Peter Röders poses smiling next to the large, light brown doll of the “Sesame Street” bear Samson. For six years he played the shaggy animal that towers over him. “You have to be heat-resistant and not afraid of sweat,” the 77-year-old explained his role as a puppeteer and the first Samson actor at a press conference in the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Hamburg on Friday.
The anniversary exhibition “Sesame Street. 50 Years of Who, How, What!” is on view there until January 7, 2024. to see, which, in addition to 16 original dolls, also focuses on the production of the cult children’s show.
The exhibition, which was created in cooperation with the NDR, tries to present everyone involved in the German broadcast, says the museum director Tulga Beyerle. She explains how a format like “Sesame Street” is created: “Who does it? Who designs it?” and “who are the people behind the costumes, the puppets, the sets?”. According to the director, the special exhibition is not just for children, but for everyone.
According to the museum, there are more original “Sesame Street” dolls than ever before in Germany. In addition to Ernie, Bert and Co., numerous colorful costumes, scenery and props can be seen in a total of nine exhibition areas. For the ears there are recordings with the original voices of the characters. In addition, a separate area is dedicated to the backgrounds of Sesame Street catchy tunes like “Der, die, das”. There are also various interactive stations – such as a doll building station for children or a music tent for singing and dancing.
The show started on US television in 1969 under the original title “Sesame Street” and was also broadcast in Germany in 1972 in the original language. On January 8, 1973, the series ran for the first time as a dubbed version with German voices. It is co-produced in Germany by Sesame Workshop, a non-profit media and education organization, and Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR).
The European Managing Director of Sesame Workshop, Stefan Kastenmüller, emphasized on Friday that the values conveyed by the show have become more relevant over the past 50 years. In 1969, “Sesame Street” in the United States was the first show with black players and musicians. “Today, diversity, anti-racism and inclusion are taken for granted,” says Kastenmüller.
