BEMIDJI — Though the musical Avenue Q features puppets, don’t expect the kind you’d see on Sesame Street. It’s a show for an older crowd.
The Paul Bunyan Playhouse 2026 season is wrapping up with the musical Avenue Q at the Chief Theater, which features four puppeteers and three human actors. It’s a parody of Sesame Street, but covers adult topics like racism, homosexuality and internet pornography.
The show may have been a surprise for Bemidji area theatergoers, and the President of the Paul Bunyan Playhouse Board Cynthia Booth told Area Voices on the KAXE Morning Show that that was expected.
“It's very creative, but it has elements in it that [are] not all family friendly,” Cynthia said. “It's something that we are trying, and the audience for the most part has really loved it.”
The Executive Director of the Paul Bunyan Playhouse Roy C. Booth added, “Most of the young crowd, they've heard the music before. They know the songs. They have the CD soundtrack of the show. To see all these people singing along with it at certain points is pretty cool.”
It’s been a varied style of shows this season with performances of Over the Barrel and Church Basement Ladies earlier in the summer. The response has been positive overall.
Roy credits it partially to audiences being glad that the Paul Bunyan Playhouse has returned after taking a break last season due to financial issues.
Roy added, “There is a real impact culturally and socially in town. You've got something that's been around since 1951 ... you like to see that continue on and flourish.”
As the season finishes, the Paul Bunyan Playhouse is still looking for help from the community throughout the year, whether through financial support or volunteering to usher, work concession stands or help clean. People can reach out through the website.
Originally, the Paul Bunyan Playhouse had students from Bemidji State University come to intern or work for the summer season to get experience in a professional theater setting. However, the university no longer has a theater department, so they must find community members willing to help.
As Executive Director, Roy is looking to bring back a sort of apprenticeship program. Someone local could learn the craft or play a small role in a show and one day become a professional actor in a bigger role.
There are four performances left of Avenue Q with a matinee at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 5. The rest of the performances are at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 6-8. Tickets are available from the theater’s website.
After the theater season ends, Roy says there are still big plans for the Chief Theater.
“Our main goal is to bring back the Chief Theater as the crown jewel of downtown again,” Roy said. “You go to dinner, go to a show, and just make it a full night's experience.”
Listen to the full conversation with Roy and Cynthia by clicking above.
Tell us about upcoming arts events where you live in Northern Minnesota by emailing psa@kaxe.org.
Area Voices is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.
