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“Everything in life is only for now.”
I still remember watching the 2004 Tony Awards, when a musical I’d never heard of, called Avenue Q, took home the award for Best Musical. I turned to my husband and said, “I’ve never heard of that one. What is it?” His response: “Oh…it’s the one with the puppets.”
Puppets? What the heck was a puppet show doing on Broadway?
At first, the more I heard about the show, the less inclined I was to like it. My initial impression was that it was nothing more than Muppet rip-offs saying dirty words and doing naughty things, and that its huge success was mostly due to its shock value—sort of like the TV show South Park. And the first two songs I heard, “The Internet is for Porn” and “If You Were Gay,” didn’t exactly help its case.
But then I started hearing really great things about the show from people whose opinion I respect a lot. So, with great reluctance, I decided to give the cast recording a listen—and I’m so glad I did.
Yes, the puppets are clearly modeled after Henson Workshop creations. And yes, the lyrics (and the action on stage) can be raunchy at times. But beyond that, there’s a great story, fantastic performances by the puppeteers and human cast members, and—most importantly—a lot of heart. Besides, the show is hysterical.
Avenue Q is the story of a group of 20-something neighbors struggling to get their careers, romances, and lives together. At the center is Princeton, a recent college grad searching desperately for his purpose in life, and Kate Monster, a kindergarten teacher who has a crush on him. The rest of the puppet group consists of Rod, an uptight Republican investment banker who may or may not be gay, his roommate, Nicky, and the vulgar—but still funny—Trekkie Monster. Rounding out the group is a chorus of adult characters, including Brian, a struggling comedian, his fiancée, Christmas Eve, and the landlord, Gary Coleman (yes, that Gary Coleman).
I was really pleasantly surprised by how good this show’s music was. For every song that’s designed to make the audience giggle (like “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist” and “It Sucks to Be Me”), there’s a sweet song like “Mix Tape,” or a classic ballad like “There’s a Fine, Fine Line.” Make no mistake: Avenue Q looks like a puppet show, but it’s a classic Broadway musical through and through.
One quick note to parents: Do not be fooled by the cute puppets. This CD has a Parental Advisory sticker on it for a reason. While I found the music to be very enjoyable, it has a lot of adult content in it and is definitely not for kids.
Avenue Q is one of the best shows that I’ve discovered in the last couple of years, and I still can’t believe that I was so reluctant to give it a try at first. Anyone’s who’s been through the so-called “quarter-life crisis” after college will certainly be able to relate to this musical.
And have I mentioned that it’s hysterical?
Want to hear a few tracks for yourself? Listen for free at Napster.
