Sesame Street Presents: A Christmas Carol

Sesame Street Presents: A Christmas Carol is a Sesame Street Christmas special which aired on PBS on November 25, 2020. As the title implies, it is an adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, with the story's characters portrayed by the Muppets of Sesame Street, led by Oscar the Grouch as Ebenezer Scrooge, and Elmo as Tiny Tim. As such, it is portrayed in a nature darker than most Sesame Street productions, containing some scenes too scary for children under 7, and multiple references to death (as in the original book).

The puppet used for Oscar as Scrooge in this special was built by The Jim Henson Company's L.A. Creature Shop, based on the design of the current Oscar puppet. The puppet is built with a lighter shade of green fur than the regular puppet, a magenta tongue, a darker brown brow, and has radio-controlled eyes (operated by two extra puppeteers). Eric Jacobson (who performed the Grouch's head, mouth, voice and left hand) was assisted in performing Oscar on-set by Jim Henson Company puppeteers Colleen Smith (performing his right hand and lead puppetry whenever Jacobson performed another character), Grant Baciocco, Russ Walko (operating his eye controls), Donna Kimball (right-handing Smith), Dorien Davies, and Rachel Herrick (controlling his legs in scenes where his full body is shown).

Moishe Oofnik as Marley's Ghost was also an elaborate puppet. Tyler Bunch served as Oofnik's main puppeteer, performing his head, mouth (lip-syncing to a vocal track by Gilles Ben-David) and left hand, assisted by ventriloquist Darci Lynne (his right hand), puppeteers John Kennedy, BJ Guyer (his mechanised eyes), and David Quesal (his legs).

Plot
The special begins with a powerful blizzard on Sesame Street. Elmo and his friends, safe and warm inside Elmo's apartment, decide to listen to a Christmas story. Trevor Monster, after passing on 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, picks up A Christmas Carol, a story he praises as "a timeless holiday classic." After everyone is settled down, Trevor turns to the first page.

Trevor begins reading the story as we travel to mid-19th century London. We are introduced to miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, who bitterly walks to his rundown accounting firm, Scrooge & Marley. The only other employee at his firm is his neglected clerk, Bob Cratchit, who is given the unenviable task of paying Scrooge's taxes. Scrooge's nephew, jolly and optimistic Fred, asks him to come over for Christmas dinner. He refuses, still bitter over Fred getting married and asking why he still celebrates a merry Christmas in spite of being poor, to which Fred asks why so Scrooge is so grouchy in spite of his wealth. Fred then gives a rousing speech about still wishing to celebrate the holidays even though he receives little to no pay, to which Scrooge sarcastically asks why Fred doesn't pursue a political career. After Fred exits, two charity collectors arrive to ask for a donation from Scrooge to help children in need of a home and food. Scrooge refuses, certain they'll be taken in by prisons and workhouses, both of which are still in business. When the collectors try to tell Scrooge that many children would rather die instead, Scrooge snaps at them, "Then they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population!" The mortified gentlemen leave, past a young caroler outside Scrooge's door. An annoyed Scrooge asks Cratchit if he wants Christmas Day off, calling the holiday "a poor excuse for picking a man's pocket every 25th of December." The latter tells him it's only once a year, and Scrooge relents, but tells the clerk to arrive early the next morning. As Scrooge returns home, he grumpily observes townspeople acting merrily and playing; Scrooge even ruins the fun for some people ("I Hate Christmas").

