When I first caught wind of a concert at Carnegie Hall titled "Jim Henson's Musical World," I didn't think too much of it. It sounded like a fairly basic concert of the New York Pops playing Henson music. I wrote it off as some nonsense that probably wasn't worth the trip into Manhattan, at least if it was just like that. Some time later, a huge guest list popped up online and I realized this was going to be something special. I snagged a ticket for the 12:30 show just before it was close to selling out.
I always love going to Jim Henson Legacy events. There is something terrific about seeing these people who you grew up watching and being able to personally thank them for the wonderful memories they've given me. But even better it offers to chance to meet other fans. In my life, I have received both warm and cold reception to my Muppet fandom, unfortunately mostly cold, but to really meet people who truly understand me, know better than to judge and just be willing to be friendly with anybody who has optimism and likes the Muppets. Especially with any Henson Legacy event, you are always bound to meet someone you haven't met before, and might have been at the same events as you and neither of you realized it!
Given my life circumstances around the time of this event, a respite from my home life like this was absolutely a must. I was out of the house for 12 hours that I never wanted to end. Even the annoyance of struggling to find permit-free, no time limit parking in Irvington, NY (where I catch the train to Grand Central) and then having to walk a mile from Grand Central to Carnegie Hall carrying a backpack full of books hoping to get them signed., it was all worth it and better than having to listen to the insanity I listen to at home. So I get there and mingle with fans for about 40 minutes-an hour before the show. Someone had come all the way from San Francisco for this, all the way from across the country. Let that be the power of the Muppets, people like this stuff enough to travel across the country to go see something they love. Then we went in, meeting up again after the show. Carnegie Hall looked great as some archival video of Jim Henson played then the lights went down the show began with some video from Rowlf the Dog's days on The Jimmy Dean Show of Rowlf and Dean playing Carnegie Hall. Fitting, then the video stops and a spotlight comes up then -- OH MY GOD! It's Rowlf! Rowlf's actually here! Honestly, all I remember is that he said something about it taking 47 years for them to invite Rowlf back. Sad I know, but the excitement of knowing Rowlf the Dog was here right in front of me, especially since Rowlf's current performer Bill Barretta wasn't on the initial guest list but here was Rowlf and Bill. He went away the lights went down again and the New York Pops began playing "The Muppet Show Theme" and the lights slowly went up again and -- OH MY GOD! The Electric Mayhem! Yes, here was the Electric Mayhem "performing" a medley of Henson theme songs right in front of me. Not even five minutes into this show, we already have had 6 Muppets in front of us. It seemed like there was nothing we couldn't expect today that is until we heard Jerry Nelson's voice! (okay, last time I gush over someone like that, I swear) over the loudspeakers introducing us to the show!
Basically, the show's "story" was about John Tartaglia, the host of the day, struggling to put together a concert of Henson music he thought was the next week. He scrambles to get to the theater in his Rubber Duckie pajamas getting us to sing along with "Sing". Then Fozzie Bear shows up, correctly thinking the concert was this week. He then agrees to go track down the other Muppets. John then performed "Steppin' Out With a Star" with the lovely Stephanie D'Abruzzo. No one really had much reception to this one unfortunately, probably due to what came next was so exciting it overshadowed that because we had Fraggles!
Now, actually, a few years ago, back when a Fraggle Rock movie seemed like more of a possibility, the Henson Company recruited Karen Prell to perform a newly-built Red Fraggle Muppet but more recently, they built a new Traveling Matt Muppet and now, Oh my god! Wembley's here! They rebuilt Wembley!!! Yay! I'm sorry to gush like that, but seeing Wembley rebuilt was one of the highlights of the day, as it also revealed that Steve Whitmire, who wasn't on the guest list either, was in fact here, meaning there would be frogs later on. John Tartaglia later told me after the show that the Hensons had been rebuilding Wembley for reasons he did not disclose, and as soon as he found out: he was insistent Wembley be in the show. For our gain, too, the Fraggle portion of the concert was wonderful, the audience really loved it and it certainly reminded us what wonderful music Fraggle Rock really had. Then Miss Piggy came out, easily getting the biggest applause of the day. She was shooed after her cameo for Tartaglia and Rachel Dratch to sing "Sing After Me". Then we got a Sesame Street medley with Elmo, Ernie, Bert and Cookie Monster. I was disappointed by the lack of Grover but this Sesame group was perfect, especially with members of the human cast there to help them out. People love these characters and it's fairly obvious to see why, but seeing the Sesame and Fraggle families within minutes of each other and periodic check-ins with the Muppet Show team made me realize this really was a special event.
