Q Is For Puppet Nudity

The deluge of radio and TV ads for Avenue Q insist that the Broadway musical playing at the Music Hall through November 11 is for everyone – bachelors, college dropouts, college graduates, people who are wearing underwear and people who aren’t. At the same time, the spots issue a warning: Avenue Q, with its porn-addicted and suicide-pushing puppets, isn’t meant for kids. And, really, the show’s not meant for every adult, either, especially not for those uncomfortable with full puppet nudity.

What is meant for everyone, though?

The turnout for opening night of Kansas City’s six-day run skewed a little older, as play audiences often do. There were quite a few fancy-looking retirees. I sat in a row of mainly pairs of smartly dressed young men. The fellow to my left was involved with the production and seemed excited about the earful of complaints he expected today. “I left a whole stack of my business cards at the box office,” he said. I didn’t see anyone storm out, but a co-worker reported that she overheard some older patrons saying after the show that they liked it but would warn stiffer friends to steer clear.