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The Tony Award-winning Best Musical Avenue Q was groundbreaking when it premiered in 2003, but times have changed — and Ann Harada says that her character Christmas Eve is often a topic of conversation.
During the actress’ appearance on the Friday, August 7, episode of the Odd Woman Out podcast, host Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo asked Harada what she learned from working on the musical, featuring a score by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx and a book by Jeff Whitty.
“Lean into the you of you,” Harada said, explaining that she felt free to explore in the Avenue Q rehearsal room and also to provide input on what she did and didn’t feel comfortable with.
At one point, Harada said that Christmas Eve — Brian’s Japanese fiancée who is often portrayed with a pronounced accent — had Asian-themed entrance music when she came on and off the stage.
“At every point in Avenue Q, I felt so protected by my cast and by the artistic team,” said Harada, who decided to speak up and asked if they could nix the music. “They were like, ‘Oh, 100 percent.’ It was like instant. There was so much respect and understanding.”
Avenue Q — an adult-themed musical that mirrors the likes of children’s educational puppet show Sesame Street — touches on topics of racism, homosexuality, schadenfreude and more.
More than 20 years have gone by since the hit comedy played Broadway’s John Golden Theatre, and Harada acknowledged that people’s views have changed.
“I’m very loathed because my character Christmas Eve has a very pronounced accent, and a lot of it is for comedic value,” Harada said. “And when people kind of give me a hard time about that — and they have — I’m like, ‘Okay, guys, people in the world have accents.’ And if she doesn’t have an accent, then there is no reason for her to be in this show. There is no reason for her to be a part of a song called ‘Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist,’ right? Because the whole point of it is that there’s something different about you that people can comment on and that makes you feel uncomfortable.”
While the song points out that racism is wrong, it pokes fun at everyone involved. According to Harada, “Everybody has to have something — or else what are we doing the song for?”
The actress said that she’s had “so many discussions” about Avenue Q’s themes, adding: “I feel like Christmas Eve is now a very controversial character.”
However, Harada pointed out, “She is the smartest person on Avenue Q. She is completely self-confident and knows who she is, and she’s not… I mean, I was just like, ‘Look, if you’re offended by this, I’m sorry for you.’ There’s so many worse things in the world to be offended by.”
“But again, everybody has the right to not like something for whatever reason, and that’s fine,” said Harada. “I just worry about her legacy — not my legacy, not so much — but her legacy because I just think that character is so great.”
While Harada said she still hears comments about Christmas Eve all these years later — at least “once or twice a year” — she said, “I miss her. I love playing Christmas Eve.”
Avenue Q also won Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Original Score at the 2004 Tonys. A West End revival of the musical is currently playing the Shaftesbury Theatre in London.
