How do you make an audience nostalgic for the Muppets and able to relate to a different cast of puppets in a very adult story?
For starters, you add some cleavage and five-o’clock shadow.
“Obviously, the show’s origins are steeped in nostalgia and a longing for the simple world of children’s television as represented by ‘Sesame Street,'” says Rick Lyon, who designed the puppets for “Avenue Q” and was a member of the original cast. “So our puppets had to have the same visual feel as the ones Jim Henson created.”
Therefore, the denizens of “Avenue Q” are soft, furry, expressive creatures made from the same style and fabric — and the same emotional pallete — as Kermit, Miss Piggy and the Cookie Monster.
But if you look closely you’ll see some…er…adult features. Suits, breasts, stubble, worry lines. That kind of thing.
“The show is an adult spin on what would happen if the Sesame Street puppets weren’t dealing with ABC’s and 123’s but with how to keep a job or not get beaten up by your girlfriend when you break up with her,” Lyon says.
What you won’t see, though, are any of the actual Henson characters. Most of the original puppeteers had worked in children’s TV, maybe even “Sesame Street,” but they were careful to ensure sufficient separation between the worlds. The show is not an authorized brand extension.
And there’s another difference. On “Sesame Street,’ the puppeteers were always invisible. Even in promotional stills, the producers were careful never to show anyone manipulating, say, Kermit, lest a childhood illusion get smashed.
In “Avenue Q,” the puppeteers are in full view.
“We’re not trying to fool anybody,” says Lyon. “But we still treat all the puppets with respect.”
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See also:
“Those !#*@!* puppets,” On the Town section, Page 1
“At last, ‘Avenue Q’ reaches Chicago,” On the Town section, Page 8
