A Muppet Virtual Playdate

A Muppet Virtual Playdate is a one-hour special that aired on August 10, 2021 on HBO Max, produced by Sesame Workshop in cooperation with Disney and the Jim Henson Company.

Produced during the COVID-19 pandemic, it stars Elmo, who, with help from his dad Louie, creates a large, custom social network that allows him to contact any potential friends from across America. The network works like a charm...perhaps a little too good, as he and his Sesame Street friends begin hooking up with Kermit the Frog and the Muppets, Fraggle Rock, and Bear in the Big Blue House characters. This leads to hilarious and heartwarming moments, including;

Ernie and Fozzie Bear sharing jokes

Zoe and Red Fraggle learning how to give each other virtual hugs

Oscar the Grouch bantering with Statler and Waldorf

Chef Gonger entering a cook-off against the Swedish Chef

Rowlf the Dog and Prairie Dawn having a piano battle

Telly Monster and Wembley Fraggle reacting to a spooky story told by Uncle Deadly

Animal teaching Cookie Monster his drumming style

Gonzo hosting a game of online checkers between Camilla the Chicken and Abby Cadabby

Rosita teaching Miss Piggy how to speak Spanish

Mokey Fraggle reading a poem to Julia

Lefty the Salesman trying to sell Pepe the King Prawn a 12 through Amazon

Kermit the Frog and Gobo Fraggle having a guitar/banjo duet

Big Bird and Bear sharing their favorite memories

Elmo and Walter playing a game of online cards

Grover and Ojo playing pretend

Boober Fraggle and Tutter talking about their biggest fears

Sweetums and Herry Monster lifting weights

Count von Count accepting a challenge to count all the Muppets connected to Kermit's network

An online rendition of "Mahna Mahna"

Sam the Eagle interrupts to give a lecture on online privacy

Baby Sinclair, who apparently survived the dinosaur extinction by overdressing in winter clothes and keeping his hunger satisfied with commercial snack foods with artificial ingredients, sings "I'm the Baby, Gotta Love Me"

Credits
Executive Producers: Brian Henson, Benjamin Lehmann, Jodi Nussbaum, Halle Stanford, John Tartaglia

Produced by Karyn Leibovich, Tim O'Brien, Rita Peruggi, Ken Scarborough

Directed by Bill Barretta, Jason de Villiers, Noel MacNeal, Kirk R. Thatcher, Matt Vogel

Written by Jim Lewis, Ken Scarborough, John Tartaglia

The Muppet Performers

Pam Arciero as Grundgetta, Betty Lou, voice of Alice Snuffleupagus

Jennifer Barnhart as Zoe, Gladys the Cow, Mama Bear, voice of Abby's Mom, voice of Granny Bird

Bill Barretta as Rowlf, The Swedish Chef, Pepe the Prawn, Dr. Teeth, Bobo, Johnny Fiama, Andy Pig, Mahna Mahna, Croaker, Bubba, Howard Tubman, Big Mean Carl

Tau Bennett as Tamir

Warrick Brownlow-Pike as Chef Gonger

Julianne Buescher as Yolanda Rat, Beverly Plume, Jill, Wanda

Tyler Bunch as Elmo's Dad, Treelo, Pop, voice of Rosita's Dad, Benny, Brad, voice of Junior Gorg

Leslie Carrara-Rudolph as Abby, Spamela Hamderson, voice of Rosita's Mom, Clementine, voice of Rose

Kevin Clash as Baby Sinclair

Frankie Cordero as voice of Wembley Fraggle, Bean Bunny, Rudy

Stephanie D'Abruzzo as Prairie Dawn, Little Bird, Curly Bear, voice of Elmo's Mom, voice of Grover's Mom, voice of Cookie Monster's Mom, voice of the Countess

Ryan Dillon as Elmo, Trevor Monster, Lefty the Salesman, Nigel, Don Music, voice of Natasha, voice of Bart, voice of Sprocket, Roosevelt Franklin puppeteer

Alice Dinnean as Cotterpin, Pilgrim

Bradley Freeman Jr. as Wesley

Dave Goelz as The Great Gonzo, Waldorf, voice of Boober Fraggle, Bunsen Honeydew, voice of Travelling Matt, Chip, Randy Pig, Beauregard, Bill, Zoot

