MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. -- Kids around the world have grown to love the iconic American sitcom, Sesame Street. Marine Corps Air Station New River hosted USO performances of Sesame Street Live, April 28-29.
The program is known for its educational content through the dynamic use of Muppets. Since the ‘80s, Sesame Street characters have taken to the road to perform Sesame Street Live so children can see their favorite characters up close.
Military families jumped at the chance to see the show, which featured themes to help military children. “This show was created just for military families,” said Lonnie Cooper, USO tour manager.
“It’s primarily about how to make new friends and stay in touch with old ones, after you move.” Cooper said a new character named Katie was created just for the military show. “Katie is a Muppet from a military family who is moving away from Sesame Street,” said Cooper. “She’s going through what a lot of military children have to go through.”
He said that many children recognize their own struggle when they see her, and seeing that she can get through it helps them out a lot.
Cooper said this is the first time their show has come to the air station and needless to say, the crowd was very excited.
“I love performing on Marine bases,” said Cooper. “Marines tend to have big families, and that’s what we’re all about. Making families happy.”
Lance Cpl. Joshua R. Whitehead, father of a two-year-old son and a combat photographer with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron who attended the live show with his family, said he appreciated that they came out and performed for military families and related the show to struggles military kids have to go through.
During the show, Katie was consoled by Elmo and his friends with sound advice as well as participating in songs and dances with the audience. Even if the dynamic movements of the famous dance “The Elmo Slide” were hard to mimic, audience members left with a clear message.
“The message I left with was that even if you have to move someplace new, it’s not the end of the world,” said Whitehead. “Everybody’s the new guy at some point in their life.”