Avenue Q

First there was TV’s “Sesame Street,” that crazy, diverse neighborhood where everyone managed to get along. Some characters, such as Big Bird, didn’t have a beef about anything. Other characters, such as Oscar the Grouch, wanted the whole world to go away and leave him alone. All in all, “Sesame Street” was a comforting place where children could feel safe and special.

Now there’s Avenue Q, billed as a “puppet musical for adults.” Like “Sesame Street,” it takes place in another mythical New York neighborhood. But unlike the placid, fun-filled world of “Sesame Street,” the characters on Avenue Q must cope with all sorts of adult problems. The inhabitants of this neighborhood may look like the original Muppets, and they even share some character traits.

However, to the audience’s delight, these puppets lose jobs, can’t pay their bills, lick their wounds (figuratively) over failed relationships, get drunk and have sex. This gang is so down-on-its-luck that the only place they can afford to live is Avenue Q.

As in “Sesame Street,” Avenue Q has human characters (although they have filthy mouths, just like most of the puppets). The sweetest oaths are undeniably uttered by Christmas Eve (Maya Naff), an Asian-American who marries a stand-up comedian Rick Pendzich). Her sweet, Kewpie-doll face, almost always framed in a smile, is hilariously misleading. Instead of encouraging her husband’s career, she coolly reminds him to “get a job!”

In this Skylight Music Theater production, the staging, singing and puppet/human interaction all work in perfect harmony. The top-notch cast seems to effortlessly sing, dance, and stay in character with the appropriate puppet. Ben Durocher is a particular stand-out as puppeteer for Princeton, a recent college graduate, and Rod, the closeted Republican. He’s matched by Kate McCann, who must switch from the soft-voiced, reflective Kate Monster, to the bawdy “bad girl,” Lucy. Her transformation is nothing less than amazing. The rest of the “human” cast includes Jason Jacoby, Tiffany Cox, Alison Mary Forbes, Samantha Sostarich and James Nathan.

Other “human” contributors include the wonderful, five-piece orchestra members led by Jamie Johns. And the show’s technical aspects are fabulous, too. The set, lighting, costumes, etc. are reminiscent of the Broadway production.

The most endearing aspect of Avenue Q is its relentlessly optimistic, upbeat attitude. The chirpy tunes range from “It Sucks to Be Me” to Rod’s hilarious ode to “My Girlfriend, Who Lives in Canada.” Since most of the puppets are newly-minted adults, they also sing the poignant “I Wish I Could Go Back to College.” Through songs and dialogue, the show demonstrates that survival means sticking together and helping each other - another lesson is taken directly from “Sesame Street.” Perhaps it’s one that humans of any age need to be reminded of, again and again.