Ken Diego

American television director and producer celebrated for his Emmy-winning work on Sesame Street and his acclaimed direction of the Tony Awards.

What do we know about Ken Diego?

  • Name: Ken Diego
  • Also Known As: Kenneth Diego
  • Gender: Male
  • Job Title: Director
  • Crew Jobs: Director, Assistant Director, Insert Unit Director, Sound Effects

Who is Ken Diego?

Ken Diego is an American television director and producer whose career has been defined by an extraordinary record of achievement across children's programming and live entertainment. He has been nominated for twelve Daytime Emmy Awards in the category Outstanding Directing in a Children's Series, all for his work on the landmark series Sesame Street. Nominated consecutively from 2002 through 2013, he converted nine of those nominations into wins — in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, and then in an unbroken run from 2009 through 2013. His inaugural Daytime Emmy victory was a shared honor alongside Emily Squires, Ted May, Steve Feldman, Victor DiNapoli, Jim Martin, and Lisa Simon, and that year also saw a tie with Mitchell Kriegman and Dean Gordon for their work on The Book of Pooh.

Beyond children's television, Diego has demonstrated equal mastery in the realm of live musical performance. He earned four Directors Guild of America nominations in the category Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Musical Variety, recognizing his direction of Great Performances: Dances in America and the 61st, 65th, and 66th Annual Tony Awards ceremonies. Nominated in 2003, 2008, 2012, and 2013, he claimed all four honors — a perfect record that underscores his command of large-scale live television production. His first DGA award was shared with collaborators Matthew Diamond, Rae Kraus, and Henry Z. Neimark.

What is Ken Diego known for?

Ken Diego has built a distinguished directing career spanning both beloved children's specials and prestigious live entertainment. The American director is particularly recognized for his extensive body of work within the Sesame Street universe, where his creative vision shaped numerous celebrated productions for young audiences.

  • The Women (2002, Movie)
  • Sesame Street: Play All Day with Elmo! (2015, Movie)
  • Our Town (2003, Movie)
  • The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage! (2019, Movie)
  • A Sesame Street Christmas Carol (2006, Movie)
  • Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate (2020, Movie)
  • Sesame Street: Elmo Saves Christmas (1996, Movie)
  • Sesame Street: Do the Alphabet (1996, Movie)
  • Sesame Street: Count on Sports (2008, Movie)
  • Sesame Street: Elmo's Magic Numbers (2012, Movie)

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