In anticipation of World Puppetry Day on March 21st, the cast of Tony Award-winning musical Avenue Q, joined by special guests Puppet Trump and Puppet Hillary, held a Puppet Press Conference at New World Stages.
Parodying today’s politicians, the puppets came together to discuss their views on “puppets rights, fur rights, and puppets of all kinds.”
The press conference was full of references to the 2017 election. One journalist asked Puppet Trump, “During the election, Secretary Clinton called you a puppet and you were offended. However, here you stand in flesh and fur in support of world puppetry day? Are you not puppet pandering?” Trump retorted, “I think that this is a very rude, very very nasty question. A nasty question, just like the nasty, nasty press. I don’t want to answer that.”
When asked about his plans to build a wall around Avenue Q, Puppet Trump responded, “It’s a very safe, safe theater, and yes we’re going to protect all the puppets on Avenue Q. I’m working with my friends in Russia, I mean, the administration about it”
The puppet president was also asked about his plans “to protect the rights of all puppet-kind, no matter the length, color, or matte of their fur.” Puppet Trump said, “I think it’s very important that all people are respected, all puppets are respected the same. Again, I’m speaking with my friends in Russia- (sighs) I’m speaking with my friends in the oval office about how to handle this situation to make it even and fair for all puppets.”
There were also jabs at Secretary Hillary Clinton. Puppet Clinton was asked, “Don’t you think Bernie Sanders should be here if he really cared about the progressive puppet agenda?” to which she responded with a tongue-in-cheek, “I don’t know her.”
Characters of Avenue Q were asked about the concerns they have about the puppet “Q-mmunity” as well as their interactions in the realm of puppet politics, remaining humorously in character. Yellow Bear, one of the charming but troublemaking Bad Idea Bears, was interrogated by the media about rumors that they had been “whispering some bad ideas into the ears of the current administration.” Yellow Bear snapped back, “Where are your sources! That’s just not the enemy, don’t trust the med–wait what was the question?”
Gay investment banker Rod was asked, “Do you feel puppets of the Republican Party are being represented fairly under the current administration?” Rod’s response was, “Well, I would also like to point out that “fabricated Americans” is the more PC term for people of our strength. But yeah, sure. We’re definitely being treated fairly by our wonderful president. He has a very hard job and there is a lot going on in the White House, and the gold course in Marlago is very difficult, so a lot of tough times for Mr. Trump.”
Full of hilarious puppet puns and satire of both left and right wing attitudes of the current political climate, the Puppet Press Conference captured Avenue Q’s relevant and relatable humor, framed appropriately in light of this year’s high political tensions.
Photos by Reyna Wang
