avenue q

we went to see avenue q this weekend and it was fabulous. as nick put it: it was like sesame street for adults.

it had music, puppets and "real" people and conveyed a few messages amidst comedy and catchy songs.

i assumed, like many others, that it was going to be mostly about being queer. that avenue q stands for queer. actually, i think its just a fictional place (like sesame street) based off of alphabet city in new york.

it's not mostly about being queer. the lead puppets are straight and it has a very minor sub plot about coming out. it's mostly about life and finding your purpose.

i asked numerous friends (not for lack of company, we went with a huge group) to come and see the show with us that declined and i felt that it stemmed from their homophobia or just their general disinterest in something that doesn't encompass their perspective.

it's so frustrating! most of them were straight white men, but also straight women and straight men of color. their automatic assumption was that it would have nothing to do with them and therefore why engage/support/attend a performance that does not encompass their perspective.

why not? why is it so hard to do something every once in awhile that is outside of yourself.

god, why do i even care!? i feel like i'm always looking for a new and challenging experience and it shocks me that so many people around me don't share that...

or maybe its just that i really loved avenue q and i feel so sad that its perception as a gay theater piece causes people who would love it not to go at all.

i guess it's just their loss, but it still makes me sad.