‘Avenue Q’ to bring puppets, irreverent humor to Carpenter Theatre

With songs such as "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist" and "The Internet Is for Porn," it's pretty clear that, despite the presence of puppets, "Avenue Q" isn't for kids.

It is, however, a cheeky, hilarious treat for adults who appreciate clever writing incorporated into sprightly songs about looking for meaning and purpose in life.

Put it this way: The centerpiece of the show is the lyrically droll, musically boppy "It Sucks to Be Me," during which the puppets, operated by their human extensions, verbally joust over whose life is more aggravating.

As proof of its universal appeal, the Tony-winning "Avenue Q," which opened on Broadway in 2003, spawned productions in Las Vegas and in London's West End within two years.

Though the Broadway production just moved off-Broadway two weeks ago, "Avenue Q" has maintained steady success with its national tour, which began in 2007. It plays three shows this weekend at CenterStage's Carpenter Theatre -- the first theater production of the new "Broadway in Richmond" series.

The novelty of "Avenue Q" is its use of puppets and its heavy "Sesame Street" influence, though the human actors don't hide behind their fuzzy counterparts. The melding of childhood with adult themes is another reason the musical has endured.

The character of "Princeton," a recent college grad who moves to New York City filled with optimism and a touch of naiveté, is the centerpiece. But plenty of other creatures -- porn-loving "Trekkie Monster" as well as "Rod," the conservative investment banker secretly in love with his male roommate -- might elicit knowing laughs and empathy.

"The idea of the puppets and people together . . . it brings you back to your childhood. And then you bring in the subject matter, which is not childlike whatsoever, withpuppets cursing and having sex," said Jacqueline Grabois, who plays "Kate Monster" and her alter ego, "Lucy the Slut." "Everyone can relate to someone in the show. 'Kate' is looking for a career and for love. So many of my girlfriends go through the same thing. You can always connect with somebody in the show."

For Grabois, who joined the show in August after a career that has carried her through national tours of "Hairspray" and "Shout! The Mod Musical," learning the "Avenue Q" songs and dialogue while simultaneously operating a puppet was an understandable challenge.

To prepare, she and the cast participated in two days of "puppet school," where they recited the alphabet, counted numbers and eventually graduated to singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" while incorporating puppet movement.

"I had to learn to make sure that I'm looking where 'Kate' is looking, and when I take a breath, she takes a breath," Grabois said. "Those little things make the puppet come alive and help the audience perceive them as alive. I want to make sure my puppet is going through the same emotions I'm going through [onstage]."

As the show comes full circle with "I Wish I Could Go Back to College" ("But if I were to go back to college, think what a loser I'd be. I'd walk through the quad, and think 'Oh my God . . . these kids are so much younger than me'") and the realistic resignation of "For Now," "Avenue Q" hits a new level of depth.

But even in serious moments, those puppets are guided to display a rainbow of emotion.

"In a normal play, you don't have a puppet attached to your arm," Grabois said. "And sometimes, fans will come up and say, 'We didn't look at the puppet the whole show, we looked at your face -- or vice versa. It's whatever the audience wants to focus on. But for me, in my face, I am 'Kate Monster.'"

Contact Melissa Ruggieri at (804) 649-6120 or .