All Roads Lead to 'Avenue Q'

Avenue Q

Music and Lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx

Book by Jeff Whitty, based on an original concept by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx

Directed by Jason Moore, Puppet Design by Rick Lyon, Musical Supervision by Stephen Oremus, Choreography by Ken Roberson, Scenic Design by Anna Louizos, Costume Design by Mirena Rada, Lighting Design by Howell Binkley, Sound Design by Acme Sound Partners

CAST (in order of appearance): Princeton, Rod  Robert McClure; Brian Cole Porter; Kate Monster, Lucy & others Kelli Sawyer; Nicky, Trekkie Monster, Bear & others David Benoit; Christmas Eve Sala Iwamatsu; Gary Coleman Carla Renata; Mrs. T., Bear & others Minglie Chen; Ensemble Maggie Lakis, Seth Rettberg, Danielle K. Thomas

Performances through March 23, 2008 at The Colonial Theatre

Ticketmaster 617-931-2787 or www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com or in person at The Colonial Theatre Box Office, 106 Boylston St., Boston and at The Opera House Box Office, 539 Washington St., Boston

Avenue Q is the busiest boulevard in Boston as the North American tour of the 2004 Tony Award-winner for Best Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Book breezes in for a two-week run. The brainchild of Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx is decidedly not for children, but is for anyone who has gone through the growing pains of young adulthood and would like the opportunity to laugh at those challenges – as enacted by puppets.

This is a totally fun night at the theatre, especially for your inner child. Of course, there are adult situations, including full-puppet nudity and blue language, but it is hilarious. There is much to recommend Avenue Q, from clever writing and catchy songs that you can actually sing on your way out of the theatre, to worthwhile life lessons and a cadre of likeable characters. The ensemble cast includes four members who manipulate all of the puppets and three who are just, well, people. But they're likeable, too! The puppeteers are like Siamese twins to their charges and seemingly imbue their immovable little faces with varying expressions and emotions, as they cavort around the stage and bring them to life.

The lead puppet is Princeton (Robert McClure), an optimistic college grad who arrives in New York with a B.A. in English, no skills, and little money. He can only afford to live on Avenue Q, but finds a community there with kindergarten teaching assistant Kate Monster (Kelli Sawyer), roommates Nicky the slacker (David Benoit) and Republican investment banker Rod (McClure), comedian wannabe Brian (Cole Porter) and his Japanese therapist fiancée Christmas Eve (Sala Iwamatsu), Internet addict Trekkie Monster (Benoit, Minglie Chen), and the building superintendent Gary Coleman (Carla Renata). (Yes, the Gary Coleman who has seen his fortunes change since his child star turn on television's "Diff'rent Strokes.") Together, they struggle to find decent jobs, stable relationships, and their purpose in life.

While reminiscent of Sesame Street with its fuzzy puppets, dilapidated urban setting, and animated lessons in counting and spelling projected on overhead screens, I think an association can be made between Avenue Q and The Wizard of Oz (think of the irony as Q beat out Wicked for the Tony). The show has a huge heart, brains, courage, and takes its characters on a journey to find out where they belong in the world. Avenue Q: there's no place like home. There's acceptance of the closeted gay guy ("If You Were Gay"), a cheerful acknowledgement that "Everybody's A Little Bit Racist," embracing the notion of "Schadenfreude," and learning the value of selflessness ("The Money Song"). As much as the characters are liked by the audience, they also like and, for the most part, are kind to each other. It's nice to see.

Of course, no story can be complete without at least some conflict, so enter the Bad Idea Bears who do their best to lead Princeton and Kate Monster astray every chance they get, and Lucy The Slut, a sexy cabaret singer who wheedles her way in between the budding young lovers. One of the more amusing casting ploys is having the same actress work both the Kate and Lucy puppets. It gives Sawyer an opportunity to show her range from the sweet, childlike voice of Kate to the richer, sexy belt of Lucy. When both women are present in a scene, one of the puppets is seamlessly handed over to Chen, while Sawyer voices both of them.

The cast performs together like a well-oiled machine and each has a chance to shine on their own. Benoit blasts off when Trekkie Monster sings about his addiction ("The Internet Is For Porn"); Renata takes the lead in "You Can Be as Loud as the Hell You Want (When You're Makin' Love);" and Iwamatsu stuns with the strength and warmth of her voice ("The More You Ruv Someone"). McClure is lively and sonorous throughout, even as he makes Rod and Princeton sound distinctly different.

Showers of light from overhead spots, inventive effects (like beds blasting off into space and the set opening up to reveal the apartment interiors), and the drop-down projection screens augment the human (and puppet) talent. While the puppeteers' outfits are nondescript gray, the "just people" are garbed in bright, tropical colors. In the wedding scene, Christmas Eve is dressed up like a Christmas tree, in a white, multi-tiered gown decorated with colorful, blinking lights. Naturally, being a cabaret artist, Lucy gets to wear the fanciest duds of all the puppets.

Director Jason Moore has found the formula to balance our attention between the animate and inanimate and keep things moving briskly. Across the board, his staging of people, puppets, and props is lively and spirited. They seem to be having so much fun that it is infectious. Avenue Q is the antidote and I recommend it in large doses.

 

 

 

 

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