Now, that brings whole new meaning to the term, “Afterschool Special.”
“Avenue Q” is a daring, doe-eyed adult musical that depicts copulating muppets and delivers razor-sharp commentaries that will actually have you laughing at racism, political correctness … and interspecies puppet sex.
Fresh air or foul wind from the Ellie Caulkins Opera House? Depends on your politics and sensibilities … and just in time for the reigniting culture wars! (Or should we say lipstick wars?)
Forget what would Jesus do … What would Sarah Palin say? One guess.
Others thought highly enough of “Avenue Q” in 2004 to make it one of the biggest upset best-musical Tony Award winners in Broadway history. The first national tour finally arrived in Denver this week.
Yes, “Avenue Q” is shocking, sophomoric, profane. It’s also laced with positive messages about tolerance, inclusion and integration: proof-positive that a musical can be both adorable and incendiary at once.
“Avenue Q” directly targets audiences’ nostalgic attachment to “Sesame Street,” a brilliant conceit considering every American for the past 40 years, no matter their adult stripe, has one. “Q” is performed in the same style. The puppets (designed by a Jim Henson puppeteer) and the multiethnic urban setting look the same. There are familiar adult male roommates (just friends!) and humans mingling with cuddly creatures, teaching one other negligibly positive messages about life.
But “Avenue Q” is also injected with the juvenile wickedness of “South Park.” The cookie monster is, here, a porn monster. The brilliant “Bad Idea Bears” giddily goad others into making very bad decisions (like spending your parents’ money on beer!).
And to think: Five years ago, people were freaking out here that a show was coming to town with “Urine” in the title.
Ridiculing the self-absorption of John Mayer’s “quarter-life crisis” generation, the “Tales from the City” denizens of “Avenue Q” sing bitingly comic songs like, “It Sucks To Be Me,” “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist,” “You Can Be as Loud as the Hell You Want (When You’re Makin’ Love)” and, the coup de disgrace: a Japanese woman belting out, “The More You Ruv Someone” (seriously). One song is about the joy we all get from laughing at other people’s expense.
How’s that for a lesson plan, kids?
And yet, “Avenue Q” is the most human coming-of-age story to emerge from the contemporary American theater in years.
The story revolves around unemployed Princeton, who rents a cheap room in an unnamed New York borough and sets off to find his purpose, a journey complemented by clever “Conjunction Junction”-style animation. When he falls for a cutie-pie monster named Kate, he’s afraid not of her species but, like most his age, of settling down. His neighbor is Rod, an uptight, repressed suit fighting his homosexual inclination. Sure, go ahead and chortle at the woman who plays ex-child star Gary Coleman (he’s the hard-luck building super). Laugh when the Bad Idea Bears give Princeton the rope he needs to hang himself. But these two moving subplots play out with full emotional impact.
Part of the resonance comes from the uncanny onstage synchronicity between actor and puppet. “Avenue Q” is staged with fully visible human puppeteers fluidly manipulating their oversized hand puppets. Your focus may freely shift at times from the puppets, to the faces of the expressive human actors, to appreciating the mirrored precision between the two, who become as one.
On opening night, terrific understudy Seth Rettberg was devastatingly charming as both Princeton and the tormented Rod — a “corner of the sky” performance worthy of “Pippin.” So too, the heartbreaking Anika Larsen as Kate Monster and her rival, Lucy the Slut.
“Avenue Q” rocked Broadway five years ago, but has since settled in as a Times Square fixture. That’s progress. On opening night in Denver, there were surprisingly few intermission walkouts. Progress, too. Instead, audiences from 18 to 80 were on their feet at the end. Better still.
Could all that signal hope that we Americans may be getting over our sexual hang-ups? That we might be becoming more tolerant, less hypocritical, less uptight and, best of all, less judgmental of the private behavior of others?
The miracle of “Avenue Q,” would argue so.
If only that concurrent presidential election didn’t argue so voraciously otherwise.
“Avenue Q” ***1/2 (out of four stars)
Adult puppet musical National touring production at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver Performing Arts Complex. Through Sept. 21. 2 hours, 15 minutes. 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sundays. $25-$95. 303-893-4100, all King Soopers or go to Inappropriate for under 13.
Note to readers
On opening night, actor Cole Porter took ill after the opening number and was replaced by Colorado Springs native Cullen R. Titmas. The twin roles of Princeton and Rod will be played by Seth Rettberg through Sept. 10; by Titmas on Sept. 11 and by Robert McClure from Sept. 12-21.
This weekend’s theater openings
“1776” The singing story of the Continental Congress, performed in northern Colorado for the first time in 30 years. Through Saturday only. Greeley Community Theatre Troupe at the Union Colony Civic Center, 701 10th St., Greeley, 970-356-5000 or
“Escanaba In Love”Jeff Daniels’ comic prequel to “Escanaba in Da Moonlight,” about a family of silly Upper Michigan hunters (Yoopers), with a whole lot of flatulence and regional mysticism thrown in. Through Oct. 12. Aurora Fox, 9900 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, 303-739-1970 or
“Late Night Catechism” Audience members are the students in a catechism class led by “Sister” in this popular, interactive and inoffensive Catholic comedy. Through Sept. 21. New Denver Civic Theatre, 721 Santa Fe Drive, 303-309-3773 or
“My Name Is Rachel Corrie” One-woman show culled from the journals of the American college student who went to the Middle East to support Palestinian human rights and was killed while working as a human shield in front of a home bulldozed by an Israeli soldier. Corrie’s mother, Cindy, speaks after performances tonight and Saturday. Through Sept. 28. Presented by Theatre 13 at the Dairy Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-443-2122 or
“Pure Piaf” Alex Ryer reprises her seductive, New York-bound biographical cabaret that covers the life and music of France’s Little Sparrow. “Listen to me,” she orders. “First in your life, fall in love.” Though lost love was Piaf’s undoing. Through Oct. 19. Bas Bleu Theatre, 401 Pine St., Fort Collins, 970-498-8949 or
“Tiny Alice” Edward Albee tale explores the relationship between religious ecstasy and orgasmic pleasure. Through Oct. 12. Germinal Stage-Denver, 2450 W. 44th Ave., 303-455-7108
“You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” The musical stage homage to the popular “Peanuts” comic strip. Appropriate for all ages. Through Sept. 28. MSI Theatre Productions, Englewood Civic Center, 1000 Englewood Parkway, 303-806-8196 or .
Compiled by John Moore
Complete theater listings
Go to our complete list of every currently running production in Colorado, including summaries, run dates, addresses, phones and links to every company’s home page.
This week’s podcast: Running Lines at …
This week, Denver Post theater critic John Moore reports with guests at a gathering of the shuttered Barn’s former employees and patrons, including Recorded Sept. 1, 2008. To listen, click on the miniplayer’s triangular “play” button, above, and the podcast will begin playing without your having to download. Or, right-click on the “download MP3” option to save a copy to your own desktop. Run time: 19 minutes.
Bonus: To see a slideshow of photos and video performance excerpts from the big night,
