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Storyline: The stories of the
residents of Avenue Q, a low rent area in an outer borough of New York,
include young adults just out of college trying to find their purpose in
life, make it in the world and connect with each other. The show is
structured around an only slightly updated version of the traditional “boy
meets girl, boy wins girl, boy looses girl, boy and girl get back together”
story that has driven hundreds of musicals. It is decked out with a number
of subplots involving the friendship between a gay man and his straight
roommate, an interracial marriage, a “monster” who stays cooped up in his
apartment surfing the net for porn, and the apartment house super, who was a
television child star but is now a has-been.
As
unique as this show is, and it is truly one of a kind, its roots are in the
time-tested traditions of the Broadway musical, and therein lies the key to
its success. Not just a string of clever songs and sketches, this plot
driven evening has more in common with The Producers than the
episodic kid’s show it emulates. It takes an incongruous concept to the
extremes of silliness and fills it with a score featuring drop-dead funny
lyrics set to music that is bright, catchy and superbly appropriate for each
individual moment. Then, just when you think it has reached the limit of
absurdity, it introduces elements of schmaltz involving the relationships
between characters about whom the audience has come to care. The concept
works every time it is used by creators who know their craft, and here it is
clear that songwriters Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, who came up with the
concept while studying this craft at the legendary BMI Musical Theatre
Workshop, playwright Jeff Whitty, and director Jason Moore, each know
theirs quite well indeed.
Three of the original cast
are currently with the show, but the two principal performers are new.
Barrett Foa is both the gay man who tries to avoid detection by singing
about "My Girlfriend Who Lives in Canada" and the newly arrived college grad
("What Do You Do With A BA In English?"). Mary Faber is both the
teacher he asks out on a date ("What are you doing tonight?" "Grading term
papers. But its kindergarten so they're short.") and Lucy the Slut who promises to slip
him her phone number when his date goes to the bathroom. Both are great at
manipulating their puppets as well as selling their songs and scenes.
Natalie Venetia Belcon is still doing her impersonation of Gary Coleman, if
slightly by rote. Ann Sanders and Evan Harrington now team up as the
unemployed comic and his Japanese wife who objects to the term "Oriental"
but prefers "Asian-American" in the song "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist."
All
but three of the dozen main characters are puppets, making puppet design
critical. These designs are by Rick Lyon, who also appears in the cast
manipulating a number of his creations including the monster who informs the
kindergarten teacher that "The Internet Is For Porn." His creations are cleverly derivative,
affectionately mimicking the clean, clear characterization of the best of
the late Jim Henson’s work for Sesame Street and The Muppets. An added bonus
is the energy he brings to all his songs. Anna Louizos matches his whimsy in
her set design with touches like a forced perspective view of the top of the
Empire State Building complete with wind to blow the hair of one puppet.
Touches like this keep the show fresh all evening long.
Concept, music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx. Book by Jeff Whitty.
Directed by Jason Moore. Puppets conceived and designed by Rick Lyon.
Choreographed by Ken Roberson. Musical direction and incidental music by
Gary Adler. Music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Stephen
Oremus. Design: Anna Louizos (set) Mirena Rada (costumes) Howell Binkley
(lights) Robert Lopez (animation) Acme Sound Partners (sound). Cast:
Jennifer Barnhart, Natalie Venetia Belcon, Mary Faber, Barrett Foa, Evan
Harrington, Rick Lyon, Ann Sanders. |
