But to those familiar with the Cape’s rich theater community, it should come as no surprise. The Rep constantly strives to raise the bar as well as push the envelope with its productions, and over the last several years it could be argued that no one on the Cape does musicals any better. The string of sterling shows include Sunday in the Park with George; Tick, Tick Boom; The Full Monty; Urinetown; The Drowsy Chaperone and now this crowning achievement, an absolutely flawless production of the sophisticated and complicated Avenue Q .
Q is not for everyone, but those who are not easily put off by strong R-rated material that pokes fun at homosexual and straight sex, racism, drugs and drinking, and a slew of other politically incorrect subjects are in for a side-splitting evening of laughs.
The show is the story of Princeton, who just graduated from college and is anxious to begin his adult life. He has tried to find a place to live starting on Avenue A, and has worked his way down to the seamy backwater New York neighborhood of Ave. Q.
There he meets a varied assortment of characters from want-to-be standup comedian Brian and his patient-less psychologist girlfriend Christmas Eve, a building supervisor who turns out to be child-star actor Gary Coleman, and a group of puppets including a potential girlfriend, Kate Monster, and others named Trekkie Monster, Mrs. Thistletwat, and the incorrigible Bad Idea Bears.
Director and choreographer Kristine McLaughlin is blessed with a stellar cast of Cape Rep veterans and newcomers who light up the stage with their talent and electrifying energy. She has masterfully created a cohesive unit of players that, combined with a wonderful cartoonish set that includes multimedia effects, makes the show snap, crackle and pop from the opening number to the final curtain that spontaneously drew the crowd to their feet for thunderous applause.
Morgan West plays Princeton perfectly with charm, wit and a joie de vivre that highlights his great voice and comic timing. Equal to West is Jessica Albon, flat-out fabulous as Kate Monster, the girl who perseveres through every impediment until she finally gets her man. Albon’s facial expressions were priceless and perfectly coordinated with her puppet persona. Although most songs in the show are bawdy comedic ditties, Albon delivers a poignant and beautiful rendition of a true torch song, “There’s a Fine, Fine Line.”
The other humans in the play are terrifically carved out by Kako Kitano as Christmas Eve, Andrew Ford as Brian and Darlene Van Alstyne as Gary Coleman. All three squeeze out every bit of the over-the-top humor with their characterizations and are a sheer pleasure to watch.
Last but certainly not least are the outrageous puppetry performances by Jared Hagon and Holly Erin McCarthy. The duo plays a half-dozen different wackos, sirens and seductresses that dazzle and delight. They are a hoot.
This is a unique theater experience, a cross between Sesame Street for adults and Muppets gone wild, and thus for mature audiences only. But if offbeat, ribald humor is your cup of tea, you should reserve your tickets quickly; once word gets out about how good it is, people will be cueing up for Q .
Avenue Q is at Cape Rep Theatre in Brewster Wednesdays at 7 p.m., Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There are no shows Nov. 23 and 24. For tickets ($30), call 508-896-1886 or go to www.caperep.org.
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