Clear Space Theatre Company to Present AVENUE Q, 5/2-18

The Clear Space Theatre Company is in rehearsal for their next production - the area premiere of Avenue Q. The show, which won the 2004 Tony award for Best Original Score and Best Musical, opens in Rehoboth Beach Friday, May 2, and plays through May 18. Avenue Q stars both human and puppet characters similar to those used on Sesame Street and The Muppets, but deals with adult themes such as finding a job, questioning your sexuality, wondering why you can't find a date, racism, the true reason for the internet and finding your purpose in life.

This witty, edgy musical premiered off-Broadway before transferring to Broadway in 2003 and was written by Jeff Marx, Robert Lopez and Jeff Whitty. Lopez was also co-creator of The Book of Mormon and composed the songs for the Disney film Frozen. He is one of only twelve people who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award, and the only person to win all four within a decade.

Artistic Director Doug Yetter stated, "Since the founding of Clear Space I have waited for the perfect season to produce this hysterical show - and this is it. The brilliant writing and wit have made it somewhat of a contemporary classic, despite being only a decade old. The show represents what would happen if all those adorable puppets had to grow up and exist in the real world with real problems."

The Clear Space production features David Button as "Princeton" who wonders what you do in real life with a B. A. in English, Erin Williams as "Kate Monster" a bookish teaching assistant who's looking for someone to love and "Lucy" who will make anyone she finds feel "special".

Much like Sesame Street, the shows' essence is the artful interaction of fluffy monsters and earnest adults who help the puppet characters find their purpose in life. The human characters are played by Lorraine Steinhoff as "Christmas Eve", an Asian therapist who has trouble attracting clients, Michael Matthias as her husband "Brian" who wants to be a comedian on late-night TV, and Jann Ellis as Gary Coleman, who now works as the building superintendent for Avenue Q.

. The puppeteers are David Button, who gives voice to Rod (an investment banker and closeted Republican homosexual) who lives with Nicky (voiced and operated by Matt Lewis) - the Bert and Ernie characters in the show. Erin Williams lends her talents to both Kate Monster and Lucy. Other lovable characters in the show are The Bad Idea Bears (handled by Carissa Meiklejohn and Matt Lewis) are two adorable, fun-loving and cuddly bears who steer others to make the wrong choices, and Trekkie Monster (Matt Lewis) who won't leave his apartment due to his particular interest in the internet. Sydnee Smith assists with operating the puppets and Sydney Dodd Gray directs and choreographs the production.

As the opening number states: "You work real hard and the pay's real low, and every hour goes, oh, so slow, and at the end of the day there's nowhere to go, but home to Avenue Q!" So join the Clear Space crew on Avenue Q!

The show plays Friday and Saturday evenings at 7p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 3p.m. Tickets are available through the box office at (302) 227.2270 or online at www.ClearSpaceTheatre.org. Take advantage of their "Buy 4 - Get 5" ticket special for the season. The production is for Mature Audiences only.

This program is made possible, in part by a grant from the Delaware Division of The Arts.

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