Avenue Q To Ride Off Broadway Via September ExitWhile the 2004 Tony Award-winning Best Musical
Avenue Q still resides on Broadway, it's simply for now. The little adult puppet musical will close on September 13 after playing 2,534 performances.
Avenue Q began as a "million dollar idea" initially conceptualized for television by
Jeff Marx and
Robert Lopez. But as it progressed, it took shape as a downtown musical with
Jeff Whitty providing its book in time for its original mounting at New York's
Vineyard Theatre. From there, it transferred to midtown to Broadway's
John Golden Theatre, where it opened July 10, 2003.
When I first caught the fledgling little
Avenue Q during the 2003-04 Theatrical Season with its original cast -- long before it was awarded the 2004 Tony for Best Musical -- I enjoyed its devious humor that tracked an ingenious parallel universe with television's "
Sesame Street." I vividly recall a fun time was had by all.
I was less enamored with the
current touring production when I caught it several years later, perhaps in part because of its unprecedented, all-out
campaign effort to win the Tony back in 2003, coupled with the
producers subsequent sell-out to Steve Wynn and Vegas
instead of touring. But I give the show and its creators enormous credit for having lasted so long and inspiring new audiences to enjoy live theatre.
Those die-hard
Avenue Q fans can take heart. The show still continues to
tour nationally, with stops scheduled through at least one year forward. Then there's the successful West End production that opened to
mixed reviews three years ago last Sunday.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Avenue Q, Broadway, Closing Notices, Jeff Marx, Jeff Whitty, London, Musical, Robert Lopez, The Vineyard
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!
Prop 8!
This show!
Mother-in-law!
Yawn.
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
For NowIf you're anything like me, you've had a major concern since Election Day.
No, not on whom President-Elect
Barack Obama would appoint to his cabinet or just how soon he'd be able to heal the world.
No, it's been that pesky lyric from Broadway's
Avenue Q. You know the one in the closing number "For Now" in which
George W. Bush's name is among the many rejoinders on what's only for now. I've been wondering what they're going to do with it after the current occupant of
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue leaves office.
Now we know. Apparently the creative folks at
Avenue Q have also been contemplating the question. And instead of coming up with their own two syllable lyric, they've launched a contest to enable their fans to replace it.
According to the
Avenue Q site:
It's of the most-loved lyrics in AVENUE Q. But starting January 20th, "GEORGE BUSH IS ONLY FOR NOW" must be replaced, and WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Submit your idea for a 2-syllable replacement lyric for "GEORGE BUSH" -- and you could win a bunch of cool AVENUE Q stuff, including a revised script that includes YOUR LYRIC!
To enter, click
here. It's as easy as that.
According to
Playbill:
The winner will be announced Jan. 15, 2009, and the new lyric will be performed in Broadway's Avenue Q at the Golden Theatre beginning Jan. 20, 2009, the day Barack Obama is inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States.
Avenue Q producer Robyn Goodman said in a statement, "We thought it would be fun to find out what people today think is as expendable as George Bush. Audiences have cheered the line since the show opened and people are curious — what's next?"
Creator Robert Lopez added, "I've gotten so many unsolicited ideas from friends and strangers over the years that it seems only fitting that we solicit a few more."
The contest begins Dec. 22, 2009, and runs through Jan. 12, 2009. To enter visit http://www.avenueq.com/.
The winning entry will be selected by a panel that comprises Q creators Robert Lopez, Jeff Marx and Jeff Whitty and the show's producers. The winner will receive a prize package including an autographed program and poster from Avenue Q, a cast recording, a copy of the Avenue Q coffee table book and an autographed copy of the revised script with the contest winner's lyric included.
Good luck!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Avenue Q, Barack Obama, Contest, George W. Bush, Jeff Marx, Jeff Whitty, Robert Lopez
