classic Sesame Street song, will offer visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the show’s development process creating educational and entertaining content, and an opportunity to get close to the fuzzy and furry friends from everyone's favorite street. The exhibition will feature items from the archives of Sesame Workshop and The Library for the Performing Arts including scripts, storyboards, lead sheets, designs, photographs, animation cels, scores and more. Snuffy and Super Grover will be on display in a child-friendly area where children can enjoy Sesame Street books, games, apps and e-books. Visitors will also learn about Sesame Street international programs and view Muppets from other countries.

In conjunction with the exhibition, The Library for the Performing Arts will present film screenings and public programs on puppeteering, scriptwriting and creating digital media for Sesame Street, and special programming for children and families.

"Somebody Come and Play": 45 Years of Learning on Sesame Street will be on display in the Donald and Mary Oenslager Gallery, Shelby Cullom Davis Museum at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts located in Lincoln Center from September 18, 2014 through January 31, 2015.

"Somebody Come and Play": 45 Years of Learning on Sesame Street was organized by Sesame Workshop and The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Sesame Workshop®, Sesame Street®, and associated characters, trademarks, and design elements are owned and licensed by Sesame Workshop. © 2014 Sesame Workshop. All Rights Reserved. 

Major support for this exhibit provided by the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation. Additional support provided by Barbara G. Fleischman.

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts gratefully acknowledges the leadership support of Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman. Additional support for exhibitions has been provided by Judy R. and Alfred A. Rosenberg and the Miriam and Harold Steinberg Foundation.

PRESS CONTACT

Nora Lyons, The New York Public Library | noralyons [at] nypl.org

About The New York Public Library For The Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts houses one of the world’s most extensive combination of circulating, reference, and rare archival collections in its field. These materials are available free of charge, along with a wide range of special programs, including exhibitions, seminars, and performances. An essential resource for everyone with an interest in the arts — whether professional or amateur — the Library is known particularly for its prodigious collections of non-book materials such as historic recordings, videotapes, autograph manuscripts, correspondence, sheet music, stage designs, press clippings, programs, posters and photographs. The Library is part of The New York Public Library system, which has locations in the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island, and is a lead provider of free education for all. 

About Sesame Workshop

Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street which reaches 156 million children across more than 150 countries. The Workshop’s mission is to use the educational power of media to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. Delivered through a variety of platforms, including television programs, digital experiences, books and community engagement, its research-based programs are tailored to the needs of the communities and countries they serve. For more information, visit us at www.sesameworkshop.org.