Louise Gold as Annie Sue Pig

Stacey Gordon as Julia

Chris Thomas Hayes as Hoots, voice of Roosevelt Franklin, voice of Wes' Dad

Brian Henson as Sal, Seymour, male Siri voice

Eric Jacobson as Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Oscar, Grover, Bert, Animal, Sam Eagle, The Newsman, Guy Smiley, Harvey Kneeslapper, Marvin Suggs, voice of Two-Headed Monster, Snowth

Haley Jenkins as Karli

Vicki Kenderes-Eibner as Ojo

John Kennedy as Mumford, Clifford, Blotch, Arnie, voice of Barkley

Donna Kimball as Mokey Fraggle

Jim Kroupa as Thog

Peter Linz as Ernie, Walter, Statler, Tutter, Robin, Rizzo, Herry, Pip, Joe from Legal, Link Hogthrob, Lips, Foo-Foo, Frazzle, voice of Julia's Dad, Gil, Snowth

Spencer Lott as Samuel

Noel MacNeal as Bear

Carmen Osbahr as Rosita, Ovejita

Megan Piphus as Gabrielle, voice of Segi, voice of Wes' Mom

Karen Prell as Red Fraggle

Martin P. Robinson as Telly, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Slimey, Papa Bear, Irvine, Buster, Carter, Wolfgang, voice of Oscar's Mom, voice of Martian

David Rudman as Cookie Monster, Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Baby Bear, Ernestine, Wayne, voice of Rudy's Dad, voice of Two-Headed Monster, Sully

Colleen Smith as Skeeter

John Tartaglia as Gobo Fraggle, Goggles, Wembley puppeteer, Boober puppeteer, Travelling Matt puppeteer, Segi puppeteer

Matt Vogel as Kermit the Frog, Big Bird, The Count, Uncle Deadly, Floyd Pepper, Sweetums, Camilla, Murray, Mr. Johnson, Biff, Pops, voice of Fozzie's Mom, Forgetful Jones, Simon Soundman, Sherlock Hemlock, Julius Strangepork, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, voice of Martian

Additional Muppet Voices: Grant Baciocco (Podcast Co-Host), Rickey Boyd (Thomas Twiddlebug, Tessie Twiddlebug, Timmy Twiddlebug, Tina Twiddlebug), Lindsey "Z." Briggs (Dalia), Chantyll "Chauncey" Johnson (Segi), Kathleen Kim (voice of Julia's Mom), Chris Knowings (Roosevelt Franklin), Tim Lagasse (Pizza Delivery Man), Bruce Lanoil (Muppaphone), Drew Massey (Muppaphone), Paul McGinnis (Clem), Mike Quinn (Muppaphone), Russ Walko (Podcast Co-Host), Victor Yerrid (Muppaphone)

Additional Muppet Performers: Paul McGinnis, Gene Barretta, Jackson Barretta, Aria Linz, Mica Linz, Adam Rudman, Joey Rudman, Phoebe Rudman, Jack Vogel

