Hansel and Gretel

From Muppet Wiki

Hansel and Gretel is a classic children's tale by the Brothers Grimm. The eponymous protagonists are a brother and sister who get lost in the woods and encounter an evil witch. It has been parodied several times in Muppet productions, with the characters also making appearances in specials and series, as well as being featured in several projects.

• In 1958, following a sojourn in Europe, Jim Henson designed elaborate sets and built puppets for a Hansel and Gretel stage show, working in a more traditional puppetry style. The project was ultimately abandoned.

• The 1965 industrial film Shrinkel and Stretchel spoofed the story, with Taminella Grinderfall as the witch.

• Hansel and Gretel appear as characters in a retelling of Cinderella in The Muppets on Puppets. In this sketch, Gretel was portrayed by a cow.

• Muppet Magazine issue 15 featured Rizzo and Yolanda as the duo.

• Kermit and Piggy appeared as the brother and sister in Muppet Babies' Classic Children's Tales.

• Dinosaurs: Classic Tales featured a parody, "Hanselsauras and Greteldactyl", featuring Robbie and Charlene Sinclair in the title roles.

• Hansel and Gretel attend Storybook Community School on Sesame Street with other famous characters from children's literature and nursery rhymes. In Season 36, Hansel was performed by Peter Linz, and Gretel by Noel MacNeal. Heather Asch took over the role of Hansel in Season 37. This version of Hansel and Gretel appear in the 2007 book Abby Cadabby's Rhyme Time.

• A version of the "Hansel and Gretel" tale featuring Cookie Monster is featured on the 1977 LP The Sesame Street Fairy Tale Album, as well as a 1978 single.

• In December 2006, The Houston Grand Opera presented a new production of "Hansel and Gretel," for which Jim Henson's Creature Shop created a large scale Witch costume/puppet. The show was presented again at the Atlanta Opera in November 2007.

• Elmo and Zoe appear as Hansel and Gretel in the 2008 book Storybook ABCs, eating ice cream with a friendly witch.

• Hansel and Gretel appear in Elmo's Lift-and-Peek Around the Corner Book.

• The Fairy Tale is referenced by Elmo in the storybook Ernie and His Merry Monsters.

Trivia

• In an effort to sound more authentic in pronouncing the German name, Peter Linz introduced his character Hansel as "Hunsel" in Sesame Street's Season 36. Yet, the correct German spelling "Hänsel", with the diacritic "ä" sounding almost identical to an English "a", actually renders Linz's performance linguistically incorrect.