Sunny days, sweepin' the clouds away. Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Avenue Q?

Avenue Q isn't a where but a what. It's a popular Broadway play featuring funny, fuzzy and cynical puppets telling the story of how tough it is to come of age in the real world.

Directed by CATCO Artistic Director, Steven C. Anderson, Avenue Q will hit the stage at the Riffe Center Studio One Theatre August 1 – 19. In addition to auditioning human actors, the production required the perfect passel of puppets. Enter Beth Kattelman, Assistant Curator of the Lawrence and Lee Theatre Research Institute and teacher in the theatre department at Ohio State. A puppet master for many years, Kattelman dove into the project, spending weeks creating Trekkie Monster, Kate Monster, The Bad Idea Bears, Princeton, Newcomer, Rod, Lucy, Nicky, Mrs. Thistlewat and Ricky.

Though they are in keeping with the tradition of the puppets from the Tony Award-winning Broadway original, Kettelman’s crew features “fringy, fur-like fabric I love in vibrant colors” plus fleece and other fabrics found locally and online. “They really do come to life,” says Kattelman.

Check it out for yourself. Tickets are $33.50 for preview performances; $11.50 for $11@11 matinees; $41 for Thursday and Sunday performances; and $45 for Friday and Saturday performances. They can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com or at the CAPA Ticket Office (39 E. State Street).

But wait; we have two tickets to give away to a lucky winner. Just email us at information@downtowncolumbus.com and tell us who your favorite puppet is (not necessarily from Avenue Q). The winner will be notified on August 2.

(Avenue Q has not been authorized or approved by the Jim Henson Company or Sesame Workshop, which have no responsibility for its content. )