BWW Reviews: Hilarious Production of AVENUE Q at the Fox Theatre through 5/2

I was just a wee bit too old to have watched Sesame Street when it premiered on public television during the late 1960's, although I was certainly aware of its impact. But, it wasn't until my son was born a few years back that I was fully exposed to its sunny charms. Which is probably why Avenue Q, the wickedly funny parody of this venerable children's classic, resonates so deeply with me. It's an incredibly amusing, adult-oriented satire filled with goofy puppets, catchy songs, and clever animated films, and it's currently playing the Fox Theatre for a brief run ending May 2, 2010.

The story takes place in a New York City borough, and centers on a new arrival to the titular area, Princeton, a recent college grad ("What Do You Do with a B.A. in English?"). His hopes for a bright future are quickly dashed when his new job calls to let him know they're downsizing and letting him go. So, he sets off on a mission to discover his true purpose in life. Along the way he meets and befriends his other neighbors, all of whom have problems of their own ("It Sucks to be Me"). Romance blossoms with kindergarten school teacher Kate Monster, but when she quits her job and seems to be fishing for a commitment, Princeton breaks off their relationship, setting the stage for a possible reconciliation in the second act.

All of the cast is terrific, displaying a high level of energy and enthusiasm throughout, whether they're working puppets, or appearing as regular characters. Brent Michael DiRoma brings a winning charm to his work as Princeton, and also doubles up as Rod, who's in complete denial of his obvious homosexuality. DiRoma also gets several opportunities to shine vocally and acquits himself well. Jacqueline Grabois also impresses as his romantic interest Kate, and in other roles as well, including the lascivious singer Lucy. Like DiRoma, Grabois utilizes an array of cartoon-ish voices that perfectly fit each character.

Michael Liscio, Jr. is a riot as Nicky, who acts as Bert to Rod's Ernie, but who insists he isn't gay himself ("If You Were Gay"). He brings down the house as Trekkie (think Cookie Monster) when he interrupts Kate's song about the internet, by explaining it's true purpose ("The Internet is for Porn"). He and Kerri Brackin, who's at her bitchy best as Mrs.Thistletwat, also get to crack wise as the "Bad Idea Bears", who pop up to dispense terrible advice (that's almost always taken) at the worst possible moments. Tim Kornblum does fine work as Brian, who desperately wants to be a comedian, but realizes that time may have passed him by. Lisa Helmi Johnson is a blast as his scenery-chewing Asian American fiancee, Christmas Eve. Nigel Jamaal Clark takes on the cruelly funny task of playing Gary Coleman, with an entrance punctuated by a riff from the Diff'rent Strokes theme, and pulls it off with considerable aplomb.

Jason Moore's sharp direction keeps the action moving along at a nice pace. Jeff Whitty's book nicely complements the music and lyrics of Robert Lopez (who also designed the animation) and Jeff Mark, who provide a bevy of tuneful songs that stick almost immediately in the memory. Their work is also boosted by the puppet designs of Rick Lyon, the grungy set design of Anna Louizos, Howell Binkley's lighting, and Ken Roberson's choreography, which all come together to create a totally engaging and entertaining experience.

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