Denison University alumna Rollie Krewson, a member of the Class of 1974, recently was featured on the CBS show “60 Minutes,” regarding her work with Sesame Street. Krewson, an Emmy award-winning master puppet builder who has been with Sesame Street for more than 45 years, is in charge of creating the beloved children’s television show’s most recent character, Julia.
A Muppet with autism, Julia is the culmination of years of research, in partnership with educators, child psychologists and autism organizations. As the incidence of autism rises, the likelihood of children interacting with autistic children is increasingly strong. One of the goals that Julia represents is to normalize autism, and help children better understand those with the disorder.
Krewson’s role in creating Julie was pivotal, as the Muppet’s movements had to have a wider range of motion than usual. In the 60 Minutes interview, Krewson notes that when Julia is upset, she flaps her hands, as some people with autism do.
“So she has two separate sets of arms,” said Krewson. One set of arms has looser hands that flap. “And then she has a set of arms when she’s fine and OK.” The puppeteer changes the pair of arms as needed on the set.
Krewson also is known as is the master puppet builder behind Elmo, the red furry, lovable creature that captured the hearts of young and old alike since his debut on Sesame Street in 1985. She has won twelve Daytime Emmys for her work on Sesame Street and has worked on several other Jim Henson productions, including “The Muppet Show” and “Labyrinth.”
In 2012, Krewson visited the Denison campus with Cookie Monster and his puppeteer to speak on a panel titled “Sunny Days: Creative Risk-taking in Children’s Educational Television.”
More Information here: cbsnews.com