Forget about “Sesame Street.”
Can you tell me how to get to “Avenue Q”?
Penn State Center Stage will present the Tony Award-winning musical through Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Playhouse Theatre on campus.
The show has been described as savvy, sassy and eminently likable. A New York Times review called Avenue Q a “breakthrough musical.”
No doubt the reviewer was referring to the use of hand-held puppets that are brought to life by actors.
The show was written by Jeff Witty, with music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx.
Director Courtney Young, a graduate student in the Penn State School of Theatre’s directing program, has wanted to direct the show since she first saw it performed on Broadway.
“I love the show’s combination of very adult material with puppets,’ Young says. “The show makes a nod to Sesame Street,” she added, though it was clearly not created for children.
“The puppets are a challenging element,” Young says. And, it is the puppets who tell the story. To help with that, she was able to have a workshop with members of the New York company of the show.
“I suppose I am still learning what makes this production unique,” Young says. “It’s funny, irreverent, but with a lot of heart. There are real struggles, real problems.”
Young came to Penn State to pursue a degree in directing from Susan Shulman, a member of the Penn State faculty who has had great success in New York theater.
“I was lucky to work in New York as a performer and as an associate director. I wanted to learn the craft of directing here at Penn State,” Young says.
With the frigid weather settling on Happy Valley, Young suggests that audiences can escape the brutal cold by coming to see Avenue Q. “Audiences can immerse themselves in our world for a couple of hours,” she said.
“I am thrilled to be directing Avenue Q for Penn State Center Stage,” says Young. “I saw the original Broadway production and was blown away by the show’s inventiveness, irreverence and humor. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to direct a show that tells the story of finding one’s purpose in life with such candor, humor and heart. I am very excited that Penn State is bringing this incredible show to the community.”
