SFSU degree carved out path to puppetry for ‘Sesame Street’ star
Alumna reflects on how her degree led to her Emmy-winning role as Abby Cadabby
Twenty years ago, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph (B.A., ’87) auditioned for the role of the newest character on “Sesame Street,” Abby Cadabby, a pink, wish-granting fairy with dragonfly wings and a big, open heart. The moment Carrara-Rudolph tried on the puppet, she says, she felt a magnetic pull, as if she were destined to play Abby. She landed the role — and three Emmys — and, two decades later, has become one of the show’s most beloved characters.
But the road to “Sesame Street” was long and winding. There were stops at “Muppets Tonight,” Disney, “Beach Blanket Babylon” and her own theatrical productions. But her real origin story began at San Francisco State University.
As a child, Carrara-Rudolph struggled in school, particularly with reading. She always knew she wanted to work with children but wasn’t quite sure in what capacity. Teaching in a school setting was out of the question because of her learning differences, she says. “It would take me a year to finish reading a book I assigned,” she said.
At the recommendation of an SFSU counselor, she cobbled together her own special major based on her interests. Her major, Child Development Through the Arts, combined courses in Psychology, Child and Adolescent Development, Rarks and Recreation, Art, Theatre and Dance. At the time, she wrote her mother an uncannily prescient letter explaining her decision and the path she hoped to pursue.
“I foresee myself working in the community through the recreation departments and entertaining children on an individual basis — clowning. I love kids and I love performing,” she wrote. “Need I explain more? I hope to encourage kids to develop themselves in a creative way and bring a sparkle into their hearts.”
Leslie Carrara-Rudolph stars in "Beach Blanket Babylon," one the longest running music revues that closed in 2019 after 45 years.
Carrara-Rudolph’s major combined everything that had brought her comfort as a child. The tragic death of her brother, who was killed in a motorcycle accident, cast a shadow over her family. She found peace and light through the Pleasant Hill Parks and Recreation Department programs and community theatre.
SFSU, classes such as “The Power of Play” and “Child Psychology” helped her better understand her target audience. In her courses, she designed programs for senior centers, children in hospitals and a preschool, and worked with at-risk children in foster care. “SFSU ensures you put your knowledge into practice,” she said.
After college, Carrara-Rudolph held several jobs — sometimes five at once. She was part of Kids on Camera, a San Francisco school that offered acting training for children; led parks and recreation programs; taught summer school; starred in the musical revue “Beach Blanket Babylon”; performed with Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble; and waitressed.
Her first big break came when she was offered a job performing improv as different characters at Disney World. A few years later, she wrote a show called “Life in Other People’s Shoes,” which brought her to Los Angeles. Meanwhile, a friend suggested she audition for ABC’s “Muppets Tonight” because the show was looking for female comedians who could sing in character. It was a cattle-call audition, but she stood out and was hired as a puppeteer.
With no background in puppetry, she absorbed as much as she could from those around her and eventually fell in love with the art form. From 1996 to 1998, she played Spamela Hamderson and other characters. It was her biggest break yet, but when the show ended, she returned to catering.
There was a 10-year gap between “Muppets Tonight” and landing the role of Abby Cadabby on “Sesame Street.” In between, she developed pilots for Disney, had a role in “The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss” and worked on other programs. She also spent time creating her own puppets and shows.
When she auditioned for the new character Abby Cadabby in 2006, she riffed for 15 minutes with Fran Brill, who played the Muppet Zoe. “When I first saw the puppet and put her on, it was like something out of a comic book,” she said. “I was like, ‘You’re going to have to cut this off my arm.’” That’s all it took for executives to realize they had found their Abby. Fifteen minutes after leaving the studio, Carrara-Rudolph received a call telling her she got the role.
The past 20 years on “Sesame Street” have been quite a ride. She’s traveled to disaster zones after Hurricane Katrina, met Michelle Obama more than once, won a Sports Emmy for hosting during NBC Olympics in Paris and won two Children’s and Family Emmy Awards — in 2025 and 2026 — for Outstanding Puppetry Performance, among other honors.
And she gets to play a character she feels deeply connected to. “[Abby’s] an empath. ... She is having to learn to help people follow their hearts and find the magic in every day,” she said. “She’s always open, she’s always supportive, she’s always accepting.”
After all these years, she credits SFSU with leading her to her dream job. “They were willing to understand that everybody learns differently,” she said. Creating her own major gave her the confidence to try a path less traveled. “Had they not done that,” she said, “I probably wouldn’t have the permission slip [that] I give myself.” A permission slip that helped her find her way to “Sesame Street” (where the air is sweet).
Related News
