Avenue Q
Meet The Characters
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Please email chilternmusicaltheatre@gmail.com stating which roles you'd like to audition for and we'll send you the music & dialogue needed
Avenue Q – Ready to Let Your Fur Down?
We have now cast all roles!
Avenue Q is an outrageous, laugh-out-loud musical packed with catchy tunes, puppetry, and a whole lot of heart. But be warned—this is NOT your average feel-good show! It’s packed with strong language, adult humor, and taboo topics, so you’ll need an open mind and must be 16+ to audition.
We rehearse every Tuesday, most Thursdays, and some Sundays. Some Thursday rehearsals can be done online early in the process, while we’re learning specific parts of the script and we can always add in extra online sessions to cover anything you need help with.
Pictures are indicative of the kind of puppets we'll be using
Princeton
Lead Role
One rod puppet. A fresh-faced kid just out of college. He is looking for his “purpose” in life and is pursuing a career, love and life satisfaction. He meets Kate, the girl next door and starts a relationship with her, but is very easily led, and their romance fails. He has a kind heart though, even when he feels lost himself. He is a little naïve to the realities of life, as most people are at that age.
Male - Age 22 - playing age early 20's
Bb2 – G4 Tenor
Kate Monster
Lead Role
One rod puppet. A kindergarten teaching assistant, a bit older than Princeton. She is kind & considerate but can have a feisty side when pushed. She wants nothing more than to find a boyfriend and thinks she's found it with Princeton, but his ability to be easily led and his determination to find his purpose, means they may be doomed to fail. Her interests include romantic things like music and art.
Female - Age mid 20's
F#3 – F5 Soprano (Mezzo)
Nicky
Supporting Role
Live hands puppet which requires a second puppeteer. A bit of a slacker, who lives with Rod. They are best friends but have a fiery relationship and can often be found arguing particularly when he leaves his stuff all over the apartment. He guesses that Rod is gay and tries to help him come out of the closet, although Rod isn't willing to admit to his sexuality. He accidentally lets slip to their friends that he thinks Rod is a homosexual, which Rod hears and is incredibly hurt and tells Rod he has to leave the apartment. To make up for it, Nicky tries to find Rod a boyfriend.
Male - playing age 20's
B2 – B4 Tenor
Rod
Supporting Role
Two rod puppet. A Republican investment banker with a secret…he is struggling with coming to terms with his homosexuality although everyone already knows as he's so camp. He has a secret crush on his best friend, Nicky, who is straight. When he overhears Nicky agreeing with his friends that he's gay he gets really upset and makes up a story about a girlfriend who lives in Canada, but that doesn't go smoothly and he ends up asking Nicky to move out of his apartment. He seeks help from local therapist, Christmas Eve, and is eventually over the moon when Nicky finds him a boyfriend.
Male - playing age mid 20's to mid 30's
A2 – G4 Tenor
Christmas Eve
Supporting Role
Christmas Eve is a vibrant, intelligent, and insightful character who brings humour and heart to the show. Wears the trousers in her relationship with Brian. She is a Japanese woman, and her role reflects her cultural background but I don't want the actor to do this character as an over-the-top parody of a Japanese woman – we can get laughs with her speech patterns, without making Christmas Eve speak in Asian English tropes like swapping the “l” sound for “r.”
Female - Playing age 20 - 40
B3 – F#5 Soprano/Mezzo - should have a torch singer style
Brian
Supporting Role
A laid-back Jewish guy engaged and then married to Christmas Eve, a Japanese immigrant. Regularly unemployed but has a lifelong dream of becoming a famous comedian on late-night TV. He Emcee's at the Around the Clock Café. He is very much under the thumb of Christmas Eve for an easy life taking her not so subtle hints to get a job with grace. Brian lives in a relaxed, easy-come easy-go world. He is a lynchpin in the community and friends with his neighbours, helping them when they're in need.
Male - Playing age mid 30's
B2 – F#4 Baritone
Gary Coleman
Supporting Role
Yes, that Gary Coleman. He lives on the Avenue, too! He is a washed-up Z-list former child actor whose million dollar fortune was stolen by his parents. Down on his luck he takes on the menial job of the 'Super' in the Avenue Q neighbourhood. Is a happy go lucky character who tries not to be bitter about his lot. A unique and vivid presence who has lived life. The part requires a black actor of either sex. Must be a strong soul singer/actor with great comedic timing and plenty of dance ability. Can be any physical type.
Male/Female - playing age 30's
D2 – Bb4/D3 – Bb5* Tenor/Alto (Belt) *Main range alto, top Bb appears once as part of a riff, so will need to have a big range.
