Avenue Awesome
Joelle said late at night on August 4, 2007
I’m selective about the musicals I see… some of them are a little over the top for me (even the ones I’ve been in). In the last decade, I think I’ve only been to a few shows — Cabaret, Rent and now Avenue Q.
For years I’ve been wanting to see Avenue Q. I’d heard all the great reviews and after hearing a few songs from the show, I was convinced that Avenue Q is definitely right up my alley. With songs like “If You Were Gay” and “The Internet Is For Porn”, how can you not be entertained?
While in Vegas in 2005, I saw the orange “furry” cabs around town as promotion for the show and was thrilled to hear it was going to be at the Wynn Hotel. I figured I’d have a better chance of seeing it there, but never got around to it. I guess it’s run it’s course there as it’s been replaced by Spamalot and the fine folks at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre put in their bid as the first stop on the Avenue Q national tour (running at Spreckels Theater).
I knew it would be here, but with tickets running a bit tight for my budget this summer, I figured I wouldn’t get a chance to see it once again. But, fate was on my side! Yesterday, I logged into MySpace and saw that the Old Globe Theater had placed a bulletin offering 50% all tickets for tonight’s 9pm show only if you mentioned MySpace when you made the reservation. A few texts to GFI and we had fantastic orchestra seats, center stage within minutes. Hooray!
We started the evening at Cafe Sevilla, a great Spanish place downtown where we indulged in a few sangrias and a variety of delicious tapas. I’d only done the tapas thing once, when I was in England, and really enjoyed it so it was fun to do it again. If you ever go to Cafe Sevilla, I highly recommend the Chicken Croquetas and the White Sangria.
Anyway, after hailing a cab, we made it to the show right on time, picked up our tickets at will call and proceeded to enjoy one of the best shows I’ve seen in a long time. Maybe ever. The actors were great, especially the female lead (and various other characters), Kelli Sawyer, was fantastic. Her voice was great, even when singing in character voices. To say this musical is irreverent is putting it mildly. It’s rude, crude and socially unacceptable, but it’s just so… happy (and true) that you can’t help but laugh. I wish I could see it again before it leaves. I’ll have to go see it in New York, I suppose. Maybe in New York there won’t be a woman behind me gasping at every other potentially offensive thing.
Go see Avenue Q if it comes to your town and you’re not a complete tight ass. Go if you areamused by excessive stereotyping, swearing, hardcore puppet nudity and really, really cute bears. Go if you like Gary Coleman. Go see Avenue Q.
Moxie Design Studios™
We saw Avenue Q at the Wynn in Vegas in 2005 (so wild that you posted that! and Greg Kinnear was there!) and absolutely loved, loved, loved it. There were people who left at intermission because it was “too offensive” for them. That thought never even crossed my mind; I thought it was brilliant.
from upstairs
I woke up singing “The Internet Is For Porn”. I looooved the show--it was witty, surprising, honest and hillllaarious. Although all of the characters were amazing--i loved the Bad Idea Bears the most...how could you NOT fall into their evil, yet super sweet traps..."we found some rope, you should hang yourself”...I probably would have said, “Hey! Thanks, you’re so thoughful. Okay!” ADORABLE.
Uhm, cheese fundido…
from San Diego, CA • Cocktail: slightly dirty Grey Goose martini
@GFI: I woke up with it stuck in my head. I shook it for a while, but it’s back now. I second the fundido thing. Oy.
@Amy: How funny! Regarding offended people… Isn’t that silly? Yes, it’s terribly offensive — the whole thing! But that’s that point, people! ha!
It seems like the whole theater last night knew what they were getting into (save The Gasper) and cheered a lot. But I could see in Vegas, where many are traveling and might not realize what the show is about, people might not be prepared. I wonder if the production there was any more elaborate than what we saw? I thought it was just right… not too overblown. (Though, admittedly, the “proposal” scene was just tremendous, giant monsters and all. LOVED that.)
from West Palm Beach, FL • Cocktail: Champagne Bellini
Yay! I knew you’d love it. :D
I saw My One And Only recently. I’m not normally one for musicals, but if Avenue Q comes around, I’ll check it out.
Glad you posted this. A friend of mine and I talked about seeing Avenue Q when it comes to Detroit and we were wondering if it would be worth the price of admission. We’ll certainly see it now.
from Los Angeles
Cafe Sevilla is one of my favorite restaurants!
Tapas tapas tapas!!
I didn’t like the white sangria though. It tasted too much like apple cider.
hardcore puppet nudity??? I’m SO THERE!!!!
I was deciding whether to see it when it comes here next season, but didn’t really know anything about it, except the “hardcore puppet nudity” part. Which, I mean, sounds funny, in a Team America kind of way, but isn’t a reason for me to spend $90 on a ticket.
But one of them was on Jeopardy last night, and did a song I really liked. “A fine line between love and a waste of time,” I think? I’d see it, if the music’s all that good.
from NE Arkansas
While I do not think I am ever going to make it to NYC to see it, I am going to see Rent at The Orpheum in Memphis in November. I am SO excited.
I wish I had more money so I could so see Hairspray, too. It is showing a couple of weeks before Rent.