Sesame Street announces Elmo special featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda, Anne Hathaway, and Tracee Ellis Ross

Here’s a nice thing: Following last month’s launch of the Caring For Each Other initiative, Sesame Workshop is set to premiere Sesame Street: Elmo’s Playdate, a new primetime special featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Anne Hathaway. As an extension of the Caring For Each Other initiative, Elmo’s Playdate will be simulcast on all WarnerMedia networks (HBO, HBO Latino, TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, and truTV), as well as the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel and streaming platforms on Tuesday, April 14 at 7:00 pm ET/6:00 pm CT. The special will additionally air in the UK, Singapore, Canada, and Mexico on April 15.

Here’s the official description of Elmo’s Playdate:

The half-hour special follows Elmo, Grover, Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby, and a few famous friends as they find new ways to play and learn together. Celebrating everything from the EMTs, doctors, and other everyday heroes who are helping families through the health crisis to the simple pleasures of baking cookies at home, the playdate takes the form of a cozy video conference that will feel very familiar to today’s viewers. Celebrities and Sesame Street friends will sing songs, play games, and take silly dance breaks. Tracee Ellis Ross plays a game of “Elmo Says,” Lin-Manuel Miranda pops in for a few rounds of “Old McDonald Had a Farm,” Anne Hathaway and Elmo get moving with “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes,” and more. Kids will love getting a visit from their Sesame Street friends, and caregivers will appreciate how the special models playful learning opportunities they can use at home.

In an official statement, Sesame Workshop president Steve Youngwood said, “We hope Sesame Street: Elmo’s Playdate will entertain and inspire families at a moment when so many are feeling isolated and overwhelmed by current events.” Just last month, the company launched the Caring For Each Other initiative with a website aimed at helping parents and providers engage with their children during this difficult and unprecedented time. The website offers hundreds of free Sesame Street ebooks, videos featuring beloved characters like Elmo and Cookie Monster, and other resources to assist parents and providers in navigating the pandemic.