AVENUE Q
- writeonarts
- May 24
- 3 min read
Director: Kate Martin-Booker
Vocal Director: Kathryn Harris
Choreographer: Lauren Empson
Producer: Hamilton Musical Theatre
16-30 May 2026, Riverlea Theatre
Avenue Q is often referred to as “Sesame Street for adults.” But the puppets in the photos look sooo cute, I hear you say. Ahem. Before we get to the fun stuff you should be aware that the musical includes the songs “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist” and “The Internet is for Porn.” If you can (or can’t cope with that), read on.
Recent graduate Princeton moves to Avenue Q who goes through some of life’s pivotal moments in the diverse community who are variously contending with employment, love, sexuality, debt, and jealousy issues while ultimately trying to figure out their life’s purpose.
A third of the cast are either graduates or current students of Wintec Te Kawau Toi Performing Arts programme - Josef Bavastro, Luka Cameron, Patrick Farrell, and Adrian Ngarua. Gaby Jackson who came up through the ranks of HMT’s Broadway Jr productions made her inaugural appearance in a full HMT season. Jack Graf and Callum Sheridan-Braithwaite marked their return to the stage after a few years off. Charlie Helliwell made her Hamilton stage debut. Regular performers/creatives Jasmine Gorman, Katie Hansen, Maya Hasegawa, Adam White completed the cast of twelve.
The roles of Gary Coleman (Adrian Ngarua), Christmas Eve (Maya Hasegawa), Brian (Callum Sheridan-Braithwaite) are played as humans, with the remaining cast performing as puppeteers who also emotionally express themselves. With this show, it is more common to see the cast wearing black allowing the puppets to be more visible. HMT’s version had the cast and puppets equal in standing including mostly matchy-matchy costumes (well done, Kelsey Pidot).
Choreographer Lauren Empson delivered another polished swathe of dance numbers. “There is Life Outside Your Apartment” was a particular highlight, both joyful and expressive. Kathryn Harris took on vocal direction for the first time drawing from her onstage experience. Harmonies were precise (Hasegawa and Jackson in “The More You Ruv Someone” was perfect) and breath control and delivery was terrific throughout. Ngarua’s rendition of “Schadenfreude” was stunning. Both Harris and Empson’s endeavours were supported by a versatile and talented cast.
In the programme, director Kate Martin-Booker states “it is a fun and silly breath of fresh air.” Thankfully, Martin-Booker concentrated on fun and silly. The numbers mentioned at the top of this review were more palatable due to direction and execution. Where cast would usually assist in trucking set pieces on and off stage, the handling of puppets made that impossible, so Martin-Booker used a workaround with a costumed crew made up of familiar faces.
Avenue Q is Hamilton Musical Theatre’s big mid-year production and 50th Anniversary show. I imagine only a small portion of the cast and crew were in existence five decades ago which speaks to HMT’s ethos of continuing to nurture up and coming performers and creatives.
Avenue Q can be challenging due to its 2004-esque “humour.” Act II is funnier, but perhaps that is because it takes the entirety of Act I to adjust to the style of comedy. Clever puppetry by a deft cast on Greg Hack’s fabulous set allows the uncomfortable content of Avenue Q to entertain with a satirical edge.
Photos: Ascend Photography Ltd
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