Avenue Q is the lively send-up of Sesame Street that includes doppelgangers of familiar characters. There’s an internet/porn-addicted Cookie Monster, a closeted Republican Bert, a slacker layabout Ernie and two adorable Bad Idea Bears who encourage you to drink to excess, have drunken, unprotected sex and sleep late enough to miss important meetings at work. By all means, go, but do NOT bring the kiddies.

I, along with a gaggle of other bloggers, was invited to see the Tony Award winning musical. Ask anyone who has see it here in New York, in Las Vegas, or any of the touring companies, it’s two solid hours of fun.

Initially I was concerned that the show might have gotten a little long in the tooth. It won the Tony for Best Musical way back in 2004. That’s a long time ago and sometimes, productions are allowed to go on a lot longer than they should. I remember seeing Cats well beyond its freshness date and it was tired, tired, tired.

I am relieved to report that the current production, which was relocated to Off-Broadway in 2009, still smells fresh as a flower. And that’s not just because they plied me with free drink coupons. I took CB with me. He hadn’t seen it before (I don’t know how he avoided it all these years) and he loved it.

The cast is enthusiastic and more than capable. The material is so strong that I think it’d be hard to drive this boat onto the rocks. After the show, the house lights went up and we were treated to a actor/puppet meet-and-greet. There was a lively and informative Q and A that I wish had gone on a lot longer than it did, but after two hours of simultaneously singing, delivering dialog, and playing multiple characters, all while hoisting puppets, the cast was, understandably, exhausted.

I did have time to meet with Rod who, despite claiming to have a girlfriend in Canada, likes to relax by reading his favorite book, Broadway Musicals of 1940.

I also met with one of the Bad Idea Bears. Don’t let the pink bow fool you. This show has my all-time favorite character name; a bossy, matronly kindergarten teacher named Mrs. Fizzletwat.

If you’re in town or live here and haven’t seen it yet, you should treat yourself. It’s a sure thing. If you order tickets at the box office or at boradwayoffers.com and use the code AQBLOG12, you can get discounted tickets as low as $55. (Valid through 5/26/11)

The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore is the clunky-titled Tennessee Williams obscurity that’s in previews at the Roundabout. I think the Roundabout was looking to strike gold twice with old Tennessee. Last year, they mounted a landmark production of The Glass Menagerie with Judith Ivey that was, as far as I’m concerned, as good a night of theater as you can ever hope to get. Blue roses!~~~

Milk Train premiered in 1962 to generally poor reviews, which is probably why you don’t hear it mentioned in the same breath as Glass Menagerie, Streetcar and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. A Broadway revival in 1964 starring Tallulah Bankhead and Tab Hunter (!?!?!?!) also tanked.

I admire the Roundabout’s spirit and sense of daring but, I’m sorry, this train is off the tracks. (Ha. I said it first. I guarantee that some legitimate critic will steal that from me.)

I went with CB who liked it a lot, especially the first act. It’s all so subjective! We saw the exact same performance and the things that didn’t work for me (dialogue, some of the cast, the ludicrous plot) weren’t a problem for CB at all! CB has a masters degree from Columbia and has written full-blown plays, so it’s probably safer if you take his word for it. Don’t listen to me. I like Rush.

Olympia Dukakis plays Flora Goforth, the fatally ill, supremely wealthy matron who’s just looking for love, love, love, baby, in between morphine injections. All the Tennessee Williams women have the same desperate nature. She does a fine job but I don’t think the script does her any favors. Her hysterical geisha dance is almost worth the cost of the ticket alone.

Flora’s secretary, Francis “Blackie” Black (rolls his eyes), is her eventual rival for the hot young stud who climbs up the side of a mountain to meet them. (But not before being attacked and bloodied by the security dogs. Not kidding.) The actress playing Blackie seemed uncomfortable in the her character’s shoes.

Isn’t that a great poster, though?