AVE Q or ROCK OF AGES

[withoutlove78]

Hey guys. I want to take my boyfriend to see a show when he comes to visit this weekend. He is in the army... kind of standard conservative guy... one of those guys who thinks theatre is for girls. But he's willing to give it a chance.

I mean I know he'd like N2N and that's what I'd like to see with him... but I feel like that's kind of a downer... SO, I am trying to decide between Ave Q and RoA.

I've seen Q- completely hilarious, but I haven't seen RoA, so I just wanted some advice! He loves 80s rock, but if the show's not that great I don't wanna take him.

I'm leaning towards Ave Q, but I just thought I'd ask you guys who have seen both. He's never seen a Broadway show, and I want him to like them... but whatever we see this weekend is going to be his basis for his opinion. If he hates it, he probably will think all theatre sucks! But if he loves it, he'll be open to seeing more shows! :)

Thanks!

[saveusmike]

Avenue Q all the way!

[CyCoSpAz2]

Avenue Q, absolutely

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

For any other person I would say Avenue Q. If he likes 80s Rock and is not into the whole Theater thing then go to ROA.

[TotallyEffed]

Avenue Q. No doubt.

[sgv123]

Rock of Ages

Since he does not like theater, I would say ROA since it is more of a rock concert and I think would considered to be more manly.

[WithoutATrace]

Avenue Q.

[CyCoSpAz2]

"If he hates it, he probably will think all theatre sucks! But if he loves it, he'll be open to seeing more shows!"

This is why taking him to Rock of Ages over Avenue Q would be a mistake. If he thinks all shows are like that, he will be turned off by the time you get around to taking him to another show.

Avenue Q is a much better gateway into theatre.

[SweetQintheLights]

Q

[Barney Stinson]

Not gonna argue over which is the 'better' show, but you should take him to see Rock of Ages, and it's not even close.

Did the people recommending AQ even read the post? Her boyfriend DOES NOT LIKE THEATER in general - he's CONSERVATIVE and IN THE ARMY - oh, and he happens TO LOVE 80S MUSIC. Plus, she is trying to ease him into Bway and theater.

ROA was practically created for guys like this. I promise you, you take him to ROA, he'll be MUCH more willing to go to the theater with you again. The show is just as funny as AQ - but in a more lowbrow manner. Hell, they even make fun of Germans!

[withoutlove78]

oh man now I'm conflicted! haha.. Avenue Q is so funny that I thought he might like it even though it's a musical... like, if Spelling Bee were still open, I think he'd like to see that. But anyway I guess I'll just have to keep thinking about it... thanks guys for all your responses :)

[broadwayjim42]

Avenue Q...my 19 year-old son and my daughter's friend's stepfather, who have both developed a severe dislike of most musical theatre, LOVED Q.

[ashley0139]

Asking questions like this will ALWAYS get you conflicting answers. It's a board full of people not afraid of speaking out with vastly different opinions. I hope you weren't expecting the same answer from everyone.

[CyCoSpAz2]

"Hell, they even make fun of Germans!"

So does Avenue Q...

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

^^Just about to say that!

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

ROCK OF AGES

[Aswatrowinkenbo]

Avenue Q. I have many guy friends who are far from theatre goers but they all would love to see Avenue Q. They also hate the little I've shown them of Rock of Ages because they think "they're destroying the classics".

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Not a huge fan of either but AVENUE Q is infinitely better.

[frapperia]

Sweetie, I should think he'll love Rock of Ages. Avenue Q is good fun but if he's the kind of guy who thinks theatre's for girls, you need to get him to ROA stat. The songs are so much fun, the singing's incredible, it's hilarious and raucous - built to appeal to people like him. Avenue Q DOES appeal to people who aren't really into musical theatre (I've taken friends who weren't and they enjoyed it) but for him, ease him in with ROA. The atmosphere alone should get him going.

[Kaykohl]

With him being a military guy and a fan of 80's music, I'd say ROA. But perhaps you should give him a brief summary of the two shows and let him choose.

[TIGGOSAURUS]

ROA may suit the tastes he already has but Ave Q will open his eyes to how different and creative musical theatre can be - so if you want to get him to see more shows with you in future I'd say it's worth the risk of going with the more unpredictable choice.

And I'd advise you follow it up with visits to N2N and ROA as soon as you can just to reinforce the point!

[starlight4]

Straight guy, loves 80s music and thinks musicals are for sissies.

Choice: musical with puppets or musical cleverly interweaving 80s hits into a tongue in cheek story that feels like a rock concert.

Is there really a choice? This board is full of naive idiots.

[Barney Stinson]

""Hell, they even make fun of Germans!"

So does Avenue Q... "

No kidding, why I mentioned it. One of the better parts of AQ (for a military guy)- also captured by ROA. I agree with starlight, I can't believe how naive (a nice way of putting it) some people here are.

Innocent person requesting a rec: "Hey - I've got a friend who hates Bway in general, especially all that chick stuff. I want to take him to something he will enjoy. He happens to love ogres, the color green, short royalty, talking animals, and farting. Should I take him to see Shrek or Next to Normal?"

'Naive' BWW posters: "Oooh, definitely Next to Normal, it's so great, of course he'll prefer that!"

Damn, people. Think.

[kate2]

Based on the info given... ROCK OF AGES!

[CyCoSpAz2]

Barney, nobody has suggested Next to Normal, and if they did, for the record, I believe the OP states, "I mean I know he'd like N2N." And before you and starlight go throwing the word "naive" around, the OP also says that they themselves are "leaning towards Ave Q."

And, to be fair, she even says "if the show's not that great I don't wanna take him," which basically eliminates Rock of Ages for a lot of the posters here.

So maybe you should take a step back and actually read the post yourself before calling other people out.