Then they brought up Paul Williams to do a few songs from Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas. This was my first experience seeing Paul in person and I love his music, so it was incredible to see him live, especially doing music from Emmet Otter, as the songs in that are clearly the best part of that special.
After that Fozzie came back out with muffins instead of the Muppets. Fozzie gives up all hope but then John comforts him in song with "Just One Person" and then Kermit shows up to sing... and Gonzo... and Scooter and next thing you know all the main Muppets are there singing! It's safe to say the Muppets are here and ready to go! We get a Muppet medley of the show's theme song, "Mahna Mahna," "Movin' Right Along," "Happy Feet" and ending fittingly with "Together Again" referring to the big Muppet revival that's been going on over the last few months. Kermit then stuck around to sing "Bein' Green" and it all ended with flair with "The Rainbow Connection". We all gave the show a huge standing ovation. It was a truly wonderful spectacular show, a rare thing that put a huge smile and tears of joy after such darkness for months on end.
After the show, I got chat with lots of Muppet fans, including someone from Iowa who just happened to be in New York that weekend and absolutely had to go, Ryan and Joe of Tough Pigs fame and their posse of longtime forum members... and Joe's girlfriend, various Henson alumni who came solely to see the show and weren't performing. It was a fun time all around with them. I got to go the FAO Muppet Whatnot Workshop between shows, got a free ticket to the second show at 3:30 by being in the right place at the right time - and had an even better seat, got to chill with all my newfound friends at the stage door for a good hour and a half after the show as well as meet some random Henson performers who were in the show, who were all awesome people. Even worth chasing Bob McGrath across the street to get his autograph.
It times like this that make me happy to have an outlet like the Muppets to help me get through rough times. Even if it was just for one day away from the chaos and misery that is my home and school life, the Muppets and Muppet fans show me that maybe there is some hope in humanity, maybe I can be treated like an adult by somebody and not a 5-year old kid even in a place you can get away with it. And all these great Henson people together again shows me that they aren't going anywhere for a long, long time.
I always love going to Jim Henson Legacy events. There is something terrific about seeing these people who you grew up watching and being able to personally thank them for the wonderful memories they've given me. But even better it offers to chance to meet other fans. In my life, I have received both warm and cold reception to my Muppet fandom, unfortunately mostly cold, but to really meet people who truly understand me, know better than to judge and just be willing to be friendly with anybody who has optimism and likes the Muppets. Especially with any Henson Legacy event, you are always bound to meet someone you haven't met before, and might have been at the same events as you and neither of you realized it!
