Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake is a 1991 television special based on the children's television showSesame Street. In the special, Big Bird celebrates his sixth birthday. The special aired on PBS stations during the week of March 9, 1991 as part of the PBS pledge drive season. On March 15, the special was re-aired as the Sesame Street episode "2835", with additional inserts from previous episodes added and the pledge break scene removed.
Plot
Snuffy visits Big Bird's nest in the morning so he can be the first to wish Big Bird a happy birthday. During the opening credits, the two head out down the street as Big Bird's friends wish him a happy birthday, then everyone sings about "Big Bird's Beautiful Birthday Bash" in the arbor. The Monsterpiece Theater sketch "The King and I" is repeated from a previous episode. Big Bird and his friends will go to the Wollman Rink in Central Park for his skating party, and Maria and Susan will stay behind to decorate. Snuffy also wants to stay behind because he doesn't know how to roller skate, so Big Bird will teach him how to skate. Robin Williams shows Elmo the fun things he can do with a stick. Everyone enjoys skating at the rink, but Snuffy is not sure he wants to learn how to skate because he fears falling. Big Bird is finally able to convince Snuffy to learn, until someone falls in front of them. The song "We Are All Earthlings" follows. Maria and Susan lay out Big Bird's cake, then go to their apartments to find more chairs. Cookie Monster finds Big Bird's cake and realizes he can't eat it, so he finds other things to eat, starting with the chairs and the table. Grover sings "Monster in the Mirror" along with several celebrities. Monster on the Spot reporter Telly Monster asks if The Count will support his public television station. The Count recites a long list of reasons why, leading to a pledge break.
Snuffy, still afraid of falling, tries to leave the rink. Telly asks Luis where Oscar the Grouch is. Oscar and Bruno are skating at the party because he loves falling down when skating. Bruno skates around without falling, but the skating made Oscar dizzy. Whoopi Goldberg and Hoots the Owl talk about being proud of their body parts. Big Bird impresses Snuffy with a rollerskating routine, but he can't skate like Big Bird. Big Bird and friends sing "Put One Foot in Front of the Other", which helps Snuffy skate around the rink. Cookie Monster has eaten everything around him, and when Susan and Maria come back, they take the cake away from him. The Oinker Sisters sing "A New Way to Walk", repeated from a previous episode. Everyone returns to the street and notices that almost everything has been eaten. Big Bird's friends give him his cake, sing "Happy Birthday To You", and then Big Bird blows out all the candles for his birthday wish. The credits begin as the cake is cut, but stop when Maria wonders where Cookie Monster is; he eats his slice of cake, and the sponsors for dessert. The credits continue as everyone skates at the rink.
Segment Writers: Sonia Manzano, Cathi Rosenberg-Turow
Segment Directors: Lisa Simon, Emily Squires
Songs by: Carol Hall and Christopher Cerf, Sara Compton, Jeff Moss, Joe Raposo, Mark Saltzman, Norman Stiles, Jon Stone
Music Director and Skating Waltzes Composed by: Stephen Lawrence
Monster in the Mirror: Maria Conchita Alonzo, Candice Bergen, Ray Charles, Chubby Checker, Glenn Close, Tyne Daly, Geena Davis, Bo Diddley, Robert Ebert, Jeff Goldblum, Kadeem Hardison, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Bo Jackson, Kid n' Play, Robert MacNeil, Lou Diamond Phillips, Julia Roberts, The Simpsons, Gene Siskel, Jeff Smith, Tracey Ullman, Blair Underwood, Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Skaters: April Allen, Michael A. Belgrave, Omar Gross, Suzin Rae, Samantha Spivack, Darrel Wacker
Skating Choreographer: April Allen
Puppets, Costumes, Props: Caroly Wilcox and Ed Christie with Mark Zeszotek, Paul Hartis, Barry Link, Peter MacKennan, Connie Peterson, Stephen Rotondaro
Puppet Design Consultants: Michael K. Firth, Bonnie Erickson
Music Coordinator: Danny Epstein
Associate Music Director: Dave Conner
Production Supervisor: Frieda Lipp
Associate Director: Ted May
Production Designer: Victor DiNapoli
Costume Designer: Bill Kellard
Graphic Artist: Mike Pantuso
Set Decorator: Nat Mongioi
Art Director: Bob Phillips
Production Stage Managers: Chet O'Brien, Ric E. Anderson
Stage Manager: Robert J. Emerick
Production Assistants: Cher Jung and Tim Carter, Gabrielle Howard, Leslie Brothers, Christine Ferraro
Assistants to the Producers: Danette DeSena, Carol D. Mayes
Script Coordinator: Thelma Moses
Curriculum Coordinator: Diane P. Mitchell
Children's Casting: Kim J. Wilson
Technical Director: Ralph Mensch
Audio: Blake Norton, Tim Lester
Lighting Director: Bill Berner
Camera: Frank Biondo, Dave Driscoll
Unit Manager: Eleanor McIntosh
Sound Effects: Dick Maitland
Make-up: Lee Halls
Hair Stylist: Karen Specht
Wardrobe: Grisha Mynova
Director of Research: Valeria Lovelace, Ph.D.
Coordinating Producer: Arlene Sherman
Producer: Lisa Simon
Executive Producer: Dulcy Singer
Vice President for Production: Franklin Getchell
Studio facilities by: Unitel Video, Inc.
Remote facilities by: The Video Center of New Jersey
Special thanks to The Wollman Rink City of New York Department of Parks and Recreation
"SESAME STREET" and the "SESAME STREET" sign are registered trademarks and service marks of Children's Television Workshop.
