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Avenue Q
Music and Lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx,
Book by Jeff Whitty
Directed by Jason Moore
Puppets Conceived and Designed by Rick Lyon
Broadway in Chicago
Cadillac Palace Theatre
151 W. Randolph St.
Wednesdays through Sundays
$25-75
(312) 902-1400
Running time is 2 hours, 15 minutes with intermission
Through June 7, 2008
Avenue Q earns an A+
Three weeks is just not enough. That's the length of time Avenue Q will be playing the Cadillac Palace. In fact, if you are reading this a few days, or a week from now, you have even less time to see this clever, award winning production which leaves town June 7!
What a delightful production – clever staging, sprightly score, unusual use of engaging puppets, neat incorporation of video, talented cast, and delightful risqué humor, all of which enhance the goofy, upbeat story line.
Avenue Q won 2004 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical (Jeff Whitty) and Best Original Score (Jeff Marx), and in addition was nominated for best performances by a leading actress, leading actor and best director!
The song titles, themselves, give some idea of the hilarious ground covered by a finely honed cast playing characters who are seeking employment, love, and self awareness on a dingy street far from the downtown action:
The Internet Is For Porn
If You Were Gay
What Do You Do With A B.A. In English?
I'm Not Wearing Underwear Today
Schadenfreude
It Sucks To Be Me
Everyone's A Little Bit Racist
A deliciously odd multicultural group of people (many -- but not all -- sporting puppets) live on the Avenue in a boarding house where former child star Gary Coleman (Carla Renata) is the superintendent.
We first meet Princeton (Robert McClure), a 23-year old with a worthless college degree seeking cheap housing, and then move on to his love interest Kate Monster (Kelli Sawyer), a young kindergarten teacher's aide. Lucy T. Slut (also played by Sawyer), provides competition for Princeton's favors. Other residents include would-be comedian Brian (played by Cole Porter in Act I and Cullen R. Titmas in act II) and his sweetie Christmas Eve (Angela Ai), a gay tenant, Rod (also played by McClure), and his roommate Nicky (David Benoit).
All have excellent voices, and those manning puppets manage to submerge their own persona into the manikins brilliantly in a unique blending that results in more than the sum of its parts.
Avenue Q certainly deserves an A + for originality and creativity and got a deserved standing ovation on opening night. Only three weeks in Chicago…. That's certainly not enough!
Highly Recommended
Beverly Friend
friend@oakton.edu for comments
Date Reviewed: May 24,2008
Avenue Q
Review by Tom Williams
Avenue Q finally arrived in Chicago for a 3 week run at the Cadillac Palace Theatre through June 7th. Don’t miss this funny, sassy and thoroughly engaging musical. Avenue Q is a puppet oriented musical about a group of low achieving 20-30somethings trying to make their way in New York city. They strive to find love and purpose while living in the low rent district of Avenue Q. The show is a tribute to all the children’s puppet shows that many grew up with—a sort of Sesame Street meet the Real World. It is NOT for children due to several funny sexual references including two puppets having sex on stage.
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Filled with both live characters and puppets, Avenue Q’s world strives to teach its folks adult life lessons such as paying bills, getting a job and finding love. The street is filled with cute characters such as Princeton—a recent college graduate who arrives at Avenue Q to find his life purpose. He meets Kate Monster—a kindergarten teaching assistant who seeks a boyfriend. Her goal is to start a special school for Monsters. Nicky—a slacker and Rod’s roommate; Rod—Nicky’s roommate, a Republican investment banker who won’t admit he’s gay. Trekkie Monster—is a recluse porn addict; Lucy the Slut is a sexy cabaret singer.Gary Coleman—the former child star and present building super; Christmas Eve is a feisty Japanese therapist and Brian’s fiancé. Brian is a 32 year old aspiring and unemployed comedian. The Bad Idea Bears are Princeton and Kate’s inner devils while Mrs. T is Kate’s boss and elderly head teacher.
These folks tell their clever story through smart, funny songs that present as rhythmic and infectious little ditties. Songs like “It Sucks to Be Me” and “The Internet is for Porn” fuel the wacky adventures this group of ambivalent, indecisive and under achieving people are struggling with. We see each learning life lessons as each embrace the ups and down of adult city life. We relate and sympathize with these young folks. Their struggles are a mirror of us—they make us laugh as we laugh at ourselves.
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This clever and tightly staged musical features excellent puppet work that delivers Lopez and Marx’s clever lyrics on their bouncy score to the delight of audiences. On its opening night the audience reaction was a cheerful standing ovation after 2 hours of laughter. The ensemble cast, especially Robert McClure (Princeton & Rob) and Kelli Sawyer (Kate Monster, Lucy and others), worked hard and succeeded in a most invigorating performance. Avenue Q is a light-hearted, yet sophisticated musical that speaks to a generation struggling to find their purpose. Along the way, Avenue Q thoroughly entertains. The wait is now over, see this hilarious musical. Avenue Q beat out Wicker for the Tony award for Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score & Lyrics—come see why.
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@Chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: May 21, 2008
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