<strong>WHAT:</strong> “Avenue Q” by Limelight Theatre Works
<strong>WHEN:</strong> 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday
<strong>WHERE:</strong> Knights of Columbus Hall, 187 S. Indiana Ave., Kankakee
<strong>COST:</strong> $10 plus small fees
Tickets can be purchased online at <a href="https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4078147" target="_blank">https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4078147</a>.
Limelight Theatre Works’ newest production should come with a warning label.
“Within the first five minutes, I scream the ‘F’ word, so don’t bring your kids,” warns Angel Mirkov, who is cast in her first Limelight role of Kate Monster in “Avenue Q,” which is set to be performed at the Knights of Columbus hall in Kankakee this weekend.
The musical, which premiered on Broadway in 2003, is essentially like the classic “Sesame Street” television show, but for adults. And only adults.
The plot begins after the main character, named Princeton, portrayed by Thomas Erhardt, graduates college and attempts to live on his own for the first time. Broke, he cannot afford to live anywhere except, of course, at Avenue Q, and that’s where he meets Kate, Mrs. Thistletwat, the Bad Idea Bears and the rest of the Q clan.
“It really is ‘Sesame Street’ with a hard R rating,” said Paul Snyder, who is cast as Brian in the show. “I do think this is probably the strangest show I’ve been a part of — and that’s saying a lot, because I once did a production of ‘Urinetown’ in college.
“That’s kind of what Limelight is known for. They do the more experimental shows. They do the more nontraditional, might-offend-people type shows. But it might be raunchy, it might be profane, but that’s not to say that it isn’t still intellectual.”
Tyler McMahon, director of the musical and co-founder of Limelight, believes that while the show isn’t for everyone, those who enjoy the weirder, raunchier side of comedy will appreciate the performances by both the humans and the puppets.
Just like the classic TV show, nearly all characters in “Avenue Q” are puppets, though there are some humans among the cast members.
One of McMahon’s favorite aspects of the musical is “how sweet and innocent the puppets look and how absolutely inappropriate they are.”
Lucy, who McMahon refers to as a “big hooch,” is just one of the several inappropriate beings featured on stage.
“Lucy is what I would describe as a very provocative, cabaret singer,” said Alexis Tanner, who is cast as the character. “She doesn’t have much purpose in the show except to just cause some chaos. […] I’ll have to shake my puppet’s boobs in front of the audience, while also maintaining breathe and vocals and singing and dancing and puppetry.”
Most of the cast had no prior puppeteering experience prior to the show — even McMahon, who made all the puppets from scratch, voiced his frustrations with their intricacy.
Acting, directing and designing costumes are all challenging enough. Puppets add an entire new level of craziness into the show’s production.
Luckily for the cast and crew, one among them has enjoyed the act of puppeteering since he was 7 years old.
Adam Rociles, cast as in his first Limelight role as Rod, a closeted, Republican investment banker, has worked with puppets for the last 12 years, and has spent much of Limelight’s rehearsals teaching his fellow cast members how to become one with their scene partner.
“Avenue Q”’s unique stage presence allows the show to contain a high level of rude behavior. The cast and crew of Limelight cannot stress enough how important is it to “leave the kids at home.”
“There’s an actual puppet sex scene,” Mirkov said.
“It’s like ‘Family Guy,’ ‘Robot Chicken’ and ‘American Dad!’ all put together in one show,” Rociles explained.
But underneath all the puppet sex and adult humor, there still lives meaningful, dimensional characters who are just trying to live the best life possible.
“Most of it is comedy, but you get a little inch of serious reality,” explained Joshua Unruh, cast as Nicky, the roommate and best friend of Rod.
Unruh refers to his character as a “sweet little nugget.”
“We make a bunch of jokes about how he’s a pothead, how he spaces out all the time, and he’s just in his own little magical world,” Unruh said. “But he supports his friends and loves everyone he’s around […] Even when he’s going through his hard times, he’s still trying to connect with his friends. And whether or not he’s connecting with his friends or asking for money, he’s still there for you.”
Erhardt, cast as Princeton, said his character is “the average college graduate just trying to make it in the world and just running into all these crazy shenanigans along the way that Avenue Q brings him.”
Despite each of the puppets’ profanity and explicit actions, many of the cast members have grown fond of their foam friends.
“I’ve gotten so much into my character I do the ‘muppet dive’ when I laugh now,” Unruh admitted. “I’ll be standing there with Nicky, and I won’t even realize it, but I’ll tilt my head back and I go, ‘Hah!’ It’s become such a genuine reaction.”
“Avenue Q” is not for children or those easily offended, but vocal director Jeanne Benson believes it is still worth a watch.
“I had never heard of it until I listened to it, read through it and sang through it, and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so adorable,’” she said.
“And my reaction was, ‘This is so dirty!’” replied conductor Julie Tomisek. “The ‘F’ word is the mildest thing in this show.”
“But it’s such a cute little show,” Benson said. “The music is entertaining. They’re funny songs. I find myself humming them many times. It’s delightful.”
See the cute, dirty, delightful, raunchy show at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. Doors will be open 30 minutes before showtime, and a cash bar will be available.
Tickets are available to purchase online for $10, plus small fees, at <a href="https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4078147" target="_blank">https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4078147</a>.
The show is intended for adult audiences only. Anyone under age 17 must be accompanied by an adult.