Lots of trumpets in the Neighborhood today. Mister Rogers has a toy trumpet and Mr. McFeely a real one, and he visits a trumpet factory to see how people make trumpets. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, there’s a visiting trumpeter to celebrate the arrival of a comet that King Friday wants to claim as his own. With great fanfare he decrees a week of celebrating. But Henrietta Pussycat isn’t feeling like celebrating, even though it’s almost time for her birthday.
Come along with Mister Rogers on a field trip to a planetarium to see a sky show. In Make- Believe the neighbors are looking at the sky too, celebrating the arrival of “King Friday’s” comet. Lady Elaine is appalled at the celebration because she knows that no one can own a comet! And Henrietta Pussycat doesn’t feel like celebrating at all. Mister Rogers reminds children that there are lots of things we can celebrate big things and little things too.
World-renown trumpeter Wynton Marsalis visits Negri’s Music Shop, and talks with Mister Rogers about his music. The Neighborhood trio and Joe Negri join him in playing some jazz. In Make-Believe it’s nighttime and the neighbors are using a telescope to look for King Friday’s comet. Henrietta is sad because she thinks her friends have forgotten her birthday. Daniel is afraid of the dark, but learns that what he thought was a monster was only Purple Panda.
There are so many things to celebrate, not just birthdays. Mister Rogers has a celebration in honor of his television friends saying, “The world can be a better place because you were born into it.” Thinking about celebrations, he shows a factory tour of how people make candles.In the Make-Believe, a comet arrives in the Neighborhood, the neighbors celebrate, and there’s a surprise birthday party for Henrietta.
This Mister Rogers opera,” A Star for Kitty” with charming sets and costumes and an enchanted night sky, tells the story of a Kitty (Betty Aberlin) who wishes for a star of her own for her birthday. The star she chooses is “Tiny Star” played by puppet Daniel Tiger. With the help of “half moons” (Metropolitan Opera baritone John Reardon and Paul Spencer Adkins), Kitty learns that “Tiny Star” needs to stay at his home in the sky. Mister Rogers talks about how good it feels to be at home with people we love.
Watch full-length Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood programs. The first Monday of every month will feature programs from the early years 1968-1975. The third Monday of every month will feature programs from the “Theme Weeks” library 1979-2001.
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