Avenue Q

Critiqued by Holly Bartges

September 17, 2008

He’s bright and handsome. Just graduated from college with a B.A. in English Literature. Broke. Started at Avenue A in New York looking for an affordable apartment. Now he’s at Avenue Q. His life sucks. Purpose to his life floats unattached in the stratosphere.

National Tour cast of Avenue Q Photo: Carol Rosegg

She’s cute, pretty, bright, but no boyfriend. Her life sucks.

Nearly everyone living on Avenue Q thinks his or her life sucks, emphatically emphasizing in the song It Sucks To Be Me.

These are no ordinary actors currently performing at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in Avenue Q, the Broadway Musical, that is, if there is such a thing as an ordinary actor. These characters are puppets brought to extraordinary life by some incredible actor/puppeteers.

Princeton, looking for an affordable apartment came to life Opening Night with the astonishing assistance of Seth Rettberg, who also gave heart and soul to Rod, a closeted Republican investment banker in love with Nicky.

Anika Larson wondrously brought Kate Monster, the cute, pretty, alluring one wanting a boyfriend, and Lucy the Slut to heart and soul life.

These aren’t just puppeteers concentrating in blowing a spit and fire life force into “charmable” puppets. They assume the character in coordination with the puppetry. Even though the puppets take the spotlight with the actor/puppeteers dressed in black and gray, it is an astonishing sight to watch Rettberg assume the personality of Princeton. Larson owns the character of Kate Monster and Lucy. David Benoit became and owned Nicky, Trekkie Monster, and a cute, cuddly mischievous Bear. Lexie Fridell became Mr. T, and the twin to the other cute, cuddly mischievous Bear.

It is awesome watching the characters come to life through the actors and their incredible coordination with the puppets. Nicky demanded two puppeteers who not only assumed the character simultaneously, but also needed to concentrate on perfect coordination with each other, having the personable coordination extend to the puppet. The actors may not want to call attention to themselves. It’s the puppets that have something to say, but the entire cast deserves high kudos for their talent, coordination, concentration, and creativity working in perfect synchronization with each other.

Avenue Q is a very simple story with an all too simple happy ending. When Sesame Street first arrived in television-land, I remember being highly amused over the outrage of Kindergarten teachers discovering children starting school already knowing their ABC’s, 1-2-3’s, and could not only spell, but could read. The curriculum that had nearly forever stood the test of time was blown out of the water. I can remember thinking, as the Muppet’s endeared children and adults alike, how long would it be before the concept would be transformed into an adult show? It took several years, but it happened. Avenue Q just celebrated its fifth year on Broadway, having garnered several Tony Awards.

The CD for Avenue Q is one of the few that can be listened to with the plot laid out through song. This time it isn’t the story that piques attention, it’s the subject matter. Avenue Q brings to light several high-powered social issues: not owning a purpose, (Princeton’s What Do You Do With A B.A. In English and Purpose); sexual identity, (Nicky and Rod’s If You Were Gay)’ pornography, (Kate and Trekkie Monster’s The Internet Is For Porn); the wonderment of relationships, (Kate’s beautiful, There’s A Fine Fine Line and Lucy the Slut’s Special); wanting to love and be loved, (Kate and Princeton’s Mix Tape); having a dream and not knowing how to bring it into fruition, (Rod, Kate, Nicky and Princeton’s Fantasies Come True); and Princeton, Kate, Gary, (Danielle K. Thomas), Brian (Cole Porter) and Christmas Eve (Angela Ai) with Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist.

Special attention honored homelessness after Nicky gets kicked out of Rod’s apartment and then Brian and Christmas Eve’s apartment because of his inattentive sloppiness with The Money Song performed by Nicky, Princeton, Gary, Brian and Christmas Eve.

With the puppets’ charmable delightful personalities, the major social issues are dealt with head on creating smiles, giggles, and a few hearty laughs. The issues come forth honestly and openly without any snarls, raised eyebrows, or hair standing on end because they aren’t issues to these peopled-puppets they’re day-to-day real life. The words come from their hearts, however fluffed their hearts might be. Because of that, you want to hear them, sympathize with them empathize with them and for them to find their own comfortable answers, and celebrate with them. That takes a masterful mind to play it out on a pretend New York street set that Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx did with the music and lyrics, and Jeff Whitty did with the Book. If someone announced a lecture would be given on all of these subjects, indubitably no one would show. If they did show up, it would be with the hairs on the back of their necks standing straight up.

Not all are puppets. Brian, an out of work comedian, and his fiancé Christmas Eve, a no-nonsense Japanese therapist without any clients are real flesh and blood people who interact with the puppets eyeball-to- eyeball.

Danielle K. Thomas in the National Tour of Avenue Q Photo: Carol Rosegg

And then there’s Gary Coleman who undoubtedly was chosen to mingle with the residents of Avenue Q as an apartment superintendent because in reality his life sucks. An interesting comparison struck me. As the puppeteers did a magnificent job bringing their puppets to unbelievable life, it seemed Thomas did the opposite for Gary, denying humanity for the sake of over burdened slapstick bringing back the once-upon-a-time Gary Coleman from TV’s Different Stokes with the now very clichéd over- burdened “Colemanesqued” one-liners and body shtick. It would have been far more creative, certainly not as tacky, if the Coleman character had been a puppet. If he had been a puppet, it might have been impossible to put the puppet through the Gary Coleman slapstick, which could have been a very good thing for the production. Did Thomas make Gary humorously laughable? Not for me she didn’t. It is a good thing the Coleman character doesn’t demand center stage frequently. I found it raucously distasteful. Fortunately, the actor/puppeteers proved so much more wondrously enchanting, it left the Coleman character shining like a silly-ized buffoon. There is nothing funny about highlighting a sad but poor mismanaged life.

An oversight in the program created a mystery, the lack of a list of songs and who sings. For those familiar with the music the omission isn’t a major disruption. For those unfamiliar with the songs the lack of reference became a source of confused irritation.

Time is short for the Denver Attractions spectacular, Avenue Q closes this coming Sunday, Not for kids, although this magical event in a tight set designed by Anna Louizos, and striking lighting design by Howell Binkley, choreographed by Ken Roberson, and directed by Jason Moore would be a grand introduction of serious social issues for mature thinking kids. Every song begs thoughtful discussion. And that’s a very good thing. Hopefully Denver Center Attractions can bring it back for a longer return engagement. The puppets can “slyfully” accomplish what a single voice can’t.

Avenue Q
Music/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; Choreography by Ken Roberson