Avenue Q (2003 Original Broadway Cast)
Avenue Qwill only fuel the frustration of those who think that Broadway has given up on sophisticated entertainment geared to adults. "Whatever happened to Cole Porter's witty rhymes and mature subject matter?" they'll say. Well, it's hard to deny thatAvenue Q's main frame of reference isSesame Streetand that its humor can be very broad--yes, there's profanity and puppet sex. But the show also displays heart  ("The More You Ruv Someone" typically begins with "Why can't people get along?") and a pretty satisfying zany streak. Musically, the score is rooted in 1970s pop, with nods to the aforementionedSesame Street. The excellent cast, dominated by John Tartaglia and Stephanie D'Abruzzo, does it justice, milking the humorous numbers for all they're worth and finding pathos in the more straightforward ones. Not bad for a childish show.--Elisabeth Vincentelli