Lucy The Slut
Featured Role
Two rod puppet. A vixenish vamp with a dangerous edge. She's a sexy cabaret singer in the Around the Clock Café who isn't afraid of going for what she wants and sees other women as ‘obstacles to men’. When Kate and Princeton end their romance, she bumps into him and they have a one night stand, but once she's got what she wants, she dumps him. She is badly hurt in a freak accident and almost dies, but hears the heavenly choir and emerges a born-again Christian and takes a vow of chastity before marriage. The actor playing her may need to play a secondary role in addition to Lucy.
Female - Playing age 20's - 30's
F3 – D5 Alto (Belt)
Trekkie Monster
Featured Role
Live hands puppet which requires a second puppeteer. A reclusive creature obsessed with Internet porn, he's convinced that all other 'normal' people have the same outlook. Although he appears abrupt and rude, a sensitive side is revealed during the show. He has a “Cookie Monster” growl to his voice which would need to be maintained throughout. Likely to be played as a second role by another character.
Male - playing age 20's - 50's
Bb2 – F#4 Baritone
Mrs. T
Featured Role
Live hands puppet. Kate’s boss. She is cranky and bossy and is bigoted towards Monsters. In an argument with Kate Monster, Kate calls her a crabby old bitch, to which she replies, "Crabby old bitches are the backbone of this nation!" Although this is a speaking role, and only appears twice in the show, the actor will be expected to sing with the ensemble and help out where necessary. Likely to be played as a second role by another character.
Female - Playing age 50's - 60's
Can be of any voice type
Bad Idea Bear 1
Featured Role
Two rod puppets. Two snuggly, cute teddy-bear types who convince people to do bad things!! “The bears always work better when they’re cute cute cute and positive. Diabetes inducing sweet.” Will need to adopt slower speech patterns so they can be understood. Likely to be played as a second role by another character.
Any playing age
Male – Tenor - must be able to speak/sing in high register
Female - Mezzo
Bad Idea Bear 2
Featured Role
Two rod puppets. Two snuggly, cute teddy-bear types who convince people to do bad things!! “The bears always work better when they’re cute cute cute and positive. Diabetes inducing sweet.” Will need to adopt slower speech patterns so they can be understood. Likely to be played as a second role by another character.
Any playing age
Male – Tenor - must be able to speak/sing in high register
Female - Mezzo
Newcomer
Cameo Role
Is an almost carbon copy of Princeton, without the naivety. He comes across Avenue Q and decides to hire an apartment there. Has only a few lines and a snippet of a song, but will help out elsewhere and sing as part of the ensemble either on or off stage. Likely to be played as a second role by another character.
Male - Age 22 - playing age early 20's
Bb2 – G4 Tenor
Ricky
Cameo Role
Is an almost carbon copy of Nicky, but is openly gay. Although the role doesn't have any lines, the actor playing him will need to sing as part of the ensemble, either on or off stage, and help out where necessary behind the scenes as is only on stage briefly. Likely to be played as a second role by another character.
Male - playing age 20's
Any male voice type
Puppet Wrangler/Second Hander
Support Role
Some puppets such as Nicky and Trekkie Monster require two people to wrangle them and the second hander works in synch with the actor voicing and controlling the mouth of the puppet. They are an incredibly important part of the ensemble as they need to be at the top of their game to make the puppets appear real. Whilst they are unlikely to have a speaking role, they will need to sing as part of the ensemble and move in synch to very simple dance routines. Any voice type and playing age. Likely to be played as a second role by another character.
Purpose Boxes
Support Role x 3
The Purpose boxes are an integral part in one of Princeton's songs, "Purpose". Not only do they need to be able to handle the boxes realistically, they also act as backing singers and need to perform a dance routine, moving in synch with each other. They will therefore need to be able to sing (any voice type) and dance, whilst operating a puppet, which is no mean feat! There is no age range or limit and they can be of any gender. They will probably help out in other areas. Likely to be played as a second role by another character.
Voice types: Soprano, Alto, or Tenor
Choreographer
Supporting Role
We'd like to welcome a choreographer who can work with us to devise very simple routines for some of the songs in Avenue Q. They will need to take into account the problems that will come with a show that has actors who have to sing, act, and operate a puppet, so routines will need to be mainly leg based! You will be part of the ensemble and play one of the above supporting roles.
Crew
Support System
We always need people behind the scenes, so we'd love to hear from you if you can problem-solve and multi-task and don't want a role on stage. We need people with various skills to smooth the way and bring the show to life. This could be sourcing props, assisting the performers, moving set pieces, wardrobe, makeup, admin, set building & painting, social media, etc. Contact us for information.
Additional Roles
Auditions
For further information about the show/roles and to register to audition, please email us stating which roles you're interested in
We will usually rehearse in the beautiful Bledlow Village Hall - head on over to their website to have a look at the venue: www.bledlowvillagehall.org