Avenue Q lands at the Sid Williams Theatre on Nov. 15 as part of the theatre society’s 2014 – 2015 Blue Circle Series.
The show is a production by Vancouver’s critically acclaimed Arts Club Theatre Company.
This production also has a local connection to the North Island with Campbell River native Nick Fontaine in a starring role as Trekkie Monster and Bad Idea Bear.
Fontaine grew up in Campbell River and currently resides in Vancouver; he is making his Arts Club Theatre Company debut with Avenue Q. A talented actor, singer, and musician, Fontaine has spent over a decade performing across Canada in a wide variety of productions. He is a graduate of UBC and Capilano University, and a recipient of UBC’s Beatrice Wood Scholarship for Acting and two Ovation Awards for outstanding performances.
Irreverently witty and outright uproarious, Avenue Q is the musical story of Princeton, a bright-eyed college graduate who arrives in New York City looking for love, a job, and his purpose in life. The only neighbourhood he can afford is the multicultural Avenue Q, where Sesame Street-esque puppets rub shoulders with humans. Winner of the Tony Award “Triple Crown” in 2004 (Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Score), and the 2013 Jessie Richardson Theatre Award for Outstanding Musical, Avenue Q is part felt, part flesh, and packed with songs that are surprisingly poignant and only occasionally PC.
“The music is playful, the lyrics are outrageous, the script is hilarious, and the characters are delightful. Underneath its colourful fur, a big, boisterous heart beats. Avenue Q is the perfect musical comedy…unless you are under 14 years of age,” said director Peter Jorgensen. “I’m thrilled to be taking our hit production on tour to entertain even more audiences!”
Warning: Full puppet nudity and other vulgarities will induce laughter.
This is a puppet show. However, this is not your kids’ puppet show as it sneaks a peek at raucous sexual congress, failed childhood stardom, excessive drinking, moving in and out of a slummy neighbourhood, investing, mix-tapes, cute creatures doing bad things, singing boxes, getting laid off, finding your purpose, getting fired, getting re-hired, ruvving someone but wanting to kirr them, exotic dancing, erotic dancing, exotic erotic dancing, homosexuality, racism, pornography, masturbation, interracial marriage, interspecies relationships (monsters and humans), roommates, coming out of the closet, coming out of your apartment, getting ahead in life, going to college, pan-handling, wishing you were back in college, coming out of your shell, and recycling.
Songs include: What Do You Do with a B.A. in English?, It Sucks to Be Me, Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist, The Internet Is For Porn, I’m Not Wearing Underwear Today, You Can Be as Loud as the Hell You Want (When You’re Makin’ Love), My Girlfriend, Who Lives in Canada, There Is Life Outside Your Apartment, Schadenfreude” There’s a Fine, Fine Line.
Avenue Q has not been authorized or approved by the Jim Henson Company or Sesame Workshop, which have no responsibility for its content…because this ain’t no kids’ show!
