Sesamstraat

Lore & Background

Sesamstraat began as a Dutch/Belgian co-production with one thirty-minute episode per week, featuring only two Muppets and three live actors. The first season was shot on location in a half Dutch, half Belgian town. For the second season, a realistic town square was built inside the studio, which later evolved into a more abstract, colorful set. The show changed to a daily 15-minute evening format in 1978.

Reader's Guide

Sesamstraat is significant as the second longest-running uninterrupted foreign adaptation of Sesame Street. It has featured many Dutch celebrities reading stories or appearing as guests, including Prime Minister Wim Kok. The show has undergone several format changes, including a move to 30-minute episodes three times daily starting in 2006, and the introduction of new Muppets like Angsthaas and Stuntkip in 2008. In 2019, production was paused for two years due to budget cuts, with reruns broadcast instead.

Did You Know?

• The pilot episode was titled 'Sesamstraat' and aired in 1974.
• Pino, the blue bird Muppet, has been performed by Renée Menschaar since 1992, the first woman to play the character.
• In 2005, the set became completely abstract with toy block-like buildings and broccoli for trees.
• Troel, a boy poodle Muppet, was phased out due to creative decisions.