Season 53 (2022-2023)

Sesame Street
Premiere	November 3, 2022 (5301)
Finale	June 29, 2023 (5335)
Episodes	35

The cast in the revised opening sequence

The cast in Episode 5307.

Mickey Guyton and the Sesame Street community

Jill Biden with the Sheep-ret Service

Ava DuVernay with Elmo and Big Bird.

Sesame Street’s 53rd season premiered on HBO Max on November 3, 2022, and on PBS on September 4, 2023.

According to Sesame Workshop, this season "is devoted to helping children grow up with a healthy self-identity and sense of belonging, in full celebration of our diverse world. With a focus on stories that celebrate our differences and embrace our similarities, children will learn to feel confident and proud of who they are and find joy in connecting with and learning about others." Anti-racism was acknowledged as a theme for the season as far back as March 2021.

The season introduces Ji-Young to the main cast, who'd previously been seen in the 2021 special See Us Coming Together. Executive Producer Kay Wilson Stallings expressed plans to film more content on location and at home.

Production

Production continued to be complicated due to the COVID-19 pandemic; on-set production took place during the week of September 13, 2021.

Celebrities

Celebrity guests who visited the set include Zazie Beetz, Jill Biden, Ava DuVernay, Brett Goldstein, Mickey Guyton, Haim, Samuel L. Jackson, and Amber Ruffin.

Episodes

Episodes 5301 - 5335 (35 episodes)

• Episode 5301 -- Community Mural
• Episode 5302 -- Sesame Street Super Heroes
• Episode 5303 -- Kind Rudy
• Episode 5304 -- The Great Corn Festival
• Episode 5305 -- Jobs Day
• Episode 5306 -- Bert's Bike Time with Luis (repeat)
• Episode 5307 -- Happy Hair Day
• Episode 5308 -- Rudy's Favorite Sweater (repeat)
• Episode 5309 -- How to Catch a Robot Dog
• Episode 5310 -- Big Bird's Happy to Be Me Club (repeat)
• Episode 5311 -- Gold Medal Tango
• Episode 5312 -- Bubble Trouble
• Episode 5313 -- Nani Bird Visits
• Episode 5314 -- Family Album
• Episode 5315 -- Rockin' with Elmo and Abby (repeat)
• Episode 5316 -- Read-And-Share
• Episode 5317 -- Just Right
• Episode 5318 -- Art Rocks!
• Episode 5319 -- Cinderella's New Shoes (repeat)
• Episode 5320 -- Count On
• Episode 5321 -- Grouch-ercise
• Episode 5322 -- Monster Truckin'
• Episode 5323 -- Horsing Around
• Episode 5324 -- Move and Groove on Sesame Street (repeat)
• Episode 5325 -- Fans of the Fan Dance
• Episode 5326 -- Make Music with Bob (repeat)
• Episode 5327 -- Recycling Fairy to the Rescue (repeat)
• Episode 5328 -- The Letter C Vacation
• Episode 5329 -- Wash Day
• Episode 5330 -- Community Garden Cleanup
• Episode 5331 -- Love Makes a Family (repeat)
• Episode 5332 -- Gabrielle's Amazing Maze
• Episode 5333 -- Grandparents' Day
• Episode 5334 -- Ramp and Roll (repeat)
• Episode 5335 -- Sesame Street Submarine

Notes

• The opening and closing themes (originally produced for Season 46) have been updated, both receiving revamped music tracks. The final shot of the opening sequence is re-filmed to feature more children and Muppets, namely Gabrielle, Tango, Tamir, and Ji-Young, who also now appear during the credits.

