School for Monsters

AVENUE Q:LOVED IT! So every time this show rolled into town I have tried to catch a performance but never did. But when the show came into town last week for a short run at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, I made sure to finally see it! This show beat out WICKED for the 2003 Tony Award for Best Musical and also picked up Best Book, and Best Original Score! I must say that this play is genius! Who would have thought to take puppet's and put them into adult situations with fun song and Gary Coleman would be a hit on Broadway? Apparently Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx did. The two conceived the show and based the story on their own experiences straight out of college. Lopez and Marx also wrote all the music and lyrics with the hit song such as "It Sucks to Be Me" , “Everyone's a Little Bit Racist”, "The Internet Is for Porn", "You Can Be as Loud as the Hell You Want (When You're Makin' Love)", and "If You Were Gay". Add in the direction of Jason Moore and a laugh out loud book written by Jeff Whitty, the show is a knock out. At the core of the musical is a charming coming-of-age tale about a group of friends dealing with the anxieties of adulthood. The show, though adult, still plays with references to children's television programs such as PBS's Sesame Street and reinvents how you will ever look at puppets again. I was very impressed with the tour cast members especially Ashley E. Bucknam who payed Kat Monster and Lucy. 1st of all she has an amazing voice and made each character her own all while making you forget that the same actress is playing multiple characters on stage. Overall this play is an A+, Number 1, and all around good night of theatre. SEE IT! Click here to go to the Avenue Q website. "School for Monsters"-song from Avenue Q