Elmo's Musical Adventure: Peter and the Wolf

Peter and the Wolf (marketed as Elmo's Musical Adventure: The Story of Peter and the Wolf) is a 2001 Sesame Street adaptation of the musical story "Peter and the Wolf" by Sergei Prokofiev. The narrative uses Prokofiev's original score, as performed by the Boston Pops Orchestra.
The Peter and the Wolf sequences were incorporated into the cast's performance on Evening at Pops prior to the home video release.
==Synopsis==
Elmo (on the violin), Big Bird (drums), Telly (tuba) and Zoe (piano) have started their own band. Baby Bear listens in, but they can't seem to figure out what goes wrong when they all try to play together. Papa Bear arrives to announce that he's taking his son to see the Boston Pops Orchestra, who will be playing Prokofiev's ballet, Peter and the Wolf.
They arrive at Symphony Hall (shot on location, and on a separate sound stage) and they meet an old friend of Papa Bear's: the Boston Pops conductor, Keith Lockhart. Backstage, Lockhart introduces Baby Bear to the solo instruments that each play a character in the story (much like it would be done on an album recording of the piece). Baby Bear is trying to understand how music can tell a story without any words. Though he is still not sure, they head back to their seats as the rest of the audience is arriving. (Seen here in cameos: Caroll Spinney, Martin P. Robinson, Fran Brill, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, John Tartaglia, Pam Arciero, John Kennedy, writer Christine Ferraro and Muppet wrangler Michelle Hickey).
As the music plays, Baby Bear pictures the events of the story in his head (with a little help from his father). Peter is portrayed by Elmo, who runs in with the bird (Zoe), the duck (Telly) and the cat (Oscar)... all dressed for the part. Peter's Grandfather (Big Bird) warns Peter not to go looking for the Wolf, because the hunters (the Two-Headed Monster) will take care of it. As the story unfolds, each character is accompanied (in Baby Bear's imagination) by the instrument soloist we met earlier backstage. The story plays out and Baby Bear has a better understanding of how music can tell a story.
On their return to Sesame Street, Baby Bear has also figured out why Elmo's band doesn't sound quite right: they need a conductor to keep them in time and so that they all don't play over each other. Baby Bear volunteers for the job. With his help, they're finally able to play music together.
==DVD extras==
This special was released on DVD in 2001. It was rereleased in 2008, packaged with Sing Yourself Silly in a Sesame Street Double Feature.
The DVD version includes various extras including a game in which you must match the sound of an instrument to its picture and a game that involves matching a theme from the ballet to the corresponding character. An additional section allows you to watch scenes from the story with just footage of the Boston Pops playing the piece (in these scenes, Baby Bear and Papa Bear can be seen on location in Boston Symphony Hall). Information on the Muppets and a parents section round out the extras.
==Gallery==
Peter and the Wolf scrn 01.jpg|The bears on location outside Boston Symphony Hall
Peter and the Wolf scrn 07.jpg|Meeting Lockhart and the soloists on set
Peter and the Wolf scrn 08.jpg|On location inside Symphony Hall
Bso-cameos.jpg|The recreated Symphony Hall set
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==Video releases==
File:PeterWolfSonyVHS.jpg|2001Sony WonderLV 51719
File:Peterandthewolf.jpg|2001Sony Wonder (front)LVD 51719
ElmosMusicalAdventureDVDbackcover.jpg|2001Sony Wonder (back)LVD 51719
Elmosmusicaladventurepeterandthewolfsingyourselfsilly.jpg|2008Genius EntertainmentDouble feature with Sing Yourself Silly!
Newelmosmusicaladventurepeterandthewolf.jpg|Genius Entertainment
ElmosMusicalAdventureAustralianVHS.jpg|2004ABC Video for Kids
Barrio-sesamo-la-aventura-musical-de-elmo-dvd-full-spanish.jpg|2008Planeta Junior
Elmosmusicaladventurepeterandthewolfasianvcd.jpg|Berjaya HVNcat. no 470004
Elmopeterwolf Indoesia DVD.jpg|
File:Elmomusicaladventurethai.jpg|United
==Cast==
*Starring Jim Henson's Sesame Street Muppets:
**Kevin Clash as Elmo
**Caroll Spinney as Big Bird & Oscar
**Fran Brill as Zoe
**Martin P. Robinson as Telly
**David Rudman as Baby Bear
**Joey Mazzarino as Papa Bear
**Noel MacNeal as the Wolf
**Carmen Osbahr as Rosita
**and Jerry Nelson
**With Muppet Performers: Pam Arciero, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Eric Jacobson, John Kennedy, Rick Lyon, Jim Martin, John Tartaglia, Matt Vogel
*Special Guest Stars: Keith Lockhart and The Boston Pops Orchestra
*Also appearing:
**Klea Blackhurst as the French Horn Player
**Angel Desai as the Flute Player
**Sarah Knowlton as the Oboe Player
**Sean McCourt as the Clarinet Player
**Kirk McGee as the Bassoon Player
**Melissa Murray as the Violin Player
**David Titus as the Kettle Drum Player
==Credits==
*Executive Producers: Nancy Kanter, Karin Young Shiel
*Producer: Jill Danton
*Written by Christine Ferraro
*Directed by Emily Squires
*Associate Producer: Dionne Nosek
*Associate Director: Ken Diego
*Production Designer: Laura Brock
*Costume Designer: Jennifer Bryan
*Lighting Director: Dan Kelly
*"The Music That We Play"
**Lyrics by Christine Ferraro
**Music by Mike Renzi
*Senior Muppet Consultant: Kevin Clash
*Jim Henson's Muppet Workshop: Stephen Rotondaro, Carol Binion, Fred Buchholz, Alex Ferguson, Carlene Hartmann, Michelle Hickey, Emily Lawson, Michael Schupbach, Erin Slattery, Karena Wienands
*Post Scoring: Mike Renzi
*Music Supervisor: Danny Epstein
*Vocal Director: Dave Conner
*Talent Producer: Danette DeSena
*Camera: Frank Biondo, Shaun Hearkins, Mark Whitman
*Audio: Blake Norton, Carla Bandini-Lory
*Utilities: Chuck Tutino, Gordon Price
*Opening Title: Covi Company
*Executive In Charge Of Production for Sesame Workshop: Jodi Nussbaum
*Executive In Charge Of Production for Sony Wonder: Jeff Holder
*Special Thanks: Becky Mancuso-Winding, Alice Cahn, Sharon Lyew, Tina Ellis, Rosemarie Truglio, Wendy Moss, Amy Cohen, Jill Colley, Catherine Farrell, Janelle Courts, John Stamatis, William Easterling, Yee Ki
*The Boston Pops Orchestra taped courtesy of "Evening at Pops", a co-production of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Inc. and WGBH-TV, Boston.
==See also==
* The Sesame Street Players Present Peter and the Wolf, a 1991 book and tape set
* Peter and the Wolf toys (Sbarro)
* Peter and the Wolf toys (Dairy Queen)
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Peter and the Wolf
Category:Sesame Street Direct-to-Video