Before seeing Avenue Q, i imagined it would be like Sesame Street: tacky singing, dancing, and cringeworthy puppets. After seeing Avenue Q last week, I can admit that it was a VERY mature, sometimes offensive, take on Sesame Street. I didn’t think an Off-Broadway show could be so hilarious, or so dirty, and I loved it.
Right from the beginning, I admired how the human actors were standing onstage beside their puppets instead of hiding. It made me appreciate the show a lot more, because I could see the actors’ effort and emotion in making the characters come to life. I also appreciated how stripped down the production was. The theater was small, and there was little scenery- this allowed me to focus on the actors and music in a casual setting. I can say that I definitely prefer smaller theaters as opposed to bigger theaters; the MET at Lincoln Center was extravagant and huge, but the actors looked like ants from high up.
The show was totally unapologetic, hilarious, and relatable. As a college grad, Princeton is trying to find himself, make ends meet, and survive in New York City. His neighborhood is made up of other puppets that are lost, if not even more troubled, than Princeton. As a college student, I think about my future constantly. I want to make the right decisions and follow a successful career, but stay true to myself at the same time. Avenue Q put a unique twist on a personal conflict that anyone in the audience could relate to at some point in their life.
Out of all the trips I went to during the semester, Avenue Q was by far the funniest and most memorable. The play was raw, realistic, and had me crying tears of laughter. Avenue Q was the first mature show I visited; the jokes and issues dealt with sexuality, racism, success, and romance. My main takeaway from the play was that no one has this whole life thing figured out. Life is not perfect or predictable, so the best thing to do is enjoy the ride.
– Olivia Frasca