Finally, the miser reaches his house, but as he walks up the stairs and reaches for his door knocker, it morphs into the face of Scrooge's deceased partner, Jacob Marley ("dead as a doornail" for seven years), which scares Scrooge into falling down the stairs. Giving an indignant "Humbug", Scrooge enters his house, and walks to his room, where he eats tuna and gherkin porridge by an open fire. Suddenly, bells all over his room begin to ring on their own, much to Scrooge's horror. Before Scrooge can come to his senses, lockboxes wrapped in chains mysteriously appear in the room, and before Scrooge appears the ghost of Jacob Marley himself, who wants "much" with Scrooge. Marley explains to a disbelieving Scrooge that for seven years since his passing, he has been doomed for all eternity to walk the Earth, fettered in the chains he forged in life through his greed, and too late to make amends and help those he chose to ignore, while also reminding Scrooge that his chain is even heavier and longer than Marley's. Scrooge laments that Marley always was a "good man of business," to which the latter exclaims that "the common welfare" was his "business". Marley finally gets to the point; he warns Scrooge that he has one chance to avoid Marley's fate, with the help of three spirits. The first, says Marley, will arrive when the bell tolls one; the second will appear at the same hour the night after; and the third at the last stroke of twelve. With this, Marley disappears through Scrooge's window, directing his attention to other Grouch businessmen suffering similarly to Marley, trying to help homeless families but having lost that power forever. The horrified Scrooge hops back into bed.

Soon, Big Ben strikes one, and as promised, a fairy-like figure appears before Scrooge. She is revealed to be the Ghost of Christmas Past, the first of three sent to help Scrooge reform. Scrooge holds Past's hand and is sent flying above London. The first location Scrooge revisits is the boarding school to which he was sent to by his neglectful father, where the only parental figure he had was his schoolmaster. Suddenly, a woman named Fan (Fred's mother) arrives to pick up Young Scrooge for the holidays. Scrooge reveals that Fan died giving birth to Fred.

Next, Scrooge arrives at the office of Mr. Fezziwig, his former boss, a jolly figure who loved throwing parties, especially around Christmas. Scrooge reveals that one of his ballroom dance parties was where he met a beautiful (for a Grouch) woman named Belle, and the two fell in love. He also spots a younger Jacob Marley and a waiter who looks exactly like Fred (both characters are played by Grover).

Next, Scrooge revisits the day he and Belle had an argument, with Belle convinced that Young Scrooge loves money more than he loves her. As Scrooge tries to explain himself, Belle decides that she'd be better off if she left Scrooge, so she does, as Young Scrooge begs her tearfully to come back. Scrooge reveals that it got worse; the man Belle decided to marry instead was his old friend Dick Wilkins (another employee of Mr. Fezziwig); the two settled down and started a family together. Overcome with envy, wrath, and lust, Young Scrooge decided to find Belle's new residence and murder Dick Wilkins by gunning him in the back in the hopes that she would finally believe him about his love for her (on the Christmas Eve that Jacob Marley died), much to Past's horror. Overcome with guilt and despair for the pain and suffering he brought upon Belle's family, Scrooge asks the ghost if she thinks he still deserves redemption, to which she gives no answer. When Scrooge asks the ghost to return him home, she torments Scrooge with the faces of people from his past until he forcefully destroys her with her cone-shaped hat.

Scrooge returns to his room. Just as he becomes certain that the ordeal is over, the clock strikes one again. This time, Scrooge encounters a vampire-esque figure in Father Christmas clothing in a neighboring room, sitting atop a mountain of food, who introduces himself as the Ghost of Christmas Present. Scrooge, having finished his encounter with Past, is ready for Present's company. Scrooge is sent flying above London again, this time coming across bakeries (Scrooge wonders why they close every seventh day if more children are growing hungry), coal mines, and a banquet hall before arriving at Fred's house. His guests are playing a guessing game where the answer is Scrooge, much to his anger and dismay. Fred laments Scrooge not accepting his invitation, but still remains good-hearted about it; Scrooge is the only one missing Christmas dinner.

Scrooge then arrives at the home of his clerk, Bob Cratchit. Due to his being underpaid, his family has a small but satisfying Christmas dinner. After discussing their affairs, the family says their prayers over their meal, ending with Bob's youngest son, crippled but energetic Tiny Tim, exclaiming "God bless us, everyone!" Scrooge, charmed by the boy, asks Present if he will be OK. The ghost is not optimistic, telling Scrooge that if he doesn't reform and change the future, Tim will die. A terrified Scrooge pleads with Present to say that Tim will live, to which the ghost replies, "Why? If he's gonna die, he'd better do it, and decrease the surplus population," echoing Scrooge's own words. It's implied that those words shook Present to his core, as he rhetorically asks Scrooge if he thinks he can choose who lives or dies, before calling him "worthless [and] less morally fit to live than millions" like Tiny Tim, perhaps a callback to Scrooge's murder of Dick Wilkins.

