Inspired by Sesame Street, but with an R-rating and more adult themes, this musical follows a recent college graduate trying to find his purpose as he moves into an apartment in New York City on Avenue Q. With a book by Jeff Whitty and music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, this show features puppets like Kate Monster, Rod and Nicky (a take on Bert and Ernie), and Mrs. Thistletwat as well as the human characters Brian, Christmas Eve, and Gary Coleman. John Tartaglia created and served as puppeteer for both Princeton and the Rod puppet. Avenue Q originated off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre before moving to Broadway’s Golden Theatre, where it ran for over 6 years. It then moved back off-Broadway at New World Stages where it ran almost 10 more years before finally closing in 2019.
Who made the puppets in Avenue Q? Rick Lyon designed the puppets, and his company, The Lyon Puppets, built them. Rick Lyon also originated the roles of Trekkie Monster, Nicky, and other characters in Avenue Q. Rick is also known for his many puppeteering credits in films like Men in Black and The Neverending Story III, as well as tv shows like The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and At Home with Amy Sedaris. He also worked with the Jim Henson company, where he was one of the operators of Big Bird.
How many puppets are in the show? Eleven characters in Avenue Q are puppets, including Princeton, Kate Monster, Nicky, Rod, Trekkie Monster, Lucy, and Mrs. Lavinia Thistletwat.
What are the puppets made out of? Each puppet has to withstand heavy use (often 8 shows a week!), so many have steel boning underneath the fabric, dye, foam, and custom wigs. In an article from SFGate, puppet designer Rick Lyon describes the many man hours it takes to craft a puppet and how they are operated.
Can I see the puppets in action? Check out this video of the original Broadway cast – humans and puppets alike – singing “It Sucks to Be Me.”