Given my life circumstances around the time of this event, a respite from my home life like this was absolutely a must. I was out of the house for 12 hours that I never wanted to end. Even the annoyance of struggling to find permit-free, no time limit parking in Irvington, NY (where I catch the train to Grand Central) and then having to walk a mile from Grand Central to Carnegie Hall carrying a backpack full of books hoping to get them signed., it was all worth it and better than having to listen to the insanity I listen to at home. So I get there and mingle with fans for about 40 minutes-an hour before the show. Someone had come all the way from San Francisco for this, all the way from across the country. Let that be the power of the Muppets, people like this stuff enough to travel across the country to go see something they love. Then we went in, meeting up again after the show. Carnegie Hall looked great as some archival video of Jim Henson played then the lights went down the show began with some video from Rowlf the Dog's days on The Jimmy Dean Show of Rowlf and Dean playing Carnegie Hall. Fitting, then the video stops and a spotlight comes up then -- OH MY GOD! It's Rowlf! Rowlf's actually here! Honestly, all I remember is that he said something about it taking 47 years for them to invite Rowlf back. Sad I know, but the excitement of knowing Rowlf the Dog was here right in front of me, especially since Rowlf's current performer Bill Barretta wasn't on the initial guest list but here was Rowlf and Bill. He went away the lights went down again and the New York Pops began playing "The Muppet Show Theme" and the lights slowly went up again and -- OH MY GOD! The Electric Mayhem! Yes, here was the Electric Mayhem "performing" a medley of Henson theme songs right in front of me. Not even five minutes into this show, we already have had 6 Muppets in front of us. It seemed like there was nothing we couldn't expect today that is until we heard Jerry Nelson's voice! (okay, last time I gush over someone like that, I swear) over the loudspeakers introducing us to the show!Basically, the show's "story" was about John Tartaglia, the host of the day, struggling to put together a concert of Henson music he thought was the next week. He scrambles to get to the theater in his Rubber Duckie pajamas getting us to sing along with "Sing". Then Fozzie Bear shows up, correctly thinking the concert was this week. He then agrees to go track down the other Muppets. John then performed "Steppin' Out With a Star" with the lovely Stephanie D'Abruzzo. No one really had much reception to this one unfortunately, probably due to what came next was so exciting it overshadowed that because we had Fraggles!
Now, actually, a few years ago, back when a Fraggle Rock movie seemed like more of a possibility, the Henson Company recruited Karen Prell to perform a newly-built Red Fraggle Muppet but more recently, they built a new Traveling Matt Muppet and now, Oh my god! Wembley's here! They rebuilt Wembley!!! Yay! I'm sorry to gush like that, but seeing Wembley rebuilt was one of the highlights of the day, as it also revealed that Steve Whitmire, who wasn't on the guest list either, was in fact here, meaning there would be frogs later on. John Tartaglia later told me after the show that the Hensons had been rebuilding Wembley for reasons he did not disclose, and as soon as he found out: he was insistent Wembley be in the show. For our gain, too, the Fraggle portion of the concert was wonderful, the audience really loved it and it certainly reminded us what wonderful music Fraggle Rock really had. Then Miss Piggy came out, easily getting the biggest applause of the day. She was shooed after her cameo for Tartaglia and Rachel Dratch to sing "Sing After Me". Then we got a Sesame Street medley with Elmo, Ernie, Bert and Cookie Monster. I was disappointed by the lack of Grover but this Sesame group was perfect, especially with members of the human cast there to help them out. People love these characters and it's fairly obvious to see why, but seeing the Sesame and Fraggle families within minutes of each other and periodic check-ins with the Muppet Show team made me realize this really was a special event.
Then they brought up Paul Williams to do a few songs from Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas. This was my first experience seeing Paul in person and I love his music, so it was incredible to see him live, especially doing music from Emmet Otter, as the songs in that are clearly the best part of that special.
After the show, I got chat with lots of Muppet fans, including someone from Iowa who just happened to be in New York that weekend and absolutely had to go, Ryan and Joe of Tough Pigs fame and their posse of longtime forum members... and Joe's girlfriend, various Henson alumni who came solely to see the show and weren't performing. It was a fun time all around with them. I got to go the FAO Muppet Whatnot Workshop between shows, got a free ticket to the second show at 3:30 by being in the right place at the right time - and had an even better seat, got to chill with all my newfound friends at the stage door for a good hour and a half after the show as well as meet some random Henson performers who were in the show, who were all awesome people. Even worth chasing Bob McGrath across the street to get his autograph.
It times like this that make me happy to have an outlet like the Muppets to help me get through rough times. Even if it was just for one day away from the chaos and misery that is my home and school life, the Muppets and Muppet fans show me that maybe there is some hope in humanity, maybe I can be treated like an adult by somebody and not a 5-year old kid even in a place you can get away with it. And all these great Henson people together again shows me that they aren't going anywhere for a long, long time.
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