Scrooge and the ghost travel to a large church (with a large clock adorning its walls), where Present reveals that his time is nearly gone. Scrooge then notices a foot protruding from the ghost's robe. Present lifts it to reveal two grungy Anything Muppet kids clinging to him. Scrooge asks if the children are his. "They are Man's," says the ghost, who introduces them as Ignorance (the boy) and Want (the girl). Scrooge must beware them, for they will bring doom upon anyone who ignores their existence. As the clock begins striking twelve, Scrooge asks the ghost if they have any refuge or resource, to which Present menacingly replies, "Are there no prisons?! Are there no workhouses?!" once again haunting Scrooge with his own words. By the eleventh stroke, Present has disintegrated into dust.

At last, the clock strikes midnight, and Scrooge anticipates the arrival of ghost #3. However, he doesn't appear immediately. Disappointed, Scrooge leaves the church and walks through town. Suddenly, a large shadow casts over Scrooge, who fearfully turns around to see a tall, faceless, silent, black-hooded figure with a protruding, pale arm; Scrooge correctly presumes this is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Intimidated by him the most, but knowing he will greatly benefit from the ghost's actions, Scrooge prepares for his final journey. The ghost waits until Scrooge grows impatient to bring him to the future.

Scrooge first sees four businessmen discussing the death of an unknown man and lamenting that he will be a cheap funeral. One of the men reveals he wouldn't mind attending...if lunch is provided. As they leave, Yet to Come directs Scrooge to an old collector named Old Joe, being sold many of Scrooge's possessions by a funerary undertaker, a laundress, and his charwoman Mrs. Dilber, in spite of Scrooge's protests. Scrooge, infuriated that no one seems to care about this man, asks the ghost to show emotion connected with his death. Yet to Come complies, showing Scrooge a couple celebrating that the man is dead; he was apparently their landlord, so now, they can find one to better help them financially.

Scrooge, now more annoyed than ever, demands the ghost show him negative reaction to any death. The ghost responds by returning him to the Cratchit household, where the family is mourning the loss of Tiny Tim, who had, indeed, died of his illness. Bob Cratchit is the most affected by this, having the closest emotional bond with Tim, but nevertheless bravely leads the family prayers over the dinner table. Upon seeing Tim's crutch and hat near their fireplace, the shocked and heartbroken Scrooge moves away from the house and cries out, "What have I done?!" before breaking down in tears. As he does, he sees Fred enter the house, and offer to help the Cratchit family through their troubling loss. This bothers Scrooge even further, now certain it's too late for him to ever change for the better.

Yet to Come next shows Scrooge a candle-lit room with the shadow of a dead body on a bed, under a blanket, cast on one of its walls, all underscored by ominous spiritual chant music ("Oh cold, cold, rigid, dreadful Death, set up thine afar here [...] And see his good deeds springing from the wound, to sow it with life immortal!" translated to Latin). As the ghost leads Scrooge down the hallway away from the room, Scrooge, sensing that Yet to Come will leave soon, asks him who was the dead man they had just seen.

The ghost answers by transporting Scrooge to a dark cemetery amid a blizzard and a thunderstorm, and pointing at a frozen tombstone. Before Scrooge takes a look at it, he asks, "Are these the shadows of things that will be, or the shadows of things that may be?", sure that if he can change for the better, so will the future. The ghost blows ice off the tombstone, revealing Scrooge's name, February birth date, and Christmas Day death date. Scrooge, realizing that he is the man who lay upon the bed, tries to escape the cemetery, but gets dragged into a grave by snowy quicksand. Scrooge cries out for Yet to Come to save him. His once bitter and merciless attitude shattered beyond repair, and on the verge of tears, Scrooge promises to become a better man and keep Christmas in his heart all year long, never to ignore the lessons of the past, present or future, before begging the ghost to tell him he can "sponge away the writing on that stone!" Suddenly, a coffin opens and releases long, heavy chains that wrap around Scrooge. Now completely terrified, Scrooge pleads for mercy from Yet to Come, who simply allows the chains to drag Scrooge into the coffin, as he screams an elongated "NNNOOOOOOOOO!" Yet to Come dissipates into thin air.

