Will we ever see Avenue Q again?

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 4:25pm

I miss Avenue Q, it was perfect at New World Stages, please bring it back soon producers!!

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 5:33pm

Broadway Flash said: "I miss Avenue Q, it was perfect at New World Stages, please bring it back soon producers!!"

Its combined Broadway and off Broadway run took it from 2003 to 2019. That’s not a long enough run for you??

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 5:42pm

I want to see it again and think it would do very well if it came back. It’s one of those shows that should always be in New York. 

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 6:15pm

Let it live in regional theatres. It's a very dated show, I'm sorry. 

[Zeppie2022]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 6:42pm

I loved the show but like another poster said, it ran long enough on Broadway and Off-Broadway and does not really need to come back. 

[South Florida]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 6:44pm

Avenue Q was a great show, and the smile never left my face, but it had no business beating out Wicked. Much like The Book of Mormon, it is entertaining, but only once.

[Musicaldudepeter]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 6:53pm

I recently saw WICKED, and sorry, but it is a truly awful show. Terrible book. Awful songs. Maybe it was fresh as hell in 2003, but now-- my GOD. 

[Kad]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 6:54pm

I saw it shortly before it closed at NWS and "Everybody's a Little Bit Racist" - which I recall killing with audiences in the 00s when I saw it on Broadway and later on tour- landed with an uncomfortable thud. There's a lot of good stuff in the show but there are other bits of "edgy" early aughts humor that just doesn't land anymore.

And Caroline, or Change should've been the big winner that year, but unfortunately was totally ran over by these two productions.

Updated On: 8/13/24 at 06:54 PM

[Zeppie2022]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 6:55pm

"I recently saw WICKED, and sorry, but it is a truly awful show. Terrible book. Awful songs. Maybe it was fresh as hell in 2003, but now-- my GOD. "

Have no idea what that has to do with thread about "Avenue Q" but to each their own.

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 7:11pm

Well then maybe they should change the lyrics to “everyone’s still a little bit racist”

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 7:32pm

Zeppie2022 said: ""I recently saw WICKED, and sorry, but it is a truly awful show. Terrible book. Awful songs. Maybe it was fresh as hell in 2003, but now-- my GOD. "

Have no idea what that has to do with thread about "Avenue Q" butto each their own."

It was a response to the post directly preceding it, which was about Avenue Q beating Wicked. Not particularly difficult to follow.

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 7:40pm

Beyond the show's somewhat questionable racial politics, there are elements in the show that are dated in a way that will play very differently now, just because of the passage of time.

Kate Monster doing "something relevant, something modern: the Internet!" now makes her seem hopelessly behind the times, for one.

[kdogg36]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 7:41pm

Zeppie2022 said: "Have no idea what that has to do with thread about "Avenue Q" butto each their own."

Well, the poster directly above said that Avenue Q had no business beating Wicked for the big Tony Award. I happen to think that Avenue Q is a better show than Wicked, and am very sympathetic to the claim that Caroline, or Change might be a better show than both, but I didn't see the original production of that one.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 7:41pm

Broadway Flash said: "Well then maybe they should change the lyrics to “everyone’s still a little bit racist”"

Yeah I don't think that's what's gonna fix it...

[kdogg36]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 7:45pm

darquegk said: "Kate Monster doing "something relevant, something modern: the Internet!" now makes her seem hopelessly behind the times, for one."

True, but does that require much more than a revision of that specific sentence? It seems like it still would make sense to create a lesson plan for little kids about using the internet (which I would have capitalized in 2003 but not now!). Come to think of it, it's still modern and relevant, so I am not sure I see any problem at all.

[Kad]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 7:50pm

I think the wording of that line is a little wonky in 2024 but I generally agree. 

However, a mixtape is something that is absolutely dated. And, of course, the datedness of Gary Coleman as a cultural reference is something the show already had to grapple with. I’m not sure that the easiest solution- doing it as a period piece- would necessarily be sufficient to address some things. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 8:15pm

I've seen a few local theaters do it over the past few years and it's still funny. But unless there's something changed to it, it won't be back on Bway anytime soon.

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 8:46pm

But it’s also very moving.  I love a story of people finding themselves.  I think it won best musical for the same reason that a lot of these musicals win best musical; the gayness

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 9:02pm

Kad said: "And Caroline, or Change should've been the big winner that year, but unfortunately was totally ran over by these two productions."

Amen.

 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 9:06pm

Kad said: "However, a mixtape is something that is absolutely dated."

True, but "playlist" scans almost as well. 

I agree that some things will need an update, but I suspect this Best Musical will have a Broadway revival before Passion does. (I adore both shows, for radically different reasons!)

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 9:30pm

The internet is still for porn, and you can still be as loud as the hell you want

[quizking101]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 9:44pm

Even when I saw it in 2019 before it closed, I had some chuckles, but it was remarkably dated and the humor seemed to have lost its luster. What was subversive in 2004 (much like BOM in 2011) would likely register less of a comedic reaction and more displeasure that even treating it as a period piece would fix. 

It had a LONG time in the sun and I don’t think anyone involved knew it had legs for a 15 year run. There are many shows from the 90s/00s that are due for revisiting, but this isn’t one of them 

[Tag]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 9:50pm

They actually stifled their success with the Vegas-exclusive production.  Avenue Q could have been, and should have been much bigger.

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 10:20pm

Kad said: "I think the wording of that line is a little wonky in 2024but I generally agree.

However, a mixtape is something that is absolutely dated. And, of course, the datedness ofGary Coleman as a cultural reference is something the show already had to grapple with. I’m not sure that the easiest solution- doing it as a period piece- would necessarily be sufficient to address some things."

Genuine question:  When a musical that takes place in "present day" is revived, what dictates whether it stays in the "present day" of when it premiered (i.e., becomes a "period piece") or takes place in the true present day?  I actually think Avenue Q would work best as an early aughts period piece and the humor would probably land better for modern audiences.  

[Zeppie2022]

Posted: 8/13/24 at 10:23pm

"It was a response to the post directly preceding it, which was about Avenue Q beating Wicked. Not particularly difficult to follow."

Skimmed past your post, my error. It does make things easier if you would have put that post in quote marks above your comment.