Music Theatre International have had a problem with Avenue Q's life after Broadway. Schools and amateur productions produce revenue for years, and with its cuddly puppets Avenue Q could be the perfect choice for the end of school show.
Except for the dialogue. Oh yes, and the lyrics. And some of the subject matter. And, of course, several of the characters. Darn shame, because all that extra cash could come in useful. Hey, why don't we just change it a little!
A little?
MTI announced that it “has worked with the Avenue Q authors to create an adaptation that maintains the dramatic intention and integrity of the piece, while editing it to make it more appropriate for high school audiences and performers.”
Such as?
- The language (both dialogue and lyrics) has been cleaned-up throughout. Think of the show being rated PG-13 now rather than rated R
- The song “Internet is For Porn” has been replaced with “Social Life is Online”
- The songs “My Girl Friend Who Lives In Canada” and “Loud As The Hell You Want” are cut from this version
- A few character names have been changed – Lucy T. Slut is now just Lucy, and Mrs. Thistletwat is now Mrs. Butz.
These changes, MTI states, exist to “serve the greater message of the piece by allowing its themes to reach a wider audience.”
Well the song “If You Were Gay” isn't listed for the axe or a lyric change, so maybe the important themes will carry through into the schools of middle America. Now there's a song that could help out countless school kids.
Photo: “The Internet Is for Porn” with Trekkie Monster
Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.
His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.
