The Kalamazoo Civic Theatre is currently playing the first community theatre in the country to produce AVENUE Q.
(Taken from their website)
"Believe it or not, the first Tony Award-winning Broadway show ever to boast “full puppet nudity” is coming to Kalamazoo. We have been chosen as the first community theatre in the country to pilot this exciting new work. So, brace yourself! It’s a little bit naughty and a whole lot of fun, kind of like Sesame Street meets South Park. Life may suck on Avenue Q, but for a bright-eyed college graduate named Princeton, this is his new neighborhood. A tiny bank balance and a bunch of weird and wonderful friends and neighbors lead Princeton on a hilarious journey of self-discovery. They may look familiar but these puppets and their human counterparts have an irreverent take on life in the big city. If you’re looking for a refreshing dose of political incorrectness, you’ll want to be first in the queue for Avenue Q. (Adult Themes, Situations, and Language)"
I'll be seeing the production soon, and I promise to review it.
Photos
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/29/04
Very, very interesting. I'm wondering about the puppets, whether they're rented out or built by each theatre who will be doing the show. In either case, they're very similar and well-made, it seems (albeit a tad off).
I am wondering if Lyon's puppet company will make a set for each production to rent.
They do come off as a tad off from the original ones.
I believe they are rented.
They seem to be Home-made...which must be very difficult to do...
Still on Broadway and with a barely 6-months-old tour, and they're allowing licensed productions already? (Possible, I know-- but I'd be surprised)
Is Christmas Eve even played by an (the-term-is) Asian-American?
Updated On: 1/23/08 at 08:16 PM
Just looked at their schedule for the year-- interesting, with some ambitious choices. Best of luck to them!
Said with no sarcasm, before somebody jumps down my throat.
jpbran: It's been on Broadway for a while, so it's not like it's brand new.
Puppets are rented.
So?
Most shows don't allow regional productions until they've closed on Broadway. There are exceptions but most adhere to this practice.
Question, how long of a drive is it from Chicago to Kalamazoo? I might drive out there to see it.
www.maps.google.com
(depends on which part of Chicago you're in... people who live as far out as Naperville sometimes refer to themselves as living in Chicago...)
Oh, and I know when it opened on Broadway-- I saw it two months later.
I was mainly just surprised because they launched the much-delayed tour only about 6 months ago. Still-on-Broadway + new tour (usually) = no community productions, no?
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/12/05
WoW. Those puppets look very similar. Although I haven't seen it for a while on Broadway, I believe Lucy's lips are much larger in this production. And Trekkie's teeth are quite different. And some of the puppets are wearing different outfits....like Nicky and Rod's pajamas.
Ok, I am looking into this way too much.
Looks pretty good though
There eyes seem to be always looking up. It's (as others have said) a tad . . . off.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/1/08
The Avenue Q national tour was delayed because of the Las Vegas production. The producers of the Vegas show were promised no national tour would go out as long as it ran in Vegas. Well, now that's closed in Vegas, a tour an finally go out.
I know Gary Coleman! Haha Thats fun to say! I was in Beauty & The Beast with the guy who plays GC in this production. He's awesome!
I think they look great! Hope the show goes very well!
Featured Actor Joined: 4/16/05
Rights for amateur productions of not only this, but Spelling Bee, and Rent (even though that's old news already) too, are out. Stagedoor Manor summer camp did the MTI workshops for student versions of Avenue Q and Rent last summer, and this summer Frenchwoods (where I go) is doing the MTI workshop for Spelling Bee, and we're doing a production of the version of Avenue Q SDM workshopped last year. I'm pretty excited =D
Spellingbeefan- It normally takes 2 1/2-3 hours to drive to Kzoo depending on where you are. (Both Kalamazoo and Chicago are along I-94)
Looks good.
Wow... I hope those aren't the puppets that they're renting out! Those are pretty rough looking...
Featured Actor Joined: 5/8/06
Those can't possibly be the rented puppets. Aside from Nicky, each one is very off-model, like a bad Disney movie imitation (hint: look in the 5-dollar bin at Wal-Mart)...Lyon would definitely do a couple sets to rent, especially now that he doesn't have the show on his hands...
They don't seem to be double-casting Princeton/Rod, Kate/Lucy, and Nicky/Trekkie.
Mr. Lyon's owns his own company that builds these puppets for (as of now) all of the current productions of Ave.Q.
The set looks cute!
Videos