(Through May 4) After the lofty inventiveness of The Lion King and the genital gymnastics of Puppetry of the Penis, you may think you’ve experienced every innovation puppet theater has to offer. But until you’ve seen cuddly Kate and pretty boy Princeton doing the nasty, you ain’t seen nothing. Welcome to the deliciously demented world of Avenue Q, where Gary Coleman rents rooms, monsters mingle with ”Orientals,” and, as just one of the insanely catchy tunes goes, ”Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist.” The nonhuman inhabitants include questionably gay Rod and Nicky (read: Bert and Ernie), the Mae West-like Lucy the Slut, and the prickly Mrs. Thistletwat — all the fantastic Jim Henson-like creations of Rick Lyon, operated on stage by real-life doppelgangers. As they sing, dance, and impart Sesame Street-style lessons on such improbable subjects as porn and homosexuality, you realize you’ll never look at puppets the same way again. Especially now that you’ve seen them naked.
Related Articles
![Spongebob Squarepants and Tom Kenny arrive at the 2017 Princess Grace Awards Gala Kick Off Event at Paramount Pictures on October 24, 2017 in Los Angeles, California](https://ew.com/thmb/CSz4zSpTQtAGUeVuoteJI-IMadA=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tom-kenny-spongebob-tout-72624-16686d82d3194834bddb4e6912629bc3.jpg)
Tom Kenny reflects on saying SpongeBob SquarePants is autistic: 'I never meant for it to go public'
![Tom Kenny and Spongebob](https://ew.com/thmb/GPALxMDRPFAp_kE9vR9e5MjMKFU=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tom-kenny-and-spongebob-072324-5902bc7775a34ea3a777ebfa93bc4029.jpg)
SpongeBob SquarePants voice actor says the character is 'autistic' and 'that’s his superpower'
![Queen of Versailles](https://ew.com/thmb/mQpU_H2wVmnuh0qNSY9GDmE88W8=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Queen-of-Versailles-071124-1-d1c6d4c384db465ab38f5b9003d4fce2.jpg)
See Kristin Chenoweth channel Jackie Siegel in Queen of Versailles musical first look
![Oh Mary review/](https://ew.com/thmb/9rHn_GVGmQeKidxlexMc6vns-Vc=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Conrad-Ricamora-and-Cole-Escola-071124-1275a16e00f84a2bb319cf8c238fc4cc.jpg)
Oh, Mary! review: Cole Escola's American farce is the funniest play on Broadway
![Ian McKellen](https://ew.com/thmb/Qoze6g1CwsftUN-YXYzk5nI3-3k=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Ian-McKellen-070124-7a8c06ab12c5411f9e4ba71257837d71.jpg)
Ian McKellen drops out of Player Kings national tour following stage fall
![Jodie Foster at the 2024 National Hispanic Media Coalition Impact Awards Gala held at the Beverly Wilshire, Four Seasons Hotel on June 14, 2024](https://ew.com/thmb/4rqAQhDts7NRp97_rOiizebXNpU=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Jodie-Foster-062324-8af4481ac93a4019a23b8bd80c206460.jpg)
Jodie Foster says she never wanted to do a play again after her stalker came to the theater with a gun
![Ralph Macchio visits the cast of The Outsiders on Broadway](https://ew.com/thmb/YqtuA0vKM_WlbHUp93-jDQ6l7bc=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/ralph-macchio-2-062024-1b71f21f09114c1f911970064537f434.jpg)
The Outsiders star Ralph Macchio visits the cast of the Tony award-winning musical on Broadway
![Ian McKellen at the curtain call during a performance of 'Player Kings'](https://ew.com/thmb/ywCY8r9JG03RvZ1P6Hi-z-UGoVc=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/ian-mcKellan-player-kings47-04112024-d7932da82d534e69bd578f67827ef597.jpg)
Ian McKellen to miss final play performances after falling off stage at London theater
![Sarah Paulson accepts the Best Leading Actress in a Play award for "Appropriate" onstage during The 77th Annual Tony Awards at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on June 16, 2024 in New York City.](https://ew.com/thmb/m3cfvOtRAqZhCKJexj11bErg3rM=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Sarah-Paulson-Tony-Awards-061724-d2d6fae0ef414e3fba6f68fa6304a8e0.jpg)
Sarah Paulson wins her first Tony Award for Appropriate, thanks partner Holland Taylor for 'loving me'
![Ariana DeBose performs onstage during The 77th Annual Tony Awards, Chita Rivera attends the 2018 Tony Awards Gala](https://ew.com/thmb/c86W8uRa3Gbtnx7BDBvdGA0xztQ=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/ariana-debose-chita-rivera-tony-awards-tribute-061724-d59e42d17385423fb8a8e8554e89fa48.jpg)
Watch Ariana DeBose lead Tony tribute to Chita Rivera with 'America' performance
![Ariana DeBose performs onstage during The 77th Annual Tony Awards at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on June 16, 2024 in New York City.](https://ew.com/thmb/4f1ZCxrYdBBBYBR47kOhvLYwfwE=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/ariana-debose-tony-awards-opening-061624-06fcab6f3f8e4eff9cb86d5b6b023315.jpg)
The best and worst moments from the 2024 Tony Awards
![Daniel Radcliffe, Sarah Paulson, Jonathan Groff](https://ew.com/thmb/cVcVo61YxRBUXuYtNlJMX2i_jAc=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Daniel-Radcliffe-Sarah-Paulson-Jonathan-Groff-tonys-winners-2024-061624-6dab912e701a432881f084284cc13b6f.jpg)
Tony Awards 2024: See the full list of winners
![Jonathan Groff and Daniel Radcliffe attend the 90th Annual Drama League Awards at The Ziegfeld Ballroom on May 17, 2024 in New York City.](https://ew.com/thmb/n5k7aeLFvO3ATOXF-JxwSzcY0lY=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/daniel-radcliffe-jonathan-groff-tout-061224-8fb631acf1fb4865ba005538cf4d7fb7.jpg)
Daniel Radcliffe panicked during 'nightmare' Broadway flub: 'Sweat like I never experienced before'
![Josh O'Connor; RATATOUILLE](https://ew.com/thmb/QAEWAG5CqECEpa9AyKzkYGmWH6Y=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/josh-oconner-ratatouille-061124-a593c9b11117407ca6274ed3d8678ea9.jpg)
Pixar boss responds to fan campaign to cast Ratatouille superfan Josh O'Connor in live-action film: 'It would be tough'
![Awardist collage of William Jackson Harper in Uncle Vanya; Amy Ryan in Doubt; Shoshana Bean in Hellâs Kitchen; Sky Lakota-Lynch in The Outsiders; Shaina Taub in Suffs; Sarah Pidgeon in Stereophonic; Brian DâArcy James in The Days of Wine and Roses](https://ew.com/thmb/1RKWyqGhbXZuE0AdACyxlKd2H20=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/awardist-tonys-roundtable-d1606604274346549cc2219bd4caeb8e.jpg)
William Jackson Harper on Good Place comparisons, Amy Ryan on stepping into Doubt last minute, and more Tony nominee insights
![When You're In Love - Maybe Happy Ending the Musical Darren Criss and Helen J Shen](https://ew.com/thmb/2a2718xTh3TEHoeezX6iqjVCwpA=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Maybe-Happy-Ending-the-Musical-060524-b063a9e5339248468c59bbe5760cd328.jpg)
See an exclusive first look at Darren Criss’ return to Broadway in Maybe Happy Ending