Anyone who grew up watching Sesame Street on public television will quickly be able to identify the inspiration for Avenue Q. Mostof the characters in the show are puppets, and the set depicts several tenements on a rundown street in New York City. Several characters are parodies of Sesame Street regulars: for example, the roommates Rodand Nicky are based on Bert and Ernie, while Trekkie Monster is based o n Cookie Monster. However, these characters are in their twenties and thirties and face adult problems; despite the fuzzy faces, this is not a children's show. After a run lasting more than six years and 2,534 performances, the Broadway production of Avenue Q ranks in the top 25 longest running shows in Broadway history and continues to have productions run worldwide.
