SESAME STREET LIVE!:IT'S `BIG BIRD AND THE ABC's'

When an 8-foot, 2-inch lemon-colored bird of uncertain ancestry encounters a silvery alien named Tee Hee from the planet Crayon, there can be just one explanation: Sesame Street Live's production of "Big Bird and the ABC's" has hit town.

All the familiar characters from the award-winning TV show will be at the Show Me Center this weekend, along with Big Bird, promises Ron January, who plays The Count in the 90-minute production.

Cookie Monster, Bert, Ernie, Grover, Prairie Dawn, Oscar the Grouch, Grundgetta the Grouch, and Elmo will be among the residents of Sesame Street trying to help Tee Hee find her way home.

January says they usually can't control themselves during the performance and leave the stage to dance and sing with the children who've come to see them. "It's like a rock concert for the kids," he says. "And adults love it."

The show will be presented Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Show Me Center. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Friday, 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday.

Tee Hee lands on Sesame Street by accident. Her spaceship is broken and she's lost. Her floobie (mother) only sent her to the market to get a loaf of ploosh (bread).

Obviously, Tee Hee doesn't know the ABC's of life on Earth, and it's up to everyone including the audience to help her get acquainted.

"Big Bird and the ABC's" is educational, naturally. The Count, whose thing is counting, will get into the act along with Guy Smiley, host of the game show "Name that Word."

The show is filled with singing "Hip to be Square" is one of the numbers and dancing, says January, an alumnus of the Dance Theatre of Harlem who has been touring with Sesame Street Live for five years.

His character, The Count, resembles a certain movie villain from Transylvania, but this count is only happy when he's counting "sheep, light bulbs, anything," says January, who admits he wasn't all that arithmetic in school.

"I'm getting better by playing The Count," he said.

Tee Hee fixes her spaceship, thanks to the Sesame Street gang and to learning her ABC's.

Along the way, the Sesame Street denizens and the audience might learn something too.

"(The show) teaches kids how to share and how to care for each other," January says.

"And it teaches them to take time to find out what other people are about before they make a judgment."

The show is produced by VEE Corporation and the Children's Television Workshop.

Opening night, sponsored by KFVS-TV, all tickets are $6. Tickets otherwise are $9 and $8.

The early show Saturday will be hosted by the Southeast Missourian, with $1.50 off tickets for children under 12.

The Schnucks $2 off coupon performance will be at 2 p.m. Saturday. This show also will be signed for the hearing impaired.

The Easter matinee will be hosted by K103-FM, with $1.50 off for children under 12.