Performers at Sesame Place® – singers, dancers or hosts – have a chance to do something very special in their work.
Whether they are making their way down a parade route or leading other characters in a stage show at the beloved Langhorne theme park, the performers get to bring Sesame Street® to life for all of the visitors, both young and old.
“I think that’s always the fun part,” Trevor Frantz, a second season performer, said on a wintry afternoon before getting ready to take to the stage. “It’s easier being out of costume, but there is a certain thrill to being in costume.”
Julia Hall has been a performer at Sesame Place for five years and echoed Frantz’s sentiments about getting to bring one of Sesame Street’s favorite characters to life. Making special trips to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and other foundations is just another cherry on top for Hall.
Frantz explained the way kids’ eyes light up when they see their favorite Sesame Street characters come to life.
For the performers, the days at Sesame Place are as full as they are fulfilling. On an average day, performers can be involved in four to five shows, as well as the twice daily parades that go on in the park. Overall, days for performers are varied.
Working as a performer is useful for developing skills that can be used as young people develop their career or prepare for higher education.
While he was always interested in theater and similar art forms, Frantz never took a dance class.
“This is a good way to practice what I enjoy and get better at it,” he said.
Area residents looking to work in the performance field will find Sesame Place to be a great stepping stone, as well as a fountain of experience.
“You can really take advantage if this is the route you want to go,” Hall said.
For Hall and the theme park’s other performers, Sesame Place really offers a great chance to work as a performer – whether you’re lighting up kids’ eyes as Elmo or singing and dancing as an out-of-costume performer.
Jamie Ropars, the supervisor of show production at Sesame Place, was a performer before working her way up in the company to a supervisor. Working at Sesame Place for years, Ropars knows what it takes to make the team work well enough together to put on the number of shows throughout the year.
“We’re all a big team, and we don’t work well unless we’re happy,” Ropars said.
Keeping the team happy is a priority for management at Sesame Place, too. According to Ropars, management works hard to make sure performers’ wishes in terms of scheduling and hours are fulfilled. As long as there are enough people to cover the needed shows, supervisors can accommodate employees.
Sesame Place has three theaters in the theme park and performers are able to move between them for different shows. When performers begin their job, they can cross-train for the various shows the park offers for guests.
For the performers at Sesame Place, work doesn’t seem like work. Working as a team to entertain and delight people from all over the country isn’t something they take lightly.
“I wish more people knew about this [job], because this is something I will never forget,” Ropars said, mentioning the many friendships she has made and the joy she has brought to thousands of children.
The next auditions for performer positions at Sesame Place are scheduled to take place on Sunday, January 8 at 100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, PA 19047. The first group for performances assembles and auditions at 8 a.m. The minimum age to audition is 15.
