Episode 1245

Air Date: April 28, 1972
Previous Episode: 1244
Next Episode: 1246

The new opera is underway as Henrietta Pussycat is a student working with her teacher, Reardon, on concentrating. She decides she would like to concentrate on a witch who makes snow while Reardon chooses to concentrate on a badminton game. Together they create a story combining all of their ideas.

A badminton game is taking place between Francois Clemmons and Yoshi Ito when Betty Aberlin arrives and ruins the game by trying to steal the shuttlecock. When she is asked to leave, Betty promises them that they will be sorry.

At the Place of Mischief, Lady Elaine Fairchilde is a certified witch offering her mischevious services. Betty arrives and asks for help in doing something to the two badminton players. They decide that the best way to ruin the game would be to make it snow.

Returning to the badminton game, Betty casts the witches spell and it begins to snow; but much to Betty's dismay, Francois and Yoshi happily begin playing in the snow. Increasing the spell, Betty makes the temperature drop and the snow increase causing the two badminton players to turn into frozen snow people. Teacher Reardon arrives and everyone is surprised when Betty cannot recall the spell for melting the snow. Everyone is encouraged to concentrate but it does nothing to thaw the snow people. Luckily Betty remembers that it takes "a very special teacher and a warm pussycat" to melt the snow.

Teacher Reardon and Betty find Henrietta and ask her to help them with their snow problem. Meanwhile, the Chef and his clean-up friend (Chef Brockett and Miss Paulificate) bring blankets, a heater, and snacks to the snow people. When Henrietta arrives, everyone concentrates on the special teacher and warm pussycat. The snow quickly melts and Betty expresses her feelings of anger and sadness to the two newly-thawed badminton players. The opera ends with everyone singing Good People Sometimes Do Bad Things.

Back at the house, Mister Rogers recaps the themes of the opera as he talks about a variety of feelings and the importance of expressing those feelings.

Notes

The theme of excess snow is repeated in Episode 1515 as they recall the method used in this opera for melting the snow.

Appearing In This Episode

• Chef Brockett
• Francois Clemmons
• Henrietta Pussycat
• Lady Aberlin
• Lady Elaine Fairchilde
• Miss Paulificate
• Mister Rogers
• Reardon
• Yoshi Ito

Songs

• Certified Mischief Makers
• Concentrate
• Good People Sometimes Do Bad Things
• It's Such a Good Feeling
• The People You Like the Most
• Snow Song
• Warm Pussycat
• The Weekend Song
• Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Images

Episode Credits

With Fred Rogers
Neighbors: Betty Aberlin, Don Brockett, Francois Clemmons, Yoshi Ito, John Reardon, Aurdrey Roth
Film: Joe Seamans
Music Director: John Costa
Directed By: Bob Walsh
Psychological Consultants: Margaret B. McFarland Ph.D., Albert V. Corrado M.D.
Associate Producers: Diana Dean, David Newell
Assistant Producer: Betsy Nadas
Production Assistants: Laura Perkins, Susan Peters
Art Director: Jack Guest
Assistant Art Director: David Smith
Lighting Director: Frank Warninsky
Floor Manager: Nick Tallo
Technical Supervisors: Tom Knight, Ken Anderson
Video Tape Editor: Chet Bednar
Cameramen: Bob Vaughn, Dave Anthony
Video: Don Williamson
Audio: Chuck Sradomski, Dick LaSota

Produced by Family Communications in association with WQED, Pittsburgh

The people who gave the money to make this television visit are the people of the Sears-Roebuck Foundation and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

© 1972 Family Communications, Inc.