
The
show
must
go
on,
even
when
it
comes
to
the
"Sesame
Street
Live"
tour.
The
virtual
live
show
provided
not
only
excitement
for
Charles
J.
Colgan,
Sr.
High
School
junior
Nathan
Blevins,
but
a
learning
opportunity.
Blevins,
a
budding
puppeteer,
first
became
interested
in
puppets
as
a
fourth-grader.
During
his
fifth-grade
school
year
at
Bel
Air
Elementary
School,
he
took
to
the
stage
and
performed
in
the
talent
show
with
his
puppet
King
Squashbottom.
The
"Sesame
Street
Live"
show
is
typically
performed
in
arenas
nationwide.
However,
the
COVID-19
pandemic
forced
the
cancellation
of
the
tour,
moving
the
production
online.
The
virtual
show
allowed
the
actors
to
perform
and
the
opportunity
to
interact
with
the
audience.
Much
to
Blevins'
delight,
they
shared
their
personal
stories
of
how
they
landed
their
roles
on
the
show
and
how
they
felt
about
playing
the
characters.
"It
was
amazing
to
see
live
people
who
I
used
to
only
hear.
People
who
make
other
people
laugh
and
smile,
from
children
to
grownups,"
Blevins
said.
A
highlight
in
the
actors'
story-sharing
was
explaining
what
it
was
like
meeting
Jim
Henson,
the
famed
puppeteer.
Henson
developed
Blevins'
favorite
puppet
character,
Kermit
the
Frog.
Blevins
shared
that
he
enjoys
the
complexity
of
the
character
Kermit
the
Frog
and
was
inspired
to
learn
how
to
play
the
ukulele
so
he
can
sing
like
him.
Blevins
shared,
"Some
people
might
find
puppets
scary,
but
to
me,
they
inspire
me.
I
can
make
something
that
might
be
scary
into
something
that
is
not
so
scary,
and
people
like
it."
Blevins'
experience
is
a
great
example
of
how
students
are
continuing
career
exploration
and
enjoying
hobbies
despite
cancellations
and
closures
due
to
the
COVID-19
pandemic.