photo by Jennifer Bennett

Dr. Loretta Long, Susan on "Sesame Street," spoke to a crowd Thursday evening about her experiences on the show.

Long wraps up visit to area

by JENNIFER L. BENNETT
reporter

It was a busy week for Nurse Susan.

Today, Dr. Loretta Long, who plays Susan on the children's television show "Sesame Street," will wrap up a week-long stay in the Tri-State area.

Long's visit was part of the Teacher Lecturer Program sponsored by the College of Education and Human Services. The program's purpose is to enable teacher education candidates to interact with minority teachers and hear of their experiences in education.

Long met this week with Marshall education college students and faculty, the MU Early Childhood Center, River Valley Child Care, students at area elementary and high schools and Ohio University Southern Campus. The theme of her visit was mulitculturalism.

"Dr. Long has been a pleasure to be with this week. We've kept her busy, and she's kept us busy, too," Dr. Larry Froehlich, executive dean of COEHS said yesterday during a luncheon for program sponsors.

Dr. Jane McKee, associate dean of COEHS, said, "We think of her as Susan, the nurse on Sesame Street, but the real Dr. Long is an educator."

Long received her doctorate in Education from the University of Massachusetts. She has teaching experience in the New York, Detroit and New York City public school systems.

Long has been on "Sesame Street" since the show started. At last night's presentation, "30 Years of Sesame Street," following an audience participation round of the "Sesame Street" theme, Long described how she landed the role of Susan.

Long was working in New York as a teacher as well as on the television program "Soul."

Her friend Charlie Rosen, the set designer on "Soul," told her about the show and suggested she audition.

Long said the people screening for the Nurse Susan role "had a Joan Baez-type person in mind." They wanted long, straight hair. Long said she had a dancing Afro.

"Everyone in there was playing a guitar," she said. "I didn't play guitar. Back then my nails were longer than they are now.

"They asked me where my guitar was. I said, 'I don't play the guitar.' They said, 'Go stand over there.'"

When it was her turn to audition, Long said she had no musical accompaniment.

"I sang 'I'm a Little Teapot.' I looked at the camera and said, 'Everybody sing!' All the little preschoolers in the next room started to sing. And that's how I got the job."

Long showed an episode of "Sesame Street" focusing on family celebration and the African culture. She said family celebration was a good way to learn about cultures.

Long prompted the audience to shout out the names of Muppet characters as they appeared on the screen. Throughout the evening, choruses of the alphabet erupted from children.

A reception outside the Birke Art Gallery followed the presentation. Long signed autographs and took pictures with fans.

Freshman Jillian Smith said, "I got to meet and take a picture with her after the presentation. It was very heartwarming to finally meet someone I grew up watching on television."

Long will make an appearance today at Guyandotte Elementary School and will meet with Marshall's Student Advisory Committee and student teachers. She will end her stay with a discussion and dinner with IMPACT teams.

"Sesame Street" has been on the air 32 years and has won 75 Emmys.