Play with Me Sesame

Play with Me Sesame
Genre	Children's television series
Opening theme	"Play with Me Sesame"
Ending theme	"Play with Me Sesame (instrumental)"
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	104
Production
Running time	24 minutes
Production company(s)	Sesame Workshop
Release
Original network	Noggin
Original release	April 1, 2002 – September 2, 2007

Play with Me Sesame is a children's television series, spun off from Sesame Street. It featured Sesame Street characters, such as Bert, Ernie, Grover, and Prairie Dawn. From April 1, 2002 until September 2, 2007, the show was aired on Noggin, which was rebranded as Nick Jr. on September 28, 2009.

The series was produced by Sesame Workshop and Nick-Digital.

Segments

Play with Me Sesame features many different segments, such as:

• Ernie Says: A game similar to "Simon Says," except the title is different. Ernie always manages to annoy Bert in this segment. For example, one time he asked Bert to help him hold an enormous piece of cheese, which he said was an "important part of the game." To Bert's anger, he says that "you can stop playing Ernie Says." He later points out that he just wants to have a snack, as he gets hungry after playing Ernie Says. Another example is Ernie pretending to fall asleep and wake up. Bert thinks he is sleeping, but he wakes up. Unlike Simon Says, where one cannot do something Simon does not say to do, every phrase in Ernie Says begins with "Ernie says...".
• Prairie Dawn's Art Class: A segment where Prairie Dawn showcases drawings made by kids.
• Prairie Dawn's Music Class: Beginning in Season 3, Prairie Dawn would trade her art segment for one oriented around music.
• Kit and Domby's Art Class: A segment aired on Play with Me Sesame UK, where Kit and Domby showcase art that has been sent in.
• Sesame Computer: The gang play games on the computer from their website at Noggin.com, such as "Oatmeal Art," "Pigeon Patterns," "Perfect Pair and "Ducks in a Row".
• Move and Groove with Grover: The child dances along to a video. Grover often interrupts to point out some things and to tell the child more. Other times, he sings basic songs such as "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" or "A Very Simple Dance".
• End Segment: A short and final game of Ernie Says is played. The first statement is usually "Ernie says, say goodbye..." The special circumstance in which the characters say goodbye ties into the theme. For example, Ernie says to say goodbye while wiping windshield wipers in the car-themed episode.

Cast

Muppet performers

• Fran Brill as Prairie Dawn, Betty Lou, and Zoe
• Steve Whitmire as Ernie (Seasons 1/3)
• John Tartaglia as Ernie (Season 2)
• Eric Jacobson as Bert and Grover
• David Rudman as Cookie Monster (Season 2)
• Martin P. Robinson as Telly Monster
• Kevin Clash as Elmo
• Richard Coombs as Domby (United Kingdom)
• Andy Heath as Kit (United Kingdom)

Promotional

The episodes were released onto VHS & DVD on October 7, 2003, by International Video & DVD Entertainment. During November–December 2002, there were eight toys released by Subway, in their Kids Meal Pack.

Credits

Their talking in a circle in Season 1, or square in Season 2/3, appears on Noggin. Ernie tells the viewers to play again soon, Bert tells them to visit them online, Prairie Dawn tells them to send them their drawings to save their background, although she says "Thanks for playing!" in Season 2/3, the kids wave goodbye, and Grover says goodbye to the viewers.

International

Play with Me Sesame UK

In the United Kingdom, Play with Me Sesame aired on Playhouse Disney UK. It showcased old and new Muppet (and sometimes film) clips from Sesame Street, with new linked segments, that featured Bert, Ernie, Grover, and Prairie Dawn. The show also included cameos by Zoe, Cookie Monster, and Ernie's niece Ernestine. The show also featured two British Muppets, Kit and Domby, who live in a castle on top of a hill. They spent most of their time in the castle kitchen, bedroom and living room, which were very similar to Bert and Ernie sketches. Kit had an English accent, whilst Domby had a Scottish accent. They sometimes visited schools and playgroups, to sing or talk with the children.

Ireland

In Ireland, the show aired on TG4, in Irish, as Tar ag Spraoi Sesame.

Asia

When Play with Me Sesame aired on the Hallmark Channel in Asia during October 2003, the Prairie Dawn segments were cut for time.

Denmark

In Denmark, the show was included as its own segment on Sesamgade.

Portugal

In Portugal, the show aired in the block Zig Zag on RTP 2, in Portuguese, as Abre-te Sésamo in 2007.

International broadcast

Country/Region	Channel
United States	Noggin
Southeast Asia	Diva (Asia TV channel) Disney Junior (Asia)
Spain	Disney Channel (Spain)
France	Disney Junior (France)
United Kingdom	Disney Junior (UK & Ireland)
Portugal	RTP 2