#1
Posted: 1/14/05 at 11:33pm
i've been lurking on the board for quite some time but i saw avenue q tonight and must post a review. i decided to do the lottery on a complete whim tonight. my friend who was in town came to put her name in for me since she had plans tonight. her name got picked so i got to keep her ticket. walking into the theater, i hadn't realized just how close the front row was. i've seen wicked front row a few times but i felt like it wasn't as close. ANYWAYS. the only understudies were Angela Ai as Christmas Eve and Carmen Ruby Floyd as Gary Coleman. I loved the overture and the whole tv idea. After reading the bio of the composers and how they wanted Avenue Q to be a tv show, it made sense to have the tv screens throughout the show.
John Tartaglia. Amazing. I love the man. From the minute the lights went on him to the curtain call, he had the most amazing open presence to him. He really made me care of the characters and made us feel for those damn puppets. The most touching moment was in the second act when he tells Christmas Eve he misses Nicky. Stephanie D'Abruzzo has this amazing quiet confidence to her as Kate Monster and totally gets the sex appeal down without overdoing it as Lucy. She stood right in front of me so many times and I noticed it mostly with her and John, but their eyes realy sparkle. Maybe it's the lighting. Maybe not. But they really did shine.
The rest of the cast was really strong. I remember seeing Broadway on Broadway on tv and thinking how it must suck for Jennifer Barnhart to share a lot of the puppets but i watched her a lot and she was in the moment as every single puppet she switched off and appreciated her even more than I had thought. As for the understudies..... I feel like the show is so strong and the writing is strong that even a mediocre actor could pull it off. Angela Ai looked uncomfortable on stage. She was really funny at parts and I liked the choices she made especially in The More You Ruv Someone. I just wish she had committed more and gone further. Carmen Ruby Floyd was alright. Her face went expressionless sometimes and looked like someone who had done the part a million times and was tired of it. If I were an understudy, I'd take advantage of the opportunity. Maybe she was just not feeling it tonight.
I really had an amazing time at Avenue Q. So original and CHARMING. I was laughing the entire show but also was into the character's stories. Not to state the obvious but it really is sesame street for young adults. I'd love to see it again. But I'm so glad I got to see John before he left because he really shines and when he came out for his curtain all he looked soooooo appreciate and grateful.
John Tartaglia. Amazing. I love the man. From the minute the lights went on him to the curtain call, he had the most amazing open presence to him. He really made me care of the characters and made us feel for those damn puppets. The most touching moment was in the second act when he tells Christmas Eve he misses Nicky. Stephanie D'Abruzzo has this amazing quiet confidence to her as Kate Monster and totally gets the sex appeal down without overdoing it as Lucy. She stood right in front of me so many times and I noticed it mostly with her and John, but their eyes realy sparkle. Maybe it's the lighting. Maybe not. But they really did shine.
The rest of the cast was really strong. I remember seeing Broadway on Broadway on tv and thinking how it must suck for Jennifer Barnhart to share a lot of the puppets but i watched her a lot and she was in the moment as every single puppet she switched off and appreciated her even more than I had thought. As for the understudies..... I feel like the show is so strong and the writing is strong that even a mediocre actor could pull it off. Angela Ai looked uncomfortable on stage. She was really funny at parts and I liked the choices she made especially in The More You Ruv Someone. I just wish she had committed more and gone further. Carmen Ruby Floyd was alright. Her face went expressionless sometimes and looked like someone who had done the part a million times and was tired of it. If I were an understudy, I'd take advantage of the opportunity. Maybe she was just not feeling it tonight.
I really had an amazing time at Avenue Q. So original and CHARMING. I was laughing the entire show but also was into the character's stories. Not to state the obvious but it really is sesame street for young adults. I'd love to see it again. But I'm so glad I got to see John before he left because he really shines and when he came out for his curtain all he looked soooooo appreciate and grateful.
