Photography: Paul Kennedy

Inspired by Sesame Street, Avenue Q calls for a gritty, colorful world. The book scenes have a grimy, dappled feeling, while the musical sequences are filled with lush color that cut into the environment and carry the audience into the emotion of the song. Avenue Q is a place where the audience connects with the puppets’ incredibly relatable, universal struggles from finding their purpose, realizing their career dreams, and accepting themselves. By creating a realistic, believable world, lighting helps the audience buy the story and struggle of the characters living on Avenue Q. This allows the musical sequences, in contrast, to have a magical, lush, energetic feeling that can transport us away from the gritty New York street.