The laugh-out-loud musical Avenue Q is currently running at Montecasino’s Pieter Toerien Theatre, making audiences fall over with laughter.
The musical follows the timeless story of a college graduate named Princeton who moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q.
The Randburg Sun spoke to Ashleigh Harvey, one of the actors, to find out how she got into acting and what makes this play so special. She plays two characters, Kate Monster, a kindergarten teacher, as well as the character of Lucy the Slut.
She shared that what intrigues her most about Kate is she is seemingly the girl next door, “But she has a delicious feistiness about her which I love”.
Harvey added that Kate is also loyal, passionate and has big dreams.
Her character Lucy, on the other hand, is confident, naughty and a woman who just wants to have fun.
Harvey hopes that the audience will see the size of Kate’s heart along with the depth of her soul as they remember what it’s like to be in love.
“And with Lucy, well I think we should embrace the Lucy in us a little bit,” she said.
The play also incorporates puppets. Harvey said she loves people’s reactions to them.
“The audiences are so taken in by them, it’s magical. The puppets can also say and do things that humans can’t really say and do, so there is a lot of license for play and naughtiness.”
As the play is based on the intriguing neighbours found on Avenue Q, Randburg Sun asked Harvey what it was that made this former Jukskei Park resident’s neighbourhood so special.
Harvey recalled the time she was a child and would ride around her on her bicycle while a house was being built on the corner.
“We used to go onto the property and play hide-and-seek amongst the construction. We also visited the little shop up the road to buy chappies for about 2c each – the shop is still there.”
Harvey, who sees the stage as the love of her life, was introduced to the art form when the Wits Drama Department did a Shakespearean play at her school.
“I then enrolled at the department after my matric.”
She said that people should go to see the play because it will not only make them laugh but it will, for a brief moment, make them forget all the negativity in the world.
“The music is catchy and you will have the best night out.”
The show is running from 9 May to 15 July, from Wednesday to Sunday at Montecasino’s Pieter Toerien Theatre.
