Full-Frontal Puppet
Award-winning musical makes Winnipeg debut
“She has nipples,” said Ryan Segal, producer of the upcoming musical Avenue Q, as he lifts the cheetah-print top of a busty, blonde puppet. “Lucy has nipples.”
Lucy is just one of a dozen puppets that will be taking center stage at the Gas Station Arts Centre Feb. 2-5 for the local performance of the musical smash hit, Avenue Q.
Presented by the newly formed District Theatre Collective (DTC), Avenue Q won three Tony Awards in 2003, including Best Musical. DTC’s production of the raunchy puppet hit will be the Winnipeg premiere.
“There are a lot of Avenue Q fans in the city,” Segal said. “It’ll be exciting for a Winnipeg audience to finally see the puppets and the music come to life.”
Avenue Q tells the story of Princeton, a college graduate who has moved to New York City. High on morale but low on funds, Princeton settles into a dingy apartment on Avenue Q, where he meets a furry array of neighbors, such as porn addict Trekkie Monster, sweet teacher Kate Monster, and former child star turned landlord Gary Coleman.
Any similarities to a certain Jim Henson children’s show are fully embraced by the cast.
“When we were younger, shows like Sesame Street with those conventions taught us certain lessons. Avenue Q is that show for our age group now,” explained Connie Manfredi, who directs and also stars as Gary Coleman. “Instead of teaching you about how to count, it’s teaching you that if you don’t pay your bills, you will lose all of your things.”
DTC’s production unites graduates of the University of Manitoba and The University of Winnipeg theatre programs.
U of W grad Aaron Pridham, who stars as Princeton, found little in his undergrad theatre training to prepare him for the Avenue Q experience. “In the first rehearsal with my puppet, I just felt so drained after it, emotionally and physically, more so than I ever have in a show before,” he explained.
Infamous for its full frontal puppet nudity and frank musical numbers such as “Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist” and “The Internet Is For Porn”, Avenue Q also deals with universal themes such as the search for love and purpose. Although Manfredi knows the material may shock some, she believes the show’s heart is its strongest message.
“As long as it’s grounded in honesty of what we’re trying to say, I think we can get away with almost anything,” said Manfredi, a devious twinkle in her eye.
Avenue Q runs at the Gas Station Arts Centre from Feb. 2-5. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased in advance or at the door. For more information, visit www.avenuequwinnipeg.com
