Yes, Palm Canyon Theatre’s production of Avenue Q is a musical with puppets—but this is definitely not a show geared toward children. Instead, it’s a show with substance (and, it should be noted, decidedly adult themes).
The show, conceived by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx (who also wrote the music and lyrics), with a book by Jeff Whitty, was originally meant to be a television series. In 2002, it was developed as a stage production at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center for the National Musical Theatre Conference. It hit Broadway in 2003—and went on to win three Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
Avenue Q addresses the issues we all face while becoming adults. Its characters (some of whom are puppets animated and voiced by unconcealed actors onstage) hit bumps in the road as they try to make their way in the world. The show opens as recent college graduate Princeton (Nicholas Sloan) is looking for his purpose in life. He has just moved to Avenue Q, a fictional street in New York, where he meets his neighbors: kindergarten teaching assistant Kate Monster (the fabulous Sarah Noe); uptight banker Rod (Hanz Enyeart) and his roommate, Nicky (Kelly Peak, who also directs); and Brian, an aspiring comedian (the always-dependable Cliff Plummer) and his Japanese fiancée, Christmas Eve (Carissa Dizon), a therapist with no clients. Rounding out the cast are Nicole Tillman as Gary Coleman (yes, that Gary Coleman), the building superintendent; and Stephen Blackwell and Jennifer Stowe as the Bad Idea Bears.
Debate begins over who has things the toughest with the song “It Sucks to Be Me.” Tough subjects including racism, porn, angst over one’s sexual orientation, homelessness and infidelity are all touched on in the musical numbers, with understanding and great humor. The biggest laughs come during “You Can Be as Loud as the Hell You Want (When You’re Makin’ Love),” as Kate Monster and Princeton have raunchy puppet sex.
Trials and tribulations ensue, but eventually, most of the characters make progress in their life’s journeys. In the closing number, “For Now,” the cast reminds that it’s OK that some people never find their life’s purpose—since everything is only temporary, anyway.
The Palm Canyon’s production is well-paced; J.W. Layne’s set is spot-on; and the lighting and sound are great (other than a common Palm Canyon Theatre problem: body-mic feedback when the actors/puppets have physical contact).
The cast is strong overall, but special kudos go to Noe, double-cast as Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut, who closes Act 1 with Kate singing the superb “There’s a Fine, Fine Line”; and Dizon, who shines in the duet “The More Yu Ruv Someone.”
But the highlight of Avenue Q is the masterful puppeteering. The cast manages to make the audience forget about the humans behind the foam-rubber heads with the painted-on faces; in the end, the audience sees only each puppet’s individual character—which is no small feat.
Yes, this puppet play requires more suspension of disbelief than usual—but Palm Canyon’s production succeeds beautifully.
Avenue Q, presented by Palm Canyon Theatre, is performed at 7 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m., Sunday, through Sunday, Nov. 17. The theater is located at 538 N. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs. Tickets are $32. The show runs about two hours, with one 15-minute intermission. For tickets or more information, call 760-323-5123 or visit www.palmcanyontheatre.com.