Monsterpiece Theater

Monsterpiece Theater
First title card used for Monsterpiece Theater
Genre	Children's Educational Parody segment
Created by	Jon Stone Tony Geiss
Developed by	Sesame Workshop
Written by	Norman Stiles Tony Geiss David Korr Sara Compton Emily Perl Kingsley Belinda Ward Jon Stone
Directed by	Jon Stone Robert Myhrum Emily Squires Lisa Simon Ted May
Presented by	Cookie Monster as "Alistair Cookie"
Starring	Cookie Monster as "Alistair Cookie" (Muppet performed by Frank Oz)
Voices of	Frank Oz Jerry Nelson Richard Hunt Kevin Clash Fran Brill Martin P. Robinson Camille Bonora David Rudman Joey Mazzarino Jim Henson
Theme music composer	Sam Pottle
Composer(s)	Sam Pottle Dave Conner Joe Raposo Dick Lieb Robby Merkin
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of episodes	37
Production
Executive producer(s)	Jon Stone Al Hyslop Dulcy Singer Michael Loman
Producer(s)	Dulcy Singer Lisa Simon David Freyss
Running time	Varies
Release
Original network	PBS
Picture format	480i (SDTV)
Audio format	Mono (1978–1992) Stereo (1992–2001)
Original release	1978 – 2001
Chronology
Followed by	Dinner Theater
Related shows	Masterpiece (TV series)

Monsterpiece Theater is a recurring segment on the American version of the popular children's television series Sesame Street, a parody of Masterpiece Theatre.

While using Muppet characters to act out educational principles, primarily Grover and other Muppet monsters, "Monsterpiece Theater" is also a parody of the similarly acclaimed PBS show Masterpiece Theatre, now known simply as Masterpiece. The theme song is also a modified version of Fanfare-Rondeau, the Masterpiece theme song, only with trumpets and a much more upbeat tempo.

Monsterpiece Theater is hosted by Alistair Cookie, who is Cookie Monster trying his best to look like Alistair Cooke. He wears a smoking jacket and holds a pipe which he usually ends up eating. The segments are loosely based on classic literature, plays, films, and TV shows. Similar segments, titled Mysterious Theater and parodying fellow PBS anthology Mystery!, are hosted by "Vincent Twice Vincent Twice," a parody of Vincent Price.

Alistair Cookie is Cookie Monster's alter ego when hosting "Monsterpiece Theater." Created as a spoof of the original Masterpiece Theatre host Alistair Cooke, Alistair Cookie is basically Cookie Monster in an English smoking jacket and ascot tie, although Cooke was neither a pipe smoker nor did he wear a smoking jacket on Masterpiece Theatre. Alistair Cookie introduced viewers to a spot of culture while relaxing in a well-stuffed armchair. Though seemingly more sedate and urbane, Alistair Cookie is still a Cookie Monster, devouring baked goods, props—and in the revamped opening in the 1990s, noisily consuming cookies over the theme, while offering judicious comments on the texture.