Many Austin residents born since the late 1960s grew up watching “Sesame Street.” It is a world where humans and puppets live side-by-side, learning life lessons in a non-gentrified neighborhood.

This weekend and next, Riverland Theatre will perform “Avenue Q,” a musical comedy that Director Lindsey Duoos Williams describes as “’Sesame Street’ for adults.”

“We have been wanting to do this show for a very long time,” she said. “It is one of the funniest things I have ever seen on stage. It has a wonderful message about what it’s like starting out life when you’ve just graduated from college and you have no idea what you want to do with your life or how you get ahead in the world.”

Written by Jeff Whitty, “Avenue Q” tells the story of Princeton, a recent college graduate who finds a shabby New York apartment on Avenue Q. He and his new friends struggle to find jobs, dates, and their ever-elusive purpose in life.

The music is composed by Robert Lopez, who also composed the music for Disney’s “Frozen” and the Tony Award-winning “Book of Mormon,” and Jeff Marx.

And just like “Sesame Street,” “Avenue Q” features live actors interacting with puppets.

“I think the puppets are a really fun challenge for our actors and our students,” Williams said. “It’s not something we’ve ever worked with before and so they had to learn a whole new skill for this show.”

“It’s very different from being a performer on stage,” said Katie Hunerdosse, who portrays one of the two Bad Idea Bears. “When you’re a performer on stage, you’re responsible for the energy coming from yourself. With a puppet, you have to be aware of your blocking, but all of your energy on stage has to go through this puppet. The puppet has to do things naturally, like move and sigh and move their mouth at the correct time.”

“It’s very physically challenging, like when your arm gets sore and you’re in the middle of a scene,” said Joshua Whalen, who portrays Nicky, a slacker who is in between jobs. “The beauty of acting is getting to be somebody else for awhile, but to have some felt and foam and you have to make that somebody else. You want to do all of these things you learn as an actor, but in this case (actors) don’t exist. We’re just machines.”

“It’s very damaging to an actor’s ego,” he added with a laugh.

Williams said local magician and puppeteer Jim Jayes coached the actors on how to make the puppets more believable and expressive. Some of the puppets are hand-and-rod puppets, which use a hand to operate the mouth and a hand and two rods to operate the hands. Other puppets are mouth-and-hand puppets, in which the puppeteer’s hands operate the mouth and one hand while another puppeteer operates the other hand.

“It’s very freeing, in a sense that nobody is paying attention to you,” Hunerdosse said. “Having the puppet allows you to get away with more. People are more willing to let things slide if it’s a puppet.”

Hunerdosse and Whalen agree they have a newfound respect for the puppeteers of “Sesame Street” and “The Muppets.”

“It’s like stepping into a whole new world,” Whalen said. “You think, ‘Oh, they’re just puppets,’ but when you do it, there is an art to it and you really appreciate that. It’s great.”

Williams said “Avenue Q” is not intended for children.

“The puppets seem very child-friendly, but we want to be clear this is not a show for the younger kids,” she said. “Leave the kids at home because this is rated R as far as the adult humor you will find. For the adults who do come to see this show, I guarantee you will laugh until it hurts.”

“Avenue Q” will be performed at 7 p.m. on April 19-21 and April 26-28 and at 2 p.m. on April 29 at the Frank W. Bridges Theatre at Riverland Community College. Tickets are $16 and are on sale at www.riverland.edu/tickets.

For more information, call 507-433-0595 or email boxoffice@riverland.edu.

‘Avenue Q’ cast

Princeton – Isaiah DaMitz

Kate Monster – Mandie Siems

Nicky – Joshua Whalen

Rod – Chris Anderson

Trekkie Monster – Jeff Hardies

Lucy – Morgan Dickman

Brian – Lucas Johnson

Christmas Eve – Maria Wilson

Gary Coleman – Tyler Slack

The Bad Idea Bears – Katie Hunerdosse and Jessica Williams

Mrs. T – Carrie Braaten

Ricky – Jeff Hardies

Newcomer – Austin Hodnefield

Residents of Avenue Q/Puppeteers – Paulina Aguirre Quijano, Carrie Braaten, Austin Hodnefield, Sarah Krolak and Claire Olson

Production Staff

Director/Choreographer – Lindsey Duoos Williams

Musical Director – Jon Davis

Vocal Director – Kaye Perry

Technical Director – .John Deyo

Scenic and Lighting Design – John Deyo

Costume Design – Madlain Vander

Sound Board Operator – Eric Newton                 

Light Board Operator – Colin Walsh

Video Operator – Deborah Dyvig and Lukas Howard

Set Construction and Props – John Deyo, Deborah Dyvig and Ian Gearhart

Video Design – Zach Rosing and Ben Phillippe

Puppet Consultant – Jim Jayes

Marketing Assistant – Evelyn DeAraujo Monteiro

Graphics – BJ Witts

Box Office – Ian Gearhart