Muppets

Abby Cadabby, Alfred, Amelia, Anything Muppets, Baby Bear, Ball, Banana, Bert, Big Bad Wolf, Big Bird, Bubbles, Cactus, Cats, Clam, Cloud, Cookie Monster, The Count, Dog, Duck, Elmo, Elmo's grandparents, Ernie, Fern, Firetruck, Flowers, Frankie, Gabrielle, Gladys the Cow, Gonger, Grandma Nell, Granny Bird, Grover, Grundgetta, Herry Monster, Honkers, Horse, James, Ji-Young, Julia, Kayla, Lalo, Letters (A, B, C, G, U), Little Red Riding Hood, Louie, Lucky, The Martians, Mr. Johnson, Nani Bird, Norbert the Robot, Numbers (4, 5), Octopus, Oscar the Grouch, Parrot, Pigeons, Prairie Dawn, Queen, Rock, Rosita, Rosita's Abuela, Rudy, Samuel, Shapes (Octagon), The Sheep-ret Service, Slimey, Squirrel, Super Goat, Tamir, Tango, Two-Headed Monster, Violin, Wes, Zoe, Zucchini

Cast

• Chris: Chris Knowings
• Nina: Suki Lopez
• Alan: Alan Muraoka
• Charlie: Violet Tinnirello

• Dave: Chris Costa
• Mia: Olivia Perez
• Frank: Alex Weisman

Sesame Street Muppet™ Performers

Latoryah Alexander, Pam Arciero, Jennifer Barnhart, Andrew A. Cano, Warrick Brownlow-Pike, Tyler Bunch, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, Jimmica Collins, Frankie Cordero, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Ryan Dillon, Bradley Freeman Jr., Aymee Garcia, Stacey Gordon, Chris Thomas Hayes, Eric Jacobson, Haley Jenkins, Kathleen Kim, Peter Linz, Spencer Lott, Lara MacLean, Noel MacNeal, Carmen Osbahr, Megan Piphus Peace, Martin P. Robinson, David Rudman, Matt Vogel

