TRI VALLEY REP - SCORES WITH Q - 

R RATED HAND PUPPETS LOVE LIVERMORE

Tri Valley has staged two musicals this season that have been on a few stages here in the Bay Area - Shrek was all over the Bay this past summer and spring,and now the Puppets of Ave Q have invaded Regional stages this past fall and winter. With 
Les Miz in the shadows - that will make three productions over produced on Bay Area Stages.  But the good news - Tri Valley brings it to Livermore with a great talent and staging. 

The Puppets of Ave Q have a Tony in the can - and of course the talented Robert Lopez (Book of Mormon) brings his witty Music and Lyrics to this 2003 hit.

Sean McGrory is cast as Princeton along side Jennifer Stark as Kate Monster both have great comic timing and work well with their puppet selfs.  Its noted that from past productions I have seen of this musical - the Tri Valley Muppet cast was imported from Sierra Stages in Nevada - and they are a bit smaller. With the smaller puppets the cast have more of opportunity to shine and not be upstaged by the Muppet button faces.

Wendy Amador s power house voice behind Lucy the Slut, is a stand out along with Scott DiLorenzo, Mia Sagan, Mario Rappa and Kevin Hammond. Sam Leeper an Abby Peterson easily steal the show at times as the two Bad Idea Bears. The weak link was the casting of Christmas Eve - the single Asian character in the cast. With such a talent pool of Asian actors in the Bay Area,  I was surprised to see this character on the low end.

On that topic - Tri Valley is about to mount THE KING AND I,  and rumor is a buzz that it was hard to find an Asian talent to come out to Tri Valley.  Lets hope that is not the case for KING in 2015. 

Q is not a family show - But a great date night night out in Livermore at the Blankhead stage. The show runs through Sunday Nov 2nd 

                                    

AVENUE Q - PRESENTED BY THE TRI VALLEY REP

Through: Nov. 2 /Where: Bankhead Theater, 2400 First St., Livermore
Running time: 2 hours,
20 minutes, one intermission
Tickets: $19-$39,
925-373-6800,
www.trivalleyrep.org