A Glimpse at How We Cope: A Review of Avenue Q at Music Theater Works

Thomas E. Squires (Brian), Jimmy Hogan (Princeton), Mai Hartwich (Christmas Eve), Brandy Miller (Kate Monster) and Whitney Dottery (Gary Coleman) in “Avenue Q,” Music Theater Works/Photo: Brett Beiner Photography

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Here’s the thing about “Avenue Q”: it’s a comedy-musical from 2004 and it shows. The R-rated “Sesame Street”-esque parody has been in my personal musical-theater playlist since I was in high school. My friends and I performed songs from it in variety shows in college. And this part-puppet and part-human musical is still a lot of fun, though the role of Christmas Eve feels more problematic with each passing moment in the show. Yes, the whole point of the show is to push boundaries and be problematic, but it can still do that without making Christmas Eve speak in Asian English tropes like swapping the “l” sound for “r.”

The show loses nothing if the creators just update the script. Christmas Eve doesn’t have to be so portrayed this way which is why her role is so hard to sit with. This is in no way the fault of the immensely talented Mai Hartwich who absolutely steals the show with her “The More You Ruv Someone.” In the twenty years since the show first premiered, it’s odd as an audience member who knows every word to hear that the Nazi reference is gone from “Schaudenfreude” but, for some reason, Christmas Eve’s stereotyped speech is still wholly intact. The biggest audience reactions during this production  happen when Christmas Eve speaks in her stereotypical speech patterns and that should tell us all we need to know about that kind of mocking comedy. I don’t think this show as a piece of theater will exist in the future if the folks holding the licensing don’t let Christmas Eve just speak normally.

Andres J. DeLeon (Bad Idea Bear), Jimmy Hogan (Princeton) and Melissa Crabtree (Bad Idea Bear) in “Avenue Q,” Music Theater Works/Photo: Brett Beiner Photography

My personal qualms with Christmas Eve’s speech aside, Music Theater Works’ production of “Avenue Q” is delightful. The smile on my face throughout the show could not have been bigger, especially anytime Andres J. DeLeon and Melissa Crabtree took the stage because these two have a lot of multi-character heavy lifting to do. Everyone is so perfectly cast that anyone who hasn’t seen “Avenue Q” before should be sure to check this one out. Brandy Miller’s Kate Monster easily beats the vocals of the original Broadway production. Director Christopher Pazdernik has outdone himself this time.

What makes this production even more fun are the changing public transit electronic signs on either side of the stage. These pieces of media (media designers David Sajewich and Tony Churchill) with animated scenes and fun facts about New York add little moments of silliness to the show. You can tell when folks notice the signs change because little bursts of laughter trickle through the audience. For people who know the show well, the media elements are a fun surprise. Hoboken be damned, I’ll take the apparently gold-filled streets of New York City any day.

As someone who sang “What Do You Do With a B.A. In English?” regularly while obtaining a B.A. in English, “Avenue Q” holds a fuzzy soft spot in my heart. I’m already planning on seeing it again so my husband can enjoy this production, too. This show is one of those reminders that the things we love age as we do. They don’t always necessarily age well or teach us important lessons, and it’s okay to recognize that. There’s a reason “Avenue Q” ends with a song called “For Now,” which recognizes the impermanence of life. Sometimes we need a little irreverent comedy to lighten up our lives. “Avenue Q” is that show with just the right amount of heart that makes you want to hug your friends a little tighter.

“Avenue Q” at Music Theater Works at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Boulevard, Skokie, $39-$106, musictheaterworks.com. Through April 2.