Adult musical ‘Avenue Q’ shocks, delights

CEDAR RAPIDS - The people and puppet residents of 'Avenue Q” will shock and delight you in equal measure in the Theatre Cedar Rapids production of the 2003 musical sendup of 'Sesame Street.”

Under the direction of Leslie Charipar and with musical direction by Benjamin Schmidt, the cast members - particularly those playing the puppet characters - winningly deliver the naughty whimsy of the show.

Naughty, to be clear, is an understatement. The puppet denizens of 'Avenue Q” say and do no end of adult things. To detail them would be to spoil some surprises, but suffice it to say the show is decidedly for grown-ups with a high tolerance for raunchy humor.

The actors who play puppets appear onstage with their characters, which means they are, in effect, playing two versions of their characters at once. The technical and performance skills required are significant, and this cast is more than up to the challenge.

Aaron Murphy shines as Princeton, a recent college grad searching for his purpose armed with little more than an English degree. With his sweet, high singing voice and his perfect delivery of Princeton's lines, Murphy anchors the performance. Meanwhile, Laura 'LB” Blythe is charming as Kate Monster, who longs for both a boyfriend and a more fulfilling career. Kate Monster is a potent blend of sweet and sassy, and Blythe embodies both. She also sings one of the show's few serious numbers, 'There's a Fine, Fine Line,” with palpable emotion.

John Zbanek-Hill and Adam Burnham are exceptional as Rod and Nicky, the Bert and Ernie of 'Avenue Q.” Nicky's efforts to help Rod come to terms with his true self are hilarious and poignant, and the two actors playing them are excellent singers and the most convincing puppeteers in the cast.

Daniel Kelchen is uproarious as Trekkie Monster, a creature addicted to something far more troubling than cookies. Kelchen speaks and sings with a deep, throat-shredding growl that properly belongs to a monster.

The puppeteers are ably supported by, among others, Zhen E. Rammelsberg as Christmas Eve, a full blown caricature of an Asian character; Ben LaFayette as her hapless husband Brian; and Stephen Banks as Gary Coleman (yep, that Gary Coleman). Kami Zbanek-Hill deserves special mention for her brief but hysterical portrayal of Mrs. T., a puppet character whose full name is somewhat less than appropriate. The pit orchestra, conducted by Forrest Green, is excellent.

There were a few harmonies that didn't come together, and the occasional quick-fire joke was lost due to sound design problems or shaky delivery. The puppets themselves, designed by students and faculty at the University of Northern Iowa for an earlier production, seem to offer some challenges, as well. For example, Murphy's Princeton was somewhat hunched over much of the time, a problem that appeared to be a construction issue. The mouths of other characters - including Kate Monster and Kara Ramirez' Lucy the Slut - seemed hard to operate.

But these minor issues took little away from the overall performance. The audience was on its feet immediately at show's end, happy to have spent the evening on 'Avenue Q.”

If you go

What: 'Avenue Q”

Where: Theatre Cedar Rapids, 102 Third St. SE

When: To Feb. 6; 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday

Tickets: $25 students, $35 adults, TCR Box Office, (319) 366-8591 or Theatrecr.org

Warning: Rated R; puppet nudity, adult language and situations; not intended for children