Taylor Morgan is excited to play his hometown of Knoxville in the Jan. 1-3 Sesame Street Live stage production of “Elmo’s Green Thumb.” But friends from his Farragut High School theater days won’t recognize the 26-year-old.

The son of Dennis and Shirley Morgan portrays Bert, the quirky, fretful “Sesame Street” character and pop culture icon, in the show at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum. In the role the actor/dancer/singer wears a “full body” character costume complete with the big Bert head, orange puppet hands and big saddle oxfords.

This is probally not the first time a Sesame Street Live actor has been able to perform in front of his or her hometown but it is still exciting.

Source: The Knoxville News-Sentinel

She mentioned that she had observed him while he was watching Sesame Street and was just delighted to see that he had already began recognizing many of the letters and their sounds on his own by just watching the program. Afterwards, she began more purposeful in teaching reading and he was able to learn to read as a preschooler.

Sesame Street used in conjunction with learning at home is a wonderful tool. It makes learning fun and thus makes parents realize that children can learn when it fun: that is probably the best type of learning for kids or anyone else.

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, is producing, in association with David Letterman’s production company Worldwide Pants Incorporated and Lookalike Productions, a new PBS primetime special, Coming Home: Military Families Cope With Change, featuring Queen Latifah, John Mayer and Elmo. This half-hour HD special tells stories of service members who return home with injuries, visible and invisible, and explores the heroic struggles their families face in discovering a new way of finding a “new normal.” It salutes the extraordinary courage and strength of these military families and offers the general public a powerful glimpse into what they often must endure. The special will air on PBS on April 1, 2009 at 8PM (check local listings) in conjunction with April as the “Month of the Military Child.”

“The Sesame Street Experience
for Military Families brings the Talk, Listen, Connect DVD and materials to life, and it reaches out directly to the families who face the challenges of military life each day,” said Gary E. Knell, President and CEO, Sesame Workshop. ”Our partnership with the USO further extends this initiative. We’re visiting installations across the nation to help these families bond through emotionally difficult times, by providing an educational and entertaining show and outreach activities they can share.”

More Sesame Street Information

JCPenney Portrait Studios now have portrait scenes with the characters from Sesame Street. Beginning July 15^th in over 450 JCPenney Portraits locations, children can create memories that last a lifetime by posing on the Sesame Street stoop with a plush of the beloved Elmo. Kids can even watch a Sesame Street DVD designed just for the JCPenney Portrait Studios while they are waiting.

He served as Co-Executive Producer for Elmopalooza, CinderElmo, and Elmo’s World; Co-Producer for The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland; and directing numerous episodes of Sesame Street, as well as other Sesame Workshop productions. In addition, he directed and co-produced Sesame Workshop’s DVD series Sesame Beginnings and most recently served as Director and Co-Executive Producer for Kids Favorite Country Songs Home Video.

Clash has won three Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series for his work as Elmo and Hoots the Owl, and six more in the Outstanding Pre-School Children’s Series category for his work as Co-Executive Producer of Sesame Street. In September 2006, Clash released his autobiography, My Life As A Furry Red Monster, What Elmo Has Taught Me About Life, Love, and Laughing Out Loud.

Source: Sesame Workshop

Elmo Christmas Stocking 

Cookie Monster Christmas Stocking 

Ernie Christmas Stocking