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Will Gary Coleman's Death Affect the Gary Coleman Role in "Avenue Q"?

Filed under: Looked Into Tagged: Avenue Q, Gary Coleman, in memoriam, theater

Emily Gordon writes:

The blog Instant Tea, part of the Dallas Voice, asks the same question, as does the Washington Post, in this live chat exchange (the questioner is not, I assume, anyone from the actual show):

Avenue Q: Do the producers retire its “Gary Coleman”?

Hank Stuever: Hmmm. Good question. Get me rewrite. There are so many living, washed-up tv stars to sub in.

Maybe our friend Ben Bass can provide some insight, since he knows the folks behind the musical. Having reported a rejected Talk of the Town piece back when Obama was elected, about whether the line “George Bush is only for now!” would be replaced (they decided to keep it), I have a hunch they may hold on to the Gary Coleman character, too.

Besides, how many leading parts for black women (Coleman is played by a woman; in New York, currently by Danielle K. Thomas) are there in high-profile, touring shows? Not that many. I vote to preserve Coleman’s memory in this highly affectionate, vibrant portrayal of what his life might have been if he’d taken another path. Till our dreams come true, we live on Avenue Q.

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About us

Hello! We're a small band of media enthusiasts, culture addicts, and journalists based in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Emdashes, formerly a New Yorker fan site, is our collection of conversations—mostly civilized—about magazines, movies, politics, design, punctuation, and other things that stir us.

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Dashes, some say, “are particularly useful in a sentence that is long and complex.” Emdashes—like an em dash itself—provides a thoughtful pause amid the hubbub.

Emdashes, founded in 2004, is written and drawn by Emily Gordon, Martin Schneider, Pollux, Jonathan Taylor, and Benjamin Chambers, as well as occasional guest contributors. All posts before October 2008 are by Emily Gordon.

The site was designed by House of Pretty with illustrations by Jesse R. Ewing.

Additional drawings are by Carolita Johnson and Pollux (author of our web comic, "The Wavy Rule"). The Emdashes pencil logo is by Jennifer Hadley, based on a 1943 Dorothy Gray ad.

Other writing by Emily Gordon

Writing on theater: reviews (for Time Out Chicago; imperfect but workable search results)
Profile: Valerie Casey, Designers Accord founder, is spearheading the design of sustainability (for SXSW World)
Feature: Rea Irvin: visionary art director, bon vivant, New Yorker founding father (for Print)
Slide show: the Coney Island Mermaid Parade (for NYCgo.com)
Feature: Muslim immigration iconography in the Netherlands, and an interview with Ayaan Hirsi Ali (for Print)
Review: King's Gambit: A Son, a Father, and the World's Most Dangerous Game by Paul Hoffman (for Newsday)
Homage: Celebrating lindy-hop legend Frankie Manning (for NYCgo.com)
Inquiry: Does a New Republic redesign mean a change of tune? (for Print)
Interview: James Surowiecki on what's next for the wisdom of crowds (for Assignment Zero)
Interviews: four up-and-coming designers under 30 (for Print)
Profile: novelist and dance critic Laura Jacobs (for Newsday)