Special Thanks: Paul Andrejco, Heather Asch, Lauren Attinello, Greg Ballora, David Barclay, Carol Binion, Ron Binion, Tim Blaney, Cheryl Blaylock, Mary Brehmer, Matt Brooks, Lisa Buckley, Sarah Burgess, Michael Bush, Kevin Carlson, Ed Christie, Ceili Clemens, R. Bruce Connelly, Austin Michael Costello, Melissa Creighton, Gretchen Crookes, Carole Simms D'Agostino, Nathan Danforth, Dorien Davies, Andrea Detwiler, Isabelle Dufour, Ben Durocher, Richard Dyar, Brad Elliott, Victoria Ellis, Artie Esposito, Henri Ewaskio, Edward Eyth, Bob Fappiano, Alex "Jurgen" Ferguson, Mark Gale, Vanessa Gifford Gillis, James Godwin, Jane Gootnick, BJ Guyer, Elizabeth Hara, Paul Hartis, Andy Hayward, Andy Heath, Cheryl Henson, Heather Henson, Lisa Henson, Deborah Hertzberg, Michelle Hickey, Ann Marie Holdgruen, Patrick Johnson, Scott Johnson, Sean Johnson, Jean Marie Keevins, Joe Kovacs, Rollie Krewson, Frank Langley, Michael Latini, Rick Lyon, Peter MacKennan, Lara MacLean, Amanda Maddock, Jim Martin, Joseph Mazzarino, Cathy McCullough, Ted Michaels, Alison Mork, James Murray, Thomas O. Newby, Danielle Obinger, Michael Oosterom, Brett O'Quinn, John Orberg, Anney Fresh Ozar, Constance Peterson, Marc Petrosino, Jane Pien, Kip Rathke, Stephen Rotondaro, Adam Rudman, Paul Rudolph, Paul Rugg, Michael Schupbach, Craig Shemin, Michelan Sisti, David Skelly, Polly Smith, Andrew James Spooner, Neil Sterenberg, Kenny Stevenson, Andy Stone, Richard Termine, Allan Trautman, David Parkinson Valentine, Jason Weber, Stacey Weingarten, Melissa Whitmire, Steve Whitmire, Mak Wilson, James Wojtal, Eric Wright, Julie Zobel, the families and friends of the Muppet performers, and the creative talent, actors and artists at the Jim Henson Company and Puppet Heap.

Muppet Cast

 * Sesame Street Characters (speaking)
 * Elmo, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Count von Count, Ernie, Bert, Cookie Monster, Grover, Herry Monster, Grundgetta, Gonger, Louie, Prairie Dawn, Abby Cadabby, Murray Monster, Two-Headed Monster, Telly Monster, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Zoe, Rosita, Baby Bear, Trevor Monster, The Amazing Mumford, Gladys the Cow, Frazzle, Julia, Karli, Gabrielle, Mr. Johnson, Mae, Hoots the Owl, Betty Lou, Roosevelt Franklin, Ovejita, Lefty the Salesman, Sherlock Hemlock, Wes, Segi, Tamir, Samuel, Little Bird, Guy Smiley, Forgetful Jones, Harvey Kneeslapper, Simon Soundman, Don Music, Benny Rabbit, Rudy, Biff, Sully, The Martians, Slimey, Mama Bear, Papa Bear, Curly Bear, Oscarina Grouch, Baby Natasha, Clementine, The Countess, Buster the Horse, Twiddlebugs, Granny Bird, Rosa, Ricardo, Maggie Cadabby, Freddy, Ernestine, Brad, Bart, Irvine, Clem, Dalia, Daniel, Elena, Elijah, Naomi, Grover's Mommy, Cookie Monster's Mommy, Alice Snuffleupagus, Barkley, Rose, Wolfgang the Seal


 * The Muppets Characters (speaking)
 * Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Camilla the Chicken, Janice, Floyd Pepper, Dr. Teeth, Zoot, Animal, Rowlf the Dog, Scooter, Robin the Frog, Link Hogthrob, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, Crazy Harry, Sam the Eagle, Lew Zealand, The Swedish Chef, Statler and Waldorf, Rizzo the Rat, Uncle Deadly, Sweetums, The Newsman, Mahna Mahna, The Snowths, Clifford, Bean Bunny, Lips, Foo-Foo, Annie Sue, Beauregard, Thog, Pepe the King Prawn, Bobo the Bear, Marvin Suggs, Pops, Johnny Fiama, Sal Minella, Big Mean Carl, Nigel, Chip, Walter, Skeeter, Andy and Randy Pig, Emily Bear, Croaker, Goggles, Yolanda Rat, Wayne and Wanda, Seymour the Elephant, Spamela Hamderson, Bubba the Rat, Howard Tubman, Blotch, Pilgrim, Bill the Frog, Gil, Jill the Frog, Arnie the Alligator, Carter, Joe the Legal Weasel, Beverly Plume, Muppaphone


 * Fraggle Rock Characters (speaking)
 * Gobo Fraggle, Mokey Fraggle, Wembley Fraggle, Red Fraggle, Boober Fraggle, Uncle Travelling Matt, Cotterpin Doozer, Junior Gorg, Sprocket


 * Bear in the Big Blue House Characters (speaking)
 * Bear, Tutter, Ojo, Treelo, Pip and Pop


 * Dinosaurs Character (speaking)
 * Baby Sinclair