In a world that is consumed with political correctness and accusations of “wokeness,” Avenue Q, which made its debut at the Conejo Players Theatre June 5, is a musical that shattered Broadway conventions with its uproarious view of issues faced by young adults living on their own. It’s done through the prism of a musical satire of “Sesame Street,” in which non-concealed actors manipulate Muppet-like hand puppets. CPT’s production features a skilled ensemble cast, co-directed by Jim Diderrich and Beth Eslick. In 2004 “Avenue Q” won three Tony Awards for Best Musical, Book and Score.
Andrew Landecker plays Princeton, a recent college graduate looking for purpose in his life, while Natalie Chavez is Kate Monster, a shy substitute schoolteacher seeking companionship. Landecker is excellent in his leading role but Chavez shows a natural talent for voice characterization, delivering the show’s signature song, “There’s a Fine, Fine Line.”
When Princeton moves into a less than desirable apartment, he bonds with its other residents and landlord, down-and-out actor Gary Coleman, one of three human characters in the cast. Coleman is traditionally played by a Black female, in this case, Sahai Lara, with Coleman representing the acceptance of life’s misfortunes.
Princeton’s neighbors include roommates Nicky (Jack Rogers) and Rod (Tony Celluci), suggesting “Sesame Street” regulars Bert and Ernie. The long-running debate about Bert and Ernie being gay is used to present a crisis within Nicky and Rod’s relationship. When Rod becomes stressed out about his sexuality, Nicky kicks him out of their apartment. With nowhere to go, Rod winds up living behind a dumpster, feeling sorry for himself.
Charles Woodson Parker plays Trekkie Monster, a porn-obsessed recluse based on the Cookie Monster character while Francesca Barletta, who you can always count on to deliver a special performance, reprises her portrayal of predatory nightclub vixen Lucy the Slut (styled after Miss Piggy), which she played at YA4ever ten years ago.
Two other humans are in the cast: Christmas Eve, a snippy Japanese behavioral therapist (Keziah Ann Apostol), and her unemployed henpecked fiancé Brian (Darian Calderon). Apostol downplays the show’s usual treatment of the character’s exaggerated Asian speech patterns (“The More You Ruv Someone”) and makes her more sympathetic and somewhat less of a caricature.
Rounding out the cast are the wonderful Livian Coverdale and R. Shane Bingham as the show’s most outrageous characters, the cuddly Bad Idea Bears, who delight in providing reckless, wrongheaded advice to anyone who will listen.
Underneath its broad comedy, which includes R-rated language and some scenes of questionable taste, especially one where puppets do things you’d never see on “Sesame Street,” Avenue Q delivers important messages concerning relationships, discrimination, sexual orientation, and homelessness. Songs like “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist” and “If You Were Gay” attack these issues with humor, but there are also some serious and touching moments, such as “I Wish I Could Go Back to College,” in which Kate Monster, Princeton and Nicky look back wistfully on their last years of innocence and security within the confines of a college community.
CPT’s production progresses so smoothly that you quickly forget that live actors are on stage manipulating the puppets, with one hand moving the head and mouth and the other holding a wand that makes hand gestures. Some characters (Nicky and Trekkie Monster), require two actors so that both of a puppet’s hands can move. If you’ve never seen the show, the complex manipulations that affect speech, movement, and emotion get lost because of the fast-moving dialog, so if you get a chance to see this marvelous show twice, do so. If not, as the characters might say, it sucks for you.
“Avenue Q” runs through June 28 at the Conejo Players Theatre. For tickets, visit www.conejoplayers.org. Advisory: due to frank language and adult situations “Avenue Q” is suggested for mature audiences.
