Ave. Q

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 9/26/03 at 9:50am

We have only heard from a few of you about this show. I think it looks like great fun, but it does not seem to be very popular on this board. What do you all think about it, or have you all just ignored it and gone to see TMM or Phantom again?

By the way it will be on the VIEW this morning.

Updated On: 9/26/03 at 09:50 AM

[Madame X]

Posted: 9/26/03 at 9:58am

I absolutely LOVED it...just so different and entertaining. And hits close to home as someone in her mid 20's making her way through the city. I don't post much, but I am seeing the show again soon. I saw it on 8/1 and then will be seeing it again in Oct. My friends are so tired of hearing me "bullying" them to see this show. They're like - are there any awards? Who's in it? (grrr) I say - JUST GO!

But I am seeing Millie again soon though :p.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 9/26/03 at 10:20am

I saw it with my friend Richard at the Vineyard in late April, right after we had just lost two major assignments and had just spent dinner commisserating over the fact that both our work situations were going through a precarious period and we didn't know when our next assignments would be. Right after "It Sucks to be Me", Richard turned to me and laughingly said "LcZ...WHY are they SINGING about US?!" As both of us were also going through boyfriend problems, we laughed and nodded in recognition through "The More You Ruv Someone". And we found great comfort in the finale, "For Now".

I actually think it's the most adult musical on Broadway. Although wrapped in cuddly plush and fur and misleadingly tagged "Sesame Street meets South Park", it's far more than a dirty riff on children's TV. AVENUE Q has a very breezy way of targeting adult insecurities and neuroses through simple and bouncy tunes which have (To my ears) a bracing honesty that is very affecting. It's sweet-natured and funny, but has a strong undercurrent of melancholy too.

The puppet sex scene reminded me of the time I put Barbie on top of Ken for the first time. Then GI Joe on top of Ken.

And here's some scoop I hear from a well-connected friend, there will be a cast signing of the AVENUE Q Cd at the Lincoln Center Tower records on Monday, September 13 from 5-6.

Updated On: 9/26/03 at 10:20 AM

[little-sally]

Posted: 9/26/03 at 10:36am

Its a great show! All I got to say is...the Trekky monster actor (puppitier) needs a new hair do. Someone send out the gay eye men on this guy. He has amazing talent and needs the look to match.

Posted: 9/26/03 at 10:42am

LcZ, you're absolutely right. Avenue Q will be at Tower on 66th to sign their album.

Also going to be there sometime soon is Pavarotti. Remember when you couldn't touch that man (unless you were in his female entourage)? Now he's performing at Tower Records. Quelle tragique.

Posted: 9/26/03 at 11:11am

I cannot wait to see Avenue Q. I wish I had a thousand dollars.

I would go to NYC and see
Avenue Q
Wicked
Little Shop of Horrors
The Boy from Oz
Hairspray
Taboo
The Lion King
42nd Street

and probably tkts on whatever else I could gte my hands on.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 9/26/03 at 11:17am

But the point I was trying to make was why is this show not catching on with the younger audiences? There are no posters here using any of the Ave. Q images as their avatar, no one using any of the character names as their screen name, no one listing it on the favorites thread...

Will this show ever catch on like LSOH, TMM or Hairspray? Or is it too off-beat to be mainstream?

[Madame X]

Posted: 9/26/03 at 11:29am

Is Columbus Day 10/7 this year? - the date of the release

Edited to say:

Also - from some of the other posts - this board is pretty young. Maybe they don't "get it" as much since it is an adult themed show.

Updated On: 9/26/03 at 11:29 AM

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 9/26/03 at 12:14pm

Well, do I count as young? I'm 21

I absolutely loved Avenue Q! I cannot wait to go back and see it again. I really think everyone can relate to it in some way, even a small way. One thing that bothered me was the fact that the actors had to switch puppets so much...sometimes in one scene. I would suggest they get more people, but then I guess it would be cluttered. Besides the actors in the show are incredibely talented. Stephanie D'Abruzzo and Ann Harada have 2 of the greatest singing voices ever; and John Tartaglia is as talented as he is handsome.

My favorite parts were:
The wedding scene
The Porn song
"It Sucks to be Me"
When Rod has his realization that he's gay.

I cannot wait until the cast recording comes out! I believe it's being released October 7th.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 9/26/03 at 12:34pm

Suleen, I think (sadly) it's too odd a duck for the mainstream, though I think the powers-that-be are having a hard time figuring out how to market it in print ads and posters. I think the uninitiated might be confused by the posters of close-ups of Kate, Lucy Rob & Trekkie (Those that already know the show 'get it'). I'm curious how the great full-page ad in the Sunday TIMES a few weeks ago went over. I do hear that 'If You Were Gay' on BROADWAY ON BROADWAY was a great selling spot for the show. But I do think this is a real "WORD OF MOUTH" show. So if you loved it as most of us here..SPREAD THE WORD!

