On Wednesday night, Kat and I went to see “Avenue Q”, the off-Broadway play which, while on Broadway, won the Tony award for best musical in 2004.  I was excited to go because I hadn’t seen a play since “The Book of Mormon” in April, which I neglected to write about because I think I’m the only person in the world who didn’t think it was the best play ever.  It was a good story, but it was offensive just for the point of being offensive and could have been better if it had been more reserved.  Also now it is extremely overhyped.  But ANYWAY:

“Avenue Q” is pretty unique in that the majority of its cast are actually puppets.  I wasn’t sure what to expect when the show started, I thought the puppeteers would be behind garbage cans or under windowsills so that you couldn’t see them, but they were right there on stage with the puppets.  It took a little getting used to because I wasn’t sure who to watch at first, the performer or the puppet, but I determined it was okay to watch both at the same time.  The puppeteers/actors made the same facial expressions that they were conveying with the puppets.  It got me wondering what the auditions were like and if any of the actors had previous experience with puppets for some reason.  Needless to say, it was impressive.  The whole play was put on by just seven performers, three of whom were pure flesh and four of whom were all the puppets’ voices and movements.

The musical is basically a story about finding yourself in modern-day NYC.  Princeton, a recent graduate, moves to Avenue Q without a purpose and he tries to find this purpose throughout the play.  Along the way, he experiences love, confusion, and many adult situations – which are super weird and hilarious to see puppets in the middle of.  The other characters in the play experience unemployment, marriage, identity issues, & homelessness, all presented well through song and humor.  The super of Princeton’s apartment is strangely none other than tv’s own, Gary Coleman.

Notable song titles include:

• “What Do You Do with a B.A. in English?”
• “It Sucks to Be Me”
• “My Girlfriend, Who Lives in Canada”
• “There is Life Outside Your Apartment”
• “I Wish I Could Go Back to College”

There are also songs which I declined to post as I censor myself, but check out the full list here.

It is definitely easy to identify with Princeton and his monster love, Kate.  Sometimes, I wish I could go back to school, too.  But then I realize I wouldn’t live in NYC and I immediately change my mind.

xx