Scrooge finally finds himself back in his bedroom. Though happy he's still alive after all this, he begins to worry that he missed Christmas.

Cast
Oscar the Grouch (Eric Jacobson) as Ebenezer Scrooge

Elmo (Ryan Dillon) as Tiny Tim

Elmo's Dad (Bill Barretta) as Bob Cratchit

Grover (Eric Jacobson) as Nephew Fred/Christmas Party Waiter

Moishe Oofnik (puppeteered by Tyler Bunch, voiced by Gilles Ben-David) as Jacob Marley

Grundgetta (Pam Arciero) as Belle

Abby Cadabby (Leslie Carrara-Rudolph) as the Ghost of Christmas Past

Count Von Count (Matt Vogel) as the Ghost of Christmas Present

Trevor Monster (puppeteered by Karen Prell, voiced by Mark Hamill) as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

Ernie (Peter Linz) as Mr. Fezziwig

Elmo's Mom (Stephanie D'Abruzzo) as Mrs. Cratchit

Baby Bear (David Rudman) as Peter Cratchit

Betty Lou (Pam Arciero) as Belinda Cratchit

Zoe (Jennifer Barnhart) as Martha Cratchit

Rosita (Carmen Osbahr) as Mrs. Dilber

Big Bird (puppeteered by Noel MacNeal, voiced by Matt Vogel) as Scrooge's Schoolmaster

Julia (Stacey Gordon) as Fan

Prairie Dawn (Stephanie D'Abruzzo) as Mrs. Fezziwig

Bert (Eric Jacobson) as Dick Wilkins

Slimey (puppeteered by Martin P. Robinson, voiced by Dick Maitland) as Boy with Sled

Mr. Snuffleupagus (Martin P. Robinson) as Old Joe

Rudy (Frankie Cordero) as Topper

Cookie Monster (David Rudman) as Charity Collector #1

Gonger (puppeteered by John Tartaglia, voiced by Warrick Brownlow-Pike) as Charity Collector #2

Herry Monster (Peter Linz) as Gentleman #1

Telly Monster (Martin P. Robinson) as Gentleman #2

Murray Monster (Matt Vogel) as Gentleman #3

Baby Natasha (Ryan Dillon) as Caroline

Ingrid (John Tartaglia) as Caroline's Mom

Humphrey (David Rudman) as Caroline's Dad

Benny Rabbit (Tyler Bunch) as Man Carrying Turkey

Little Bird (Stephanie D'Abruzzo) as Parrot

Ovejita (Carmen Osbahr) as Undertaker

Mr. Johnson (Matt Vogel) as Party Customer

Two-Headed Monster (Eric Jacobson and David Rudman) as Carriage Driver

Lefty the Salesman (Ryan Dillon) as Himself

Roosevelt Franklin (puppeteered by Ryan Dillon, voiced by Chris Knowings) as Caroling Boy