• Puppet Captain: Matt Vogel
• Assistant Puppet Captain: Martin P. Robinson

Credits

• Executive Producers: Benjamin Lehmann, Sal Perez, Kay Wilson Stallings
• Senior Producers: Karyn Leibovich, Stephanie Longardo
• Content Producer: Autumn Zitani Stefano, M.A.
• Coordinating Producer: Mindy Fila
• Producers: Michael J. Cargil, Andrew Moriarty, Ken Scarborough
• Post Producer: Todd E. James
• Line Producer: Aimee Blackton
• Co-Producer: Matt Vogel
• Directors: Ken Diego, Shannon Flynn, Todd E. James, Jack Jameson, Benjamin Lehmann, Julie Lorusso, Noel MacNeal, Alan Muraoka, Liliana Olszewski, Scott Preston, Brittany Scott Smith, Matt Vogel
• Head Writer: Ken Scarborough
• Writers: Belinda Arredondo, Molly Boylan, Laura Canty-Samuel, Jessica Carleton, Geri Cole, Monique D. Hall, Joe Fallon, Christine Ferraro, Liz Hara, Ron Holsey, Raye Lankford, Andrew Moriarty, Joy Regullano, Ken Scarborough, Pilot Viruet, Autumn Zitani Stefano, M.A., Moujan Zolfaghari
• Film Producers: Christina Elefante, Kimberly Wright
• Associate Producers: Kelly Ferrara, Bryce-Loren Walker
• Senior Vice President of Curriculum and Content: Rosemarie T. Truglio, Ph.D.
• Sesame Street Curriculum and Content Team: Jessica DiSalvo, Susan Scheiner, M.A., Hei Min You, Autumn P. Zitani Stefano, M.A.
• Script Supervisor: Jennifer Capra
• Script Coordinator: Lynda Holder-Settles
• Sesame Street Research Team: David I. Cohen, Becca K. Seibert, Courtney B. Wong Chin, M.A.
• Puppets, Costumes, Props: The Jim Henson Company NY Creature Shop - Erin Black, Jamie Bressler, Nicolina Dante, Ben Durocher, Victoria Ellis, Joel Gennari, Allison Green, Brain Haims, Tyler Hall, Michelle Hickey, Joshua Holden, Ann Holdgruen, Rollie Krewson, Jim Kroupa, Camille Labarre, Rose Labarre, Sarah Lafferty, Lara MacLean, Laura Manns, Ms. Hair and Humor, Thomas Newby, Constance Peterson, Kenneth Rainey, Sierra Schoening, Keely Snook, Christopher Soprano, Toria Sterling, Stacey Weingarten, James W. Wojtal, Jr.
• Production (Henson Workshop): Jason Weber, Melissa Creighton, Joseph Roddy, Carolyn Fanelli
• Music Director: Bill Sherman
• Music Director (Arrangements and Orchestrations): Joe Fiedler
• Music Director (Vocals): Paul Rudolph
• Music Coordinator: Tyler Hartman
• Composers: Mel Campbell, Nicholas Dayton, Joe Fiedler, Crystal Hall, Toby Lightman, Helen Park, Kathryn Raio, JP Rende, Clay Sears, Bill Sherman, Kira Stone, Josh Tangney, Butch Walker
• Lyricists: Morgan von Ancken, Geri Cole, Laura Canty-Samuel, Joe Fallon, Christine Ferraro, Liz Hara, Monique D. Hall, Ron Holsey, Raye Lankford, Andrew Moriarty, Ken Scarborough
• Music Copyist: Joe Fiedler
• Music Editor: Tyler Hartan
• Music Editor/ADR Mixer: Paul Rudolph
• Supervising Music Editor: Michael Croiter
• Sesame Street Band: Randy Cohen, Michael Croiter, John Deley, Doug Derryberry, Joe Fiedler, Rob Jost, Gary Meyer, Kenny Rampton
• Production Designer: Katie Akana, Courtney Williams
• Art Director: Naomi Munro, Kai Lee
• Prop Coordinator: Keith Olsen
• Celebrity Talent Booker: Bella Harkins
• Child Talent: Carolyn Volpe, Ph.D.
• Supervising Editor: Joseph DiGiacomo
• Post Production Graphics: Lauren Bergholm, David Cowles, Ryan Denora, Jeremy Galante, Ed Mundy
• Associate Directors: Frank Campagna, Emily Cohen, Ken Diego, Nakoma Litahní, Julie Lorusso, Yori Tondrowski
• Key Control Room Production Assistant: Christina Elefante
• Control Room Production Assistants: Kelly Ferrara, Jane June, Lindsey Mutz
• Elmo & Tango's Mysterious Mysteries
  • Head Writer: Morgan von Ancken
  • Writers: Harron Atkins, Jennifer Capra, Michael J. Goldberg, Andrew Moriarty, Gabe Pulliam, Pilot Viruet, Morgan von Ancken, Miden Wood, Autumn Zitani Stefano, M.A.
  • Directors: Joanna Hepworth, Mark Taylor
• Sound Effects Editor / Re-Recording Mixer: Dick Maitland, C.A.S.
• Supervising Sound Editor / Re-Recording Mixer: Steve "Major" Giammaria
• Sound Editor / ADR Mixer: Chris Sassano, C.A.S., Al Theurer
• Technical Directors: Tom Guadarrama, Rich Drummond
• Cameras: Mark Britt, Jerry Cancel, Peter Forrest, Shaun Harkins, Raymond Hoover, Mark Renaudin, Mark Sparrough, Ed Staebler
• Senior Video: James Meek, Howie Rosenzweig, Dave Satin, James Tomlinson
• Recordists: Ernie Albritton, Barbara Bianco
• Stagehands: Steve Dannenberg, Jason Caccavo, Russell Hooton, John Sullivan, Karen Sunderlin
• Special Thanks: A Productions, The Hidden Fortress, Magnetic Dreams, Safe Production Services, Slippery Rock Creative, Sound Lounge, Studio G Brooklyn, 422 Films
• Taped at Kaufman Astoria Studios in New York

External links

• Sesame Street’s 53rd Season Launches Thursday, November 3 on Cartoonito on HBO MAX
• Season 53 Press Kit

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Season 52 (2021-2022)	Season 54 (2023-2024)