Sesame Streethas toy with and educated untried looker for more than 50 age . While Elmo , Big Bird , and the rest of the ring loom large in countless minor ’s lives , the performing artist who fetch the characters to lifespan are often miss .

In theWIREDvideo below from 2017 , Matt Vogel ( Big Bird ) , Ryan Dillon ( Elmo ) , Martin Robinson ( Mr. Snuffleupagus ) , Leslie Carrara - Rudolph ( Abby Cadabby ) , and Frankie Cordero ( Rudy ) explicate the work that goes into mesh your favorite Muppets . According to the puppeteers , Sesame Streethas three type of puppets with different mechanics : hand - and - retinal rod , live bridge player , and full - eubstance . Hand - and - rod puppets , like Elmo and Abby Cadabby , are the most unwashed in the show . Puppeteers stick their hand into the Muppet ’s school principal to make it talk while the other paw moves the attached metallic element rods to sham branch movement .

To renovate live hand puppets like Cookie Monster and Ernie , puppeteers stick in their hands into glove where the quality ’s hands are . It ’s easy for these types of Muppets to snap up detail because the soul controlling them can apply their own work force . Other Muppets have more trouble interacting with object because their finger are n’t moveable .

There are hard-working puppeteers just out of frame.

Full - body Muppets , include Big Bird and Mr. Snuffleupagus , are arguably the most difficult to head . operate an8 - foot , walk , talking bird is no joke ; while wearing the yellowish suit , Matt Vogel adulterate his right branch above his head to move Big Bird ’s mouth and uses his odd branch to move the left wing . The left over arm also controls the correct limb ’s movements because the two sides are connected with a string . This make motion look natural ; as one arm moves up , the other lowers .

MostSesame Streetpuppeteersdon’t take full ownership of a part on sidereal day one . young performing artist typically commence as apprentices who concenter on locomote the puppets ’ right hand alongside old stager cast members . tyro may fill this right - mitt - man role for twelvemonth before graduating to more involved character work . Even when that time number , they can take long time to feel comfortable in their fictional character ’s tegument ( or fur ) . Luckily , it ’s not rare forSesame Streetcast members to wedge around for decades , which is more than enough meter to get accustomed to their roles .

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