Even Jason Matney’s mother wouldn’t recognize her son on stage, but that’s what a head-to-toe costume of fake fuchsia fur will do to a man.
But Matney, who plays Telly Monster, couldn’t care less that audiences at “Sesame Street Live!” shows cannot pick him out of a two-man line-up once he’s out of costume.
“They don’t know who I am, and they don’t really care,” Matney said. “But once I come out … as Cookie Monster or Telly Monster, there’s just the excitement of the kids knowing who you are right off. I feel like a rock star.”
Matney and his fellow cast members are enjoying that rock-star feeling at the Denver Coliseum, where “Super Grover! Ready for Action” plays through Sunday.
Matney and Angelo Williams, who brings Big Bird to life, discussed the challenges and rewards of playing Sesame Street characters in telephone interviews from Las Vegas.
Some performers take a while to learn how to work inside costumes, which weigh about 30 pounds.
But that was easier for Matney and Williams. They both worked as costumed characters at Disney parks before hiring on with VEE Corp., which produces the live Sesame Street shows.
Still, there were challenges.
“For me, it was learning the coordination to make sure that when I’m lip-syncing my part that Big Bird’s mouth is moving at the same time he is actually talking, and then the coordination of dancing at the same time,” said Williams, a 22-year-old from Detroit.
As Disney characters like Goofy, Williams had to worry only about his dance moves, an easy task given he has studied dance since elementary school.
As Big Bird, Williams has more to do. In Big Bird’s right hand, there is a device that looks like a bicycle brake. It is hooked to a cable that runs up the right arm to the back of the the yellow bird’s head.
He squeezes the device to open the mouth. He releases it to close the mouth. The people who give the characters their voices on television record all the lines and songs before the tour starts.
Matney said wearing the weighty costume is in itself challenging. But more difficult than that is giving the character life.
“The trick is, obviously, you have your body that you move onstage, so you have to project to the 2,000th person in the back of the arena,” Matney said. “But then also you have to be able to move that costume with a lot of energy and excitement. So you really have to put a lot of effort, strength and power into moving that costume.”
Exaggeration is the key, he said.
“Basically, I figure to myself there is a technique: Anything that you would do or say with your own body you have to exaggerate at least five, six times,” Matney said. “That’s moving the head up and down, left to right, using your hands. You have to have a lot of intensity to get across the emotions. The (vocal) track itself kind of helps a lot. A lot of the emotion is in the emphasis of their voice. You just have to add the energy though your body.”
Williams agreed with Matney that the anonymity of being a Sesame Street Live character does nothing to lessen the thrill of performing.
“Super Grover! Ready for Action” begins with a pre-show featuring Bert and Ernie.
“Then you have another character who comes out and it’s like, ‘No! No! This is not the opening of the show. Big Bird starts the show,” Williams said. “And then that is when the curtains open, and I come out.
“Hearing everyone scream and cheer when I come out … is a wonderful feeling. It makes you feel so good inside.”
Just like a rock star.
Staff Writer Ed Will can be reached at 303-820-1694 or ewill@denverpost.com.
“Super Grover: Ready for Action”
SESAME STREET LIVE|Denver Coliseum, 4600 Humboldt St.; 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. today, 10:30 a.m. and 2 and 5:30 p.m. Saturday, and 1 and 4:30 p.m.Sunday|$16-$31|866-464-2626 or visit www.ticketswest.com
