Review: Tallahassee's AVENUE Q is Game-Changer

Theatre fans all know 2004 as the year Wicked lost the Tony for Best Musical to up-start Avenue Q, the underdog that featured songs that remain as outrageous today as they were a decade ago. The puppet-filled debauchery is cleaner, yet dirtier, and more human than the Broadway production ever was on the Theatre Tallahassee stage. In his directorial debut, JC Carr gives empathy to a show about puppets, and it gives purpose to a show where it needed it most.

The show's simple premise and delivery fit with the opening show of Theatre Tallahassee's season. Following Derek Quesada's Princeton, Avenue Q is about finding purpose, with all the slip-ups that come along the way. Sex, racism, politics, and more antics ensue- it isn't the brightest or most glittery of shows. How it's written, many of the scenes between numbers sometimes just clunk along as In the Heights did- they're just tying big numbers together. It hurt the characters, it hurt the reality, and it, eventually, just hurt the script of Avenue Q. That's what you're given to start with.

JC Carr knew his cast well enough to address the characterization issues. Starting with grueling table reads, Carr strove to make what he called a "fun, funny, but ultimately human" show. Going as far as to fight for his vision, Carr strove to ensure Christmas Eve was portrayed by an Asian-American actress and Gary Coleman as African American. Extensive research into cultural understanding and truth behind the intentionally skewed stereotypes produce the characters we see. These may be overlooked by a casual observer to the Sesame Street parody, but audiences due well to take note of the incredible work the director put it to give his show reality.

In the end, it's because of his endless work that the cast works so strongly together. Individual moments shine, such as Hannah Talbot's act one finale "There's a Fine, Fine Line". A slow, sad, lonely soliloquy would usually be a slight downer, but Hannah lessens on her character voice, becoming the heart-broken woman all the audience can relate to. While all stereotypes imaginable are satirized in Avenue Q, Carr strives to never disrespect. Jabez Co's Rod was given painfully strong emotions in the second act, Theo Blumstein is hilarious as Trekkie yet never too gross, and Quesada's Princeton is always a fine central figure for the characters. Some small details, such as Katrina Kerr borrowing her mother's accent for Christmas Eve instead of going into obtuse parody, give Carr his gritty ensemble.

Seemingly due to this reality, the supporting cast spins wildly into greatness. In a tragically short stint was Samantha Rose Algaze as Lucy The Slut. Her sultry voice punctuated a typically low energy moment of the show, and her acting beside the puppet gave the performance a push further into success. Kafui Ablordeppey plays this production's Gary Coleman, a role originally written for a woman. His voice, comedic ferocity, and great prowess gave his numbers a stand-out quality- Kafui single-handedly outperformed a dazzling light-show, puppet sex, and a synchronized dance sequence from two demonic bears. Not going to go too deep into that.

Speaking of bears, what passes as Avenue Q's ensemble is a couple of Bad Idea Bears. Played by Jania Kadar and KT Garcia, the comedic duo gave the sharpest quips and well-timed sequences of the night. Garcia also shined in her brief stint as Ms. Thistletwat, with side-splittinig delivery, and with her harmonies (her high note in "The Money Song", particularly).

It is on the stage that Carr's carefully crafted work spins, which is not to say the tech is in any way poor. On the contrary, Patrick Campbell's lighting design made transitions sharp, never jarring with the contrast the screens gave the stage. M. Derek Nieves set design is smart, allowing puppets and actors to traverse the apartment block with ease.

Matt Jarvis, music director, is behind much of the show's most energetic and engaging pieces. While the show was off to a pitchy start, once cast members came together, the harmonies were a delight. Each group number functioned as a well-oiled machine, and problems were quickly thrown away.

Before the curtain is even close to closing, you feel the crush of reality encroaching- whether at the realization that the characters soon have to face reality, or that once the show ends, so will you- it is up to you. The one thing everybody will agree on, regardless of their take on the delightfully nihilistic ending that molds so well with Carr's characters- I wish this staging of Avenue Q wasn't only for now. This is the Avenue Q communities need, and the type of community theatre that changes lives. Although not perfect, Carr's first show is a living piece of theatre that will live on as the time someone was brave enough to do that.