Tony-winning Broadway musical Avenue Q, which features a satirical character based on and named after Gary Coleman, will be adjusting its script in light of the actor’s death. Jeff Marx, the show’s co-creator, said that, after some “very serious consideration,†they will be altering some lines that seem “inappropriate now,†though the character will remain in the show with the same name.
“We probably cut 20 words out of 1 million from the show tonight,†said Jeff Whitty, the book writer for the musical.
Danielle K. Thomas, who plays Coleman in the show (and who led a tribute to the late actor following Friday’s performance), said she was “terrified†to make her entrance Friday night. But the audience did not seem to be put off by Coleman’s character, as the Times reports they “clapped and cheered enthusiastically for [Thomas], and laughed through numbers like ‘Schadenfreude’ (in which Coleman sings that the world needs people like himself ‘Who’ve been knocked around by fate / ‘Cause when people see us, they don’t want to be us’) and ‘Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist’ (in which he admits he enjoys jokes about Polish people).â€
‘Avenue Q’ Deals With Death of Gary Coleman [Arts Beat/NYT]
’Avenue Q’ creator remembers Gary Coleman, says there will be changes to show [News Briefs/EW]