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Sesame Street: The Nutcracker Starring Elmo & Tango is an animated holiday special spun off from the children's television series Sesame Street, that premiered on HBO Max on December 1, 2022. It made its televised premiere on PBS Kids on December 2, 2023.

Synopsis[]

The holidays are here at Sesame Street and Elmo and his parents host a big holiday party for his friends. When his friends arrive, everyone sings about how wonderful this holiday will be. The Count arrives to the celebration late, bearing gifts for everyone, including a wind-up rocket ship for Elmo and a cute nutcracker-shaped doggie toy for Tango.

After a fun-filled night, Elmo and Tango fall asleep listening to Louie read them the story of The Nutcracker. Then, Elmo and Tango fall asleep and have a dream.

In the dream, Tango gets the ability to speak. A little mouse who is looking for a friend, mistakes Tango's new nutcracker toy for a buddy and runs off with it. Elmo and Tango chase after the mouse and toy through magical lands to get it back. Along the way, Elmo and Tango go to a giant garden, where three grumpy flowers refuse to let them pass. Abby Cadabby helps them out with the lullaby, which she learned from the Sugar Plum Fairy. This makes the flowers sleep. Then, Elmo and Tango go to a candy land where they meet Cookie Monster skating on a large lake made of icing. Elmo and Tango have difficulty skating across, so Cookie gives them a musical lesson in skating and the importance of practicing.

In the Land of Toys, the mouse takes a break on playing with the squeaky toy. Elmo and Tango find a toy rocket and retrieve the toy back. As the special ends, the mouse surprises Elmo and Tango reveals that he wants to make a new friend with the nutcracker toy. They join Cookie Monster and Abby Cadabby convened around a Christmas tree singing "Best Christmas Ever."

Songs[]

Uncredited

Home media release[]

SesameNutcrackerDVD

The special was made available on the Sesame Street compilation Elmo's Holiday Spectacular: The Nutcracker and Other Tales, released on Digital and DVD on October 10, 2023. It also contains the direct-to-video version of the ABC special Elmo's Christmas Countdown and Elmo Saves Christmas.

Notes[]

  • This is the first Sesame Street Christmas production where Matt Vogel and Eric Jacobson fully assumed the roles of Big Bird and Oscar respectively, following Caroll Spinney's retirement in 2018 and eventual death the following year.

Cast[]

SSNutcracker
Voice actor/actress Character(s) The Nutcracker Role(s)
Ryan Dillon Elmo Fritz
Leslie Carrara Tango Marie (Dog)
Abby Cadabby Party Guest and The Sugar Plum Fairy
David Rudman Cookie Monster Party Guests (Grover, Bert and Big Bird)
Eric Jacobson Grover
Oscar the Grouch
Bert
Matt Vogel Big Bird
Count von Count Drosselmeyer
Tyler Bunch Louie Fritz & Marie's Parents
Stephanie D'Abruzzo Mae
Peter Linz Ernie Party Guest
Royina Patel Dream Tango Marie (Dog)
Donovan Monzon Mouse The Mouse King

Accolades[]

The special was nominated for the 2023 Children's Family & Emmy Award for Sound Mixing and Sound Editing for a Preschool Animated Program, but lost to Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures.

Gallery[]

External links[]

Jim Henson Productions and Related Shows
Specials
Sesame Street and related productions Christmas Eve on Sesame StreetA Special Sesame Street ChristmasElmo Saves ChristmasElmo's World: Happy Holidays!A Sesame Street Christmas CarolElmo's Christmas Countdown • "Peter Alexander präsentiert Spezialitäten" • "Christmas Special (Barrio Sésamo)" • Christmas with Ernie & Bert • "Jul med Jeppe, Marie og Elmo" • "A Christmas Present in Summer" • "Boot" • "Monster Monster Day" • Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas • "A Furchester Christmas" • "Holiday at Hooper’s" • Sesame Street: The Nutcracker Starring Elmo & Tango • "Yip Yip Tree Tree" / "The Snowman Scarecrow"
The Muppets John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas TogetherA Muppet Family ChristmasThe Muppet Christmas CarolIt's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie • "Christmas (From the Balcony)" • A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa • "Ringing of the Bells" • Lady Gaga & the Muppets' Holiday Spectacular • "Single All the Way" • "Ho Ho Ho!" • "Christmas" (Muppet Moments) • "Santa Claus" (Muppet Moments) • "A Very Muppet Babies Christmas" / "Summer's Super Fabulous Holiday Surprise" • "It's a Wonderful Elf-bot" / "A Merry Litter Christmas"
Other shows and specials The Jimmy Dean Show: Episode 114The Jimmy Dean Show: Episode 214The Jimmy Dean Show: Episode 314Santa Claus Routine with Arthur GodfreyChristmas ReindeersThe Great Santa Claus SwitchEmmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas • "The Bells of Fraggle Rock" • The Christmas Toy • "Refrigerator Day" • Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree • "Mrs. Zabarelli's Holiday Baton" • "The Siberian Tiger and the Reindeer" • "A Berry Bear Christmas" • "Holidays" • "Hooblebumper Box Day" • "Oh Christmas Tree" • "Sid's Holiday Adventure" • "Cretaceous Conifers" • "Don's Winter Wish" • "The Annoying Orange Generic Holiday Special" • "Orange Carol" • "Joy to the World (Pajanimals)" • "War on Christmas (No, You Shut Up!)" • "A New York Christmas to Remember" • "A Song For Everyone" • "The Holiday Tree" • "Whitebeard/Coral Day" • "Traditions on Ice" • "Night of the Lights"
Albums
Christmas Eve on Sesame StreetMerry Christmas from Sesame StreetJohn Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas TogetherA Sesame Street ChristmasElmo Saves Christmas: Holiday FavoritesA Green and Red ChristmasBob! from Sesame Street: Christmas Sing AlongHoliday Classics . It's Christmas Time
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