FLASH FRIDAY: Ted Cruz's 'Vote Your Conscience' Recalls AVENUE Q's 'Vote Your Heart'

Senator Ted Cruz didn't exactly endear himself to the delegates at this week's Republican National Convention when, as seen at the 3:15 mark of the video, he declined the opportunity to publicly endorse Donald Trump and instead implored his party members to "Vote your conscience."

Much has been made this election cycle of songwriters and bands objecting to having their recordings used to introduce or playout candidates whose policies they object to, but if you're a musical theatre fan, you might have wondered at that point how Avenue Q composer/lyricists Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez might have felt if the unsuccessful candidate had made his exit to a little ditty they wrote for their show titled "Vote Your Heart."

Never heard of "Vote Your Heart"? Maybe that's because it was never in the score of AVENUE Q, but it has a lot to do with the show's success.

Though the quirky Off-Broadway transfer that imagined a television program where twentysomethings would learn the valuable lessons of post-college life using "Sesame Street" style puppets, songs and stories got its share of 2004 Tony Award nominations and was playing to packed houses, the smart money for nabbing the Best Musical prize was placed on the season's other big hit, WICKED, a more traditional, family-friendly choice. The racially-charged musical drama CAROLINE, OR CHANGE and the flashy Hugh Jackman vehicle THE BOY FROM OZ also had a great deal of supporters.

But after the nominations were announced, AVENUE Q started doing something that no other Broadway show had ever done at Tony time. They started campaigning. Being a parody of children's programming with humor lying in tongue-in-cheek innocence, the producers recognized they could use that same tongue-in-cheek innocence to win over voters. So the Golden Theatre was draped in red, white and blue and Audience members were greeted with signs proclaiming, "Yes, Q Can!" and "America Needs Avenue Q!"

But the secret weapon was unveiled at a pizza party where voters were handed copies of a CD called "Rod's Dilemma." Marx, Lopez and bookwriter Jeff Whitty had written a sketch and song concerning their show's closeted gay Republican puppet, Rod. It seems Rod's Rotary Club was electing new officers and he didn't know who to vote for. The candidates included a really cute guy (suggesting Hugh Jackman), a really rich guy (suggesting WICKED) and one of Rod's old friends (suggesting The Public Theater, producers of CAROLINE, OR CHANGE). The other characters convince him to simply vote for the best candidate, using the catchy song, "Vote Your Heart."

AVENUE Q was suggesting the radical notion that the best musical wasn't necessarily the one with the most commercial potential, emphasizing that it's a secret ballot so nobody has to know who you voted for. The song never directly suggested voting for AVENUE Q but the demand for copies of the CD and the frequent sighting of Broadway celebs wearing "Vote Your Heart" badges meant things were getting interesting.

And it worked. AVENUE Q took home Tonys for Best Book, Best Score and Best Musical of the Season.

Eventually, the Tony Rules Committee placed restrictions on campaigning for awards, limiting the types of promotional materials that can be used and forbidding any communication that could cast a negative light on any aspect of a competing production.

But perhaps the clearest sign that Broadway was back to business as usual came in May of '05, when Eric Idle, author of the Tony-nominated SPAMALOT, was seen at a meet-and-greet waving his billfold in the air, encouraging guests to "Vote your wallet!"

AVENUE Q has music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, book by Jeff Whitty, and is directed by Jason Moore with choreography by Ken Roberson. The musical is produced by Kevin McCollum, Robyn Goodman, Jeffrey Seller, Vineyard Theatre and The New Group. For performance and ticket information visit AvenueQ.com.