Do you ever want to relive your childhood, but when you try watching your favorite shows as a kid, you simply can't relate to it anymore? You want something that can make you feel nostalgic, but also reflects your life for what it currently is; which is probably booze, porn, and crippling student debt. If this is the case, then the perfect show is waiting for you at New World Stages!
Avenue Q is a musical that follows Princeton (Ben Durocher), a newly graduated English major who's looking for his purpose in life. His pursuit (and lack of money) takes him to Avenue Q, where he meets his unconventional, yet lovable neighbors like the porn-addicted Trekkie Monster (Jason Jacoby), Lucy the Slut (Dana Steingold), and Gary Coleman (Zonya Love).This parody of Sesame Street, with lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, and Jeff Whitty as the book writer, is a must-see for anyone who likes raunchy “adult” humor. With its catchy songs, gut-busting jokes, and adorable “characters” it'll quickly become one of your favorite shows.
The true gem of the show has to be the songs. There are the comical ones, like “If You Were Gay” and “Everyone's a Little Bit Racist.” While they're hilariously catchy, they also raise good messages about tolerance and acceptance, albeit in an unconventional way. Despite these funny songs, however, there are some heartbreaking ones too like “There's a Fine, Fine Line,” which is a breakup song. The soundtrack overall is a whirlwind of emotions, but in the end, you'll be glad to have been caught in the storm.
Within the third song “It Sucks to Be Me”, the audience is quickly captivated by the immersive, relatable world that the show presents. A lot of this is thanks to the wonderful puppeteers, who made their puppets come to life with their unique tones, as well as the fitting blocking they selected for their puppets to use. I was particularly impressed by Dana Steingold, who portrayed Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut; as well as Ben Durocher who played Princeton and Rod. They were able to bring both of their characters to life, despite them being vastly different from each other. I barely even noticed that they were each playing two roles. Their performances were just that immersive and well-done.
A notable theatrical choice that stood out was the use of televisions, located on either side of the stage. At certain times during the show, it will play something that's seemingly out of an educational TV show for kids to explain/reinforce a theme in the show. The juxtaposition between the childishness of the TV program and the situation that was going on in the show was absolutely comical, and added a delightfully creative element to the show.
Unless you're a child or someone who easily gets offended, I would highly recommend Avenue Q to anyone who likes to have fun. It won the Triple Crown Tony in 2004, so buy your tickets (starting at $49) and let it show you why it received that honor. You're bound to have a hilarious day at the theatre.