Updated On: 9/26/03 at 12:34 PM

[QueenS]

Posted: 9/26/03 at 12:53pm

I think that if the show can hold on, it will become more and more of a cult hit. Does anyone know if they are doing a TV campaign yet? Running them during Simpsons, South Park, Family Guy, etc could hit a good target audience for them.

I have to say that the poster campaign would probably not make me want to see the show if I didn't know anything else about it.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 9/26/03 at 12:59pm

QueenS, that's a GREAT idea. You should Email the folks at the AVENUE Q site and suggest it to them.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 9/26/03 at 1:20pm

I think Avenue Q's main problem in selling is also its strongest point... the puppets. They add a lot, but to a lot of people, particularly teens who are concerned with looking 'cool', puppets are something to be avoided.

I agree with the TV campaign ad idea.

Perhaps if they showed John Tartaglia shirtless in those jeans..........

[StinKer Roadmann]

Posted: 9/26/03 at 1:31pm

Avenue Q was actually on The View this morning. It was quite entertaining. I've not seen it yet, but I definitely would like to go after seeing today's performance.

[MusicMan]

Posted: 9/26/03 at 1:37pm

Well, I'm sure their marketing people have already considered all the possibilities.
MasterLCZ hits it right on the head. In terms of sensibility, the show doesn't belong on Broadway. It's a hard sell with theater parties and it's not a children's show. The producers would have been better off keeping it Off-Broadway like Little Shop 20 years ago, though they claim the numbers wouldn't have worked, which, given the costs, is entirely possible (and which is why they may appear to be short-staffed in terms of actors onstage). According to the Variety grosses, the show has never surpassed 80% capacity and, in fact, has slipped in recent weeks, which is curious considering the reviews the show received. Perhaps audiences just aren't interested in "edgier" shows like Avenue Q and Bat Boy, another show with a similar sensibility which got glowing reviews and, even Off-Broadway, did no business. Updated On: 9/26/03 at 01:37 PM

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 9/26/03 at 2:01pm

Sadly, when I saw it, there were 2 people sitting in front of me who left during the intermission. I guess it just wasn't their taste, but everyone else around me seemed to be having a great time.
At one point, a couple of the characters are trying to raise money, so they are singing a song and asking the other characters to donate some money...lol and then they all turn to the audience at once and start singing the song to them and asking them for money. They actually go into the audience with the puppets. LOL Obviously you're not actually expected to give them anything, but I did see one guy laughing and he put $1 in the hat for sport. It was really so much fun.

[jakebloke]

Posted: 9/26/03 at 6:50pm

The most entertaining show on Broadway right now.....go see it!!

[JO125]

Posted: 9/26/03 at 7:59pm

Saw it off-broadway and loved it. So funny and original. Going back next week with friends who have never seen it.

Posted: 9/27/03 at 1:22pm

I saw Avenue Q in its previews in July and loved it.

Everyone in that shows helps make it hilarious. There is no one designated person who leads the show. The songs are great. Now during school my best friend and I jump in singing either Everyone's A Little Bit Racist (I get to sing Christmas Eve's part) and The Internet is for PORN! John was soooooooo funny at the very end when Nicky found him Ricky, and he walked away with BOTH of them.

My favorite part of the show was at the end. I think it was everyone's favorite. Everyone, and I mean, everyone in the audience was clapping and hurray-ing to this lyric:

It's only for now.....George Bush!

Ahh Theatrical Liberals. We are the best.

The other structure I think makes the show that much better are the Self-Help Television Dialogue scenes.

PURPOSE ...... PROPOSE! Updated On: 9/27/03 at 01:22 PM

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 9/27/03 at 2:45pm

OMG, I almost forgot about "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist." I thought that song was so funny and so true.

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 9/27/03 at 3:51pm

I can't wait to get the cast album for this show!

[superperson]

Posted: 9/27/03 at 3:57pm

All teens are concerned with looking cool? If that were true, they wouldn't be going to Broadway shows in the first place. They'd all be smoking pot and cutting class.

[swishysarah]

Posted: 9/27/03 at 5:06pm

I'm 16, and I love musical theatre. I'm DYING to see Ave. Q, but I'm not sure seeing puppets having sex next to my parents would be the most pleasant experience.

But I can tell you, most teens aren't as self-concious as they're played up to be. I could care less if someone knew I saw a show with *GASP* puppets in it. It's funny and entertaining :)

Oh and the kids who skip school and smoke pot where I live are the losers, not those of us who don't.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 9/27/03 at 5:09pm

LOL I'm 21 years old, and I still wouldn't want to sit with my parents during that show!

I can't wait for the Cast Recording either. I'm considering going to the cd signing.