Avenue Q: Apparently No Final Winner For Now
Avenue Q: Apparently No Final Winner For NowGeorge W. Bush is no longer the U.S. President. But for now, Avenue Q is simply replacing his name in the musical's final tune "For Now" with a test of four possible substitutes. They include:
Recession!Yawn.
Prop 8!
This show!
Mother-in-law!
With the possible exception of the self-deprecating "This show!" none of the tryout lyrics have the brilliant snarkiness that the original lyric had.
As you may recall, the tuner's producers staged a little contest last month among fans to seek a replacement lyric. According to Playbill, the production received over 2,000 entries. The judges -- Robert Lopez, Jeff Marx and Jeff Whitty, as well as the show's producers -- have settled on the four finalists. Those lyrics will be tested over several performances to "gauge the response and audience reaction."
Perhaps I'm quibbling here, but doesn't announcing what they are in advance undermine the potential hilarity of each? Part of the fun in seeing Avenue Q for my first time back in 2002 was hearing that inspired, and at the time, somewhat subversive line without any indication it was even coming.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Avenue Q, Barack Obama, Contest, George W. Bush, Jeff Marx, Jeff Whitty, Robert Lopez
posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Wednesday, January 21, 2009
8 Comments:
The contest wasn't open to people outside the US, but I decided to enter anyway and suggested "This show". The problem with trying to find a replacement for George Bush - in this context - is that it's really difficult. While I think Recession and Prop 8 are good answers, the recession will disappear eventually but maybe Prop 8 won't?
I have no idea if my suggestion of "This show" was the one picked or if lots of people suggested it. I suspect the later, as it fits with the show's style of humour.
Crossoverman, Yours (and I suspect others' as well) entry was the only one that elicited any laugh from me. Yes, I hope Prop 8 and the recession are "for now," but neither had a bite.
I also did "this show" and i wonder how they are going to handle it if multiple people use the same lyric
I'm another one who suggested "this show" Hmmm...how much Ave Q junk do they have, I wonder?
"Prop 8" has a little bite, but why not *keep* the George Bush reference, and simple change it to past tense:
"George Bush - *Was* Only for now..."
It still keeps with the original idea, and infers that things that were "for now" do indeed change.
You make a great point, Logan.
I suggested "This show" too!!
dang...
P.S. The line now being used in the Off-Broadway production is "Fox News."
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