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Lessons Learned from Avenue Q

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To celebrate The Wife’s 30th Birthday I got tickets to Avenue Q off Broadway.  I will say it right up front, I am not a theater guy, but I will tell you I was laughing my butt off! Avenue Q is about,

AVENUE Q is the story of Princeton, a bright-eyed college grad who comes to New York City with big dreams and a tiny bank account. He soon discovers that the only neighborhood in his price range is Avenue Q; still, the neighbors seem nice. There’s Brian the out-of-work comedian and his therapist fianceé Christmas Eve; Nicky the good-hearted slacker and his roommate Rod — a Republican investment banker who seems to have some sort of secret; an Internet addict called Trekkie Monster; and a very cute kindergarten teaching assistant named Kate. And would you believe the building’s superintendent is Gary Coleman?!? (Yes, that Gary Coleman.) Together, Princeton and his newfound friends struggle to find jobs, dates, and their ever-elusive purpose in life.

It is a direct parody of Sesame Street and according to Wikipedia

Several characters are recognizably parodies of classic Sesame Street characters: for example, the roommates Rod and Nicky are based on Bert and Ernie, while Trekkie Monster is based on Cookie Monster. However, the characters are in their twenties and thirties and face adult problems instead of those faced by children of varying ages, thus making the show more suited for the adults…

The songs from Avenue Q are hysterical including such classics as “If You Were Gay”, “The Internet is for Porn” and “Everyone’s a little bit racist.”  But there can be real lessons if you want to look deeper into the songs.

Lessons That Can be Learned from Avenue Q

What Do You Do with a B.A. in English?

I mean come on! What can you do with a BA in English?

What do you do with a B.A. in English,
What is my life going to be?
Four years of college and plenty of knowledge,
Have earned me this useless degree.
I can’t pay the bills yet,
‘Cause I have no skills yet,
The world is a big scary place.

While my prediction about the bursting of the college bubble hasn’t occurred, yet. Regardless, I have no idea why people take on a boat load of debt for a degree that pays nothing.

If You Were Gay

This song is actually about tolerance.

NICKY:
Well, okay, but just so you know
IF YOU WERE GAY THAT’D BE OKAY. I MEAN ‘CAUSE, HEY, I’D LIKE YOU ANYWAY. BECAUSE YOU SEE, IF IT WERE ME, I WOULD FEEL FREE TO SAY THAT I WAS GAY (BUT I’M NOT GAY.)

IF YOU WERE QUEER

I’D STILL BE HERE,

YEAR AFTER YEAR

BECAUSE YOU’RE DEAR TO ME,

AND I KNOW THAT YOU

WOULD ACCEPT ME TOO,

IF I TOLD YOU TODAY,”HEY! GUESS WHAT, I’M GAY!” (BUT I’M NOT GAY.) I’M HAPPY JUST BEING WITH YOU.

SO WHAT SHOULD IT MATTER TO ME WHAT YOU DO IN BED WITH GUYS?

IF YOU WERE GAY I’D SHOUT HOORAY!

I have said it time and time again that I am pro same sex marriage and gay rights in general (of course to the extent that everyone is not above equal).

There is Life Outside your Apartment

You can’t just expect things to happen you have to make it happen!

There is life outside your apartment.
I know it’s hard to conceive.
But there’s life outside your apartment.
And you’re only gonna see it if you leave.
There is cool shit to do,
But it can’t come to you,
And who knows, dude
You might even score!
There is life outside your apartment.
But you gotta open the door!

All but Princeton:
There is life outside…
There is life outside…
There is life outside…
There is life outside your apartment!
There’s a pigeon
Squashed on the street.

Christmas Eve:
Ew.

Brian:
There’s a girl passing by

Nicky:
No I think it’s a guy

All but Princeton:
And a homeless man
Who only wants to
Buy something to eat!
Sorry, can’t help you.
We could go to the zoo!

Trekkie Monster:
Pick up girls at NYU!

Brian:
We could sit in the park smoking pot!

Christmas Eve:
Or not.

All but Princeton:
There is life outside your apartment.

Princeton:
Well, I guess I’ll give it a shot.

If you ever told me 6 years ago, I’d write a blog and even quote an off Broadway show and I would have laughed at you!

Ever see the show?

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Never seen the show, but it sounds hilarious!

    While I’ve never see a play in the big city (except Toronto), I’ve enjoyed the local ones in my area.

    You see, one of my roommates was an theatre major in college. He has a BA in it, but now he’s a paralegal. But we would go out to support his efforts! He was actually quite good, but more along the lines of a Richard Dreyfus kind of guy.

  2. Never saw Avenue Q – actually, it’s the first time I’ve heard of it – but the next time I’m in New York I will definitely try to see it! Er, as long as I don’t have to take the Cross Bronx Expressway to get there, that is. LOL

    Best,

    Len
    Len Penzo dot Com

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