Interview: Cara Glass & Joey Parks Say AVENUE Q at National Broadway Theatre is a Unique Take on Puppet-Driven Shows

National Broadway Theatre, a nonprofit professional theater company based in Grand Rapids, is producing their first musical in the form of Avenue Q this month. Avenue Q, the Tony-winning Best Musical in 2004, will be featured at National Broadway Theatre from November 22nd to December 1st. With a Tony also for Best Book and Best Original Score, Avenue Q has had several productions worldwide since its Broadway run and is most certainly a modern Broadway classic. 

BroadwayWorld Michigan had the pleasure of speaking with two cast members from National Broadway Theatre’s production of Avenue Q, Cara Glass and Joey Parks. Read our interview below!

BWW Michigan: Can you give BroadwayWorld Michigan readers a brief background of yourself and your theatre career?

Cara Glass: I studied Musical Theatre Performance at Oakland University and am so thrilled to be finding wonderful companies to work with here in Grand Rapids, like National Broadway Theatre. After graduation, I worked at Shadowbox Live as a company member, but have been on hiatus as I pursued a career in education and started a family. I’ve performed as a vocalist with a number of local theatre companies, the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus and most recently with Grand Rapids Civic as the standby for Carole King in Beautiful. I jumped right from learning a lot of piano music for Beautiful to lots of puppetry work for Avenue Q. The joke at my house is I only do really niche complex shows. 

Joey Parks: I'm a graphic designer by day, but by night enjoy expressing my comedic sensibilities with audiences in West Michigan. I've been acting with community theaters in Grand Rapids since 2020 and am thrilled to be making my debut at the National Broadway Theatre with this production!

Can you describe the story/concept of Avenue Q for those who are not familiar with this show? 

CG: Avenue Q is a unique take on Sesame Street for an adult audience. While there are tons of laughs and silliness, there are universal themes that hopefully open a dialogue about growing up and living in community. 

JP: Avenue Q is a comedic spin on puppet-driven shows and movies like Sesame Street or The Muppets, but with a R-rated comedy voice that turns the usually family-friendly medium on its head. While the show starts with outrageous comedy and raunchy songs, it progresses to explore themes of identity, purpose, anxiety, heartbreak and community as the puppet and non-puppet characters endure moments that define all of our lives in the real world.

What was your initial impression of Avenue Q when you were first introduced to it?

CG: I was in college (with a roomie who was getting their B.A. in English) when I first learned about Avenue Q. I remember thinking this show was so unique and hilarious. Now that I am not in college and am working on this show, it's amazing the depth each character has and the arc lots of them go through. There are songs that I really connect with and continue to pop back into my head as I navigate “growing up.” There are so many songs that resonate with people when you mention the show. Nearly everyone has their "Fine, Fine Line" story or has to reinvent themselves as they reevaluate life choices. And I do really miss being able to walk into the dining hall at college and not have to think about what I'm making for dinner. 

JP: When I first heard about the show I was in high school, so naturally I was drawn to the adult-oriented comedy as a standout in the musical theater landscape. It made me feel cool and edgy to be listening to Broadway show tunes that used curse words! Through this experience, however, I've come to appreciate the quiet and more emotional moments of the show, as they are ultimately what make the humor relatable to audiences.
 

What can audiences most look forward to when they come to see Avenue Q at The National Broadway Theatre? 

CG: This show moves fast and it will keep you laughing. It is a high-energy show with a lot of pieces that have us literally running backstage. There are some really nice nods to Sesame Street gimmicks that are very nostalgic. It's a beautifully crafted show!

JP: Audiences can look forward to a very intimate experience with this show, as our puppeteering will be up close and personal within our performance venue. You'll feel like you're right on the set of a classic puppet production and see the puppets come to life in a proximity much more realistic than on a screen.

This production emulates the Broadway production, where the actors change out puppets throughout the show, acting as one character, then speaking the part of their other character while someone else on stage operates the puppet. Can you talk a bit about the rehearsal process of acting as two characters? Is it complicated to speak for a puppet that you're not operating? 

CG: It’s a wild experience to be sure! I’ve taken to rehearsing it like a monologue and piecing out the different characters through voices or physicality. It is very complicated as you’re used to looking at people when talking or moving even just a little as you talk. If you are moving while your other character is talking, it draws the audience’s eyes to you instead of the other puppet you’re voicing. 

The second hands of the show do not have it easy. Second hand is a term used for a cast member who serves as a second set of hands for a puppet that is voiced by someone using a puppet on stage already, or to be the second set of hands for a puppet that requires more than one person to operate. For example, there are times when I am on stage working and voicing a puppet, but my other character is also on stage. A second hand comes in and works that puppet while I voice both. They essentially have to know the lines and mannerisms of the puppet they are operating to keep the illusion that it’s the puppet talking. 

JP: Acting as two different characters naturally doubles the amount of consideration given to your performance. During the rehearsal process, you need to constantly be exploring how each character behaves in a unique way – what are they feeling at a given moment, how do they interact with the world around them, what types of mannerisms do they succumb to? The toughest part is soloing those things in your brain, and making sure that the two characters don't start to bleed into each other!
 

Do you have any social media accounts readers can follow?

CG: National Broadway Theatre social media (Facebook / Instagram) is a great place to see what future shows and audition opportunities are coming up! 

JP: You can find me and more info about this show and future productions on Instagram at @josephrossparks.
 

Is there anything else you would like readers to know? 

CG: Theatre is for everyone, and I hope Grand Rapids continues to grow and support the fabulous companies in our community. 

JP: Tickets are on sale now at nationalbroadwaytheatre.org!

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Tickets for Avenue Q at National Broadway Theatre are currently available at nationalbroadwaytheatre.org. 

Stay in touch with National Broadway Theatre on Instagram at @nationalbroadwaytheatre and on Facebook at facebook.com/NationalBroadwayTheatre.

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