Barkley (Bruce Connelly) as Stray Dog

Kermit the Frog (Matt Vogel) as Himself

Miss Piggy (Eric Jacobson) as Herself

Bear (Noel MacNeal) as Himself

Gobo Fraggle (John Tartaglia) as Himself

Red Fraggle (Karen Prell) as Herself

Wembley Fraggle (Frankie Cordero) as Himself

Mokey Fraggle (Kathryn Mullen) as Herself

Boober Fraggle (Dave Goelz) as Himself

Uncle Travelling Matt (Dave Goelz) as Himself

Additional Performers: Brad Abrell, Rachel Appelbaum, Anthony Asbury, Heather Asch, Steve Axtell, Grant Baciocco (Oscar Assistant Puppeteer), Greg Ballora, David Barclay, Billy Barkhurst, Lawrence Basgall, Jake Bazel, Nate Begle, Tau Bennett, Carol Binion, Ronald Binion, Tim Blaney, Cheryl Blaylock, Rickey Boyd, Lindsey Z. Briggs, Lee Bryan, Lisa Buckley, Julianne Buescher, Kevin Carlson, Raymond Carr, Brian Carson, Charles Chiodo, Edward Chiodo, Stephen Chiodo, Ceili Clemens, Josh Cohen, Austin Michael Costello, Melissa Creighton, Carole D'Agostino, Dorien Davies (Oscar Assistant Puppeteer), Alice Dinnean, Jamie Donmoyer, Ben Durocher, Vicki Kenderes Eibner, Jodi Eichelberger, Artie Esposito, Darci Lynne Farmer (Oofnik Assistant Puppeteer), David Matthew Feldman, Roberto Ferreira, David Fino, Tom Fisher, Galen Fott, Mark Gale, Aymee Garcia, Rob Gardner, Cameron Garrity (Abby Assistant Puppeteer), Noah Ginex, James Godwin, Louise Gold (Trevor Assistant Puppeteer), Jerome Green, Alex U. Griffin, BJ Guyer (Oofnik Assistant Puppeteer), Elizabeth Hara, Terri Hardin, David Liebe Hart, Christopher Thomas Hayes, Andy Hayward, Rachel Herrick (Oscar Assistant Puppeteer), Joshua Holden, Patrick Holmes, David Hosay, Bill Remington Hubner, Dave Hulteen Jr., Haley Jenkins, Patrick Johnson (Count Assistant Puppeteer), Scott Johnson, Sean Johnson (Count Assistant Puppeteer), Avery Lee Jones, Ulysses Jones, David Jordan, Nameer El Kadi, Francis Kane, Kate Katz, James Kemp, John Kennedy (Oofnik Assistant Puppeteer), Kathleen Kim, Donna Kimball (Oscar Assistant Puppeteer), Doug Kincaid, Joe Kovacs, Mary Robinette Kowal, Adam Kreutinger (Abby Assistant Puppeteer), Jim Kroupa, Tim Lagasse, Scott Land, Tiffany Lange, Bruce Lanoil, Michael Latini, Jayden Libran, Michael Lisa, Weston Chandler Long, Spencer Lott, Rick Lyon, Lara MacLean, Amanda Maddock, Greg Manion, Alexander Mantia, Boitumelo Betty Maretele, Olga Felgemacher Marin, Jim Martin, Drew Massey, Ed May, Cathy McCullough, Paul McGinnis, Jess McKay, Megan McNerney, Andrew Moriarty, Alison Mork, Kathryn Mullen (Gonger Puppeteer), Paul Louis Muller, Jason Murphy, James Murray, Jim Napolitano, Russell Nauman, Brett O'Quinn, Cynthia Von Orthal, Anney Fresh McKilligan Ozar, Adam Pagdon, Christine Papalexis, Annie Peterle, Marc Petrosino, David Quesal (Oofnik Assistant Puppeteer), Mike Quinn (Trevor Assistant Puppeteer), Abby Roderick, Tim Rose, Joey Rudman, Benjamin Schrader, Michael Schupbach, Michael Schwabe, Tracie Mick Shoemaker, Michelan Sisti, David Skelly, Colleen Smith (Oscar Assistant/Understudy Lead Puppeteer), Jeff Speetjens, Thom Stanley, David Stephens, Neil Sterenberg, Kenny Stevenson, Andy Stone, Norman Tempia, Allan Trautman, Steve Troop, Gabriel Velez, Russ Walko (Oscar Assistant Puppeteer), Robin Walsh, Justin Walters, Steven Widerman, Susan Widerman, Mark Bryan Wilson, James Wojtal, Chase Woolner, Eric Wright, Evy Wright, Matt "Lucky" Yates, Victor Yerrid, Bryant Young (Snuffy Assistant Puppeteer), Connor Asher, Phil Baron, Gene Barretta, David Bizzaro, Mary Brehmer, Jeffrey Breslauer, Matt Brooks, Kristin Charney, Neil Cicierega, Brian Clark, Lisa Consolo, Nathan Danforth, Paul Vincent Davis, Emily DeCola, Bill Diamond, Maxwell Dowie, Tommy Duren, Peggy Etra, Bob Fappiano, Genevieve Flati, Thom Fountain, Dan Garza, Sam Koji Hale, Brian Jones, Andy Rocco Kraft, Matthew Lavin, Mindy Escobar-Leanse, Todd Gerson Levin, Len Levitt, Jon Ludwig, Karen Maruyama, Ted Michaels, Danny Montooth, Kevin Noonchester, Eric Novak, Sarah Oh, Michael Oosterom, Chris Palmieri, Ian Petrella, Felix Pire, Jared Ramirez, Steven Ritz-Barr, Bart P. Roccoberton Jr., Melissa Roja, Misty Rosas, Phoebe Rudman, Carla Rudy, Paul Rugg, Nicolette Santino, Joe Selph, Pam Severns, Benjamin Siemon, James Silson, Scott Silson, Jessica Simon, Trey Stokes, David Strassman, Lisa Sturz, Ian Sweetman, Blair Thomas, Winston Tong, Basil Twist, Tony Urbano, Art Vega, Jack Venturo, Alex Villa, Daniel Weissbrodt, Wayne White, Vanessa Whitney, Scott Woodard, Paul Zaloom

