The show's creators, Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, as well as the performers are huge fans of Sesame Street and know the format well. Indeed, many of the performers have worked on Sesame Street and other children's puppet shows. This knowledge of the conventions of the genre translates into spot on parody. The show's adult lessons are taught to the audience mainly through the eyes of Princeton (John Tartaglia), a recent college graduate. He struggles to find a job and figure out his feelings for his new neighbor Kate Monster (Stephanie D'Abruzzo.) Like Sesame Street, Avenue Q teaches many of our lessons through song. The musical numbers take on everything from racism, with "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist", to Internet use, with "The Internet is for Porn."

The shows creators even go so far as to copy Sesame's use of animation as a teaching tool. Flat screen monitors mounted on each side of the stage display short animated films that express Princeton's inner thoughts through educational animation. The show does such a good job of satirizing the Sesame Street puppet style and show format that the show's website actually carries the following legal caveat: "Avenue Q has not been authorized or approved in any manner by The Jim Henson Company or Sesame Workshop, which have no responsibility for its content."

More puppets come to the Big Stem (Hmmm. Lower pay scale than real people?). The producers of Avenue Q speak of a "charming yet rundown outer-borough neighborhood" (we might call it Brooklyn), where residents deal with the usual challenges of living in New York City. The bare bones website includes quotes such as "Warning: Full Puppet Nudity"; "What the fuzz are you looking at"; "Slightly overweight puppet seeking soul mate"; and "I am NOT a closeted homowhatever". Makes us want to see it more and more. We can tell you the names of four characters, Kate, Rod, Trekkie and Lucy. We can also say that the puppets bear an astonishing likeness to Sesame Street characters, not too surprising as they were brought to the stage by Rick Lyon, a Sesame Street designer (compare Avenue Q's buxom Lucy with Miss Piggy. Cleavage!). We've also gleaned that there are three humans and more than a dozen puppet characters in the show. Sesame Street for adults?

But most adults in their mid-20s or early 30s will easily be able to relate to the challenges faced by the characters, and may even leave the theater with a greater sense of serenity and understanding than when they walked in. That's the true magic of Avenue Q: like the program it spoofs, it has important messages to share, and presents lessons from which everyone will be able to take something. Doing it with a strong sense of humor and splashy music goes far to hide the show's imperfections, but can do nothing to camouflage the heart and inspiring messages just beneath the surface.