The Baker (Voice) by Jim Henson

The Mad Painter (Voice) by Paul Benedict

Crew
Executive Producer: Benjamin Lehmann

Produced by Ken Scarborough

Screenplay by Christine Ferraro

Based on the book by Charles Dickens

Directed by Jack Jameson

Puppeteer Consultants: Fran Brill, Kevin Clash, Brian Henson, Steve Whitmire

Music by Hans Zimmer

"Keep Christmas with You (All Through the Year)" and "I Hate Christmas": music by Sam Pottle, lyrics by David Axlerod

Puppet Captain: Matt Vogel

Puppet Design Consultant: Ed Christie

Puppets, Costumes & Props by The Jim Henson Company NY Creature Shop: Paul Andrejco, Heather Asch, Lauren Attinello, Carol Binion, Ronald Binion, David Bizzaro, Erin Slattery Black, Cheryl Blaylock, Mary Brehmer, Matthew Brennan, Matt Brooks, Lisa Buckley, Michael Bush, Brian Carson, Ceili Clemens, Frankie Cordero, Melissa Creighton, Carole D'Agostino, Andrea Detwiler, Isabelle Dufour, Ben Durocher, Richard Dyar, Victoria Ellis, Henri Ewaskio, Ed Eyth, Bob Fappiano, Alex "Jurgen" Ferguson, Bob Flanagan, Rob Gardner, Joel Gennari, Vanessa Gifford Gillis, James Godwin, Muriel Stockdale Grabe, Brian Haimes, Tyler Hall, Elizabeth Hara, Paul Hartis, Deb Hertzberg, Michelle Hickey, Joshua Holden, Ann Marie Holdgruen, J. Douglas James, Ulysses Jones, Jean Marie Keevins, Joe Kovacs, Rollie Krewson, Jim Kroupa, Sarah Lafferty, Tim Lagasse, Kari Love, Peter MacKennan, Lara MacLean, Amanda Maddock, Laura Manns, Cathy McCullough, Tom McLaughlin, Megan McNerney, Casey Miller, Thomas O. Newby, Colette Nickola, Danielle Obinger, John Orberg, Anney Fresh McKilligan Ozar, Constance Peterson, Jane Pien, Lily Rosen, Stephen Rotondaro, Kate Rusek, Sierra Schoening, Michael Schupbach, Jessica Simon, Polly Smith, Keely Snook, David Valentine, Jason Weber, Stacey Weingarten, Julie Wigg, Matt Withiam, James Wojtal

Production (Jim Henson): Gabriella Degennaro, Jonathan Ehrich, Carolyn Fanelli, Joseph Roddy, Jason Seck

Oscar/Scrooge Puppets & Costumes by The Jim Henson Company LA Creature Shop

Visual Effects & Animation by Industrial Light & Magic, a division of Lucasfilm Ltd.