News for 'Q:' Olivier Nod, 'Scrubs' and New House Record

Avenue Q - winner of three 2004 Tony Awards, including Best Musical - is the recipient of a 2007 Laurence Olivier Nomination for Best New Musical for its London production currently playing at the Noël Coward Theatre on the West End. The other shows nominated in the Olivier's Best New Musical category are Caroline, or Change, Monty Python's Spamalot and The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess.

Tonight - Thurs. Jan. 18, a musical episode of the comedy "Scrubs" will premiere on NBC-TV featuring original songs by Avenue Q Tony Award-winning composers Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx - additionally original Avenue Q company member and Tony Award-nominee Stephanie D'Abruzzo will guest-star. "Scrubs" can be seen locally in New York on NBC channel 4 at 9:00pm.

During Christmas week, 2006, Avenue Q broke the house record at the Golden Theatre on Broadway for the fourth consecutive year with a $665,181 take. - surpassing the previous year's record by more that $100,000.

On March 4, the musical will celebrate its landmark 1500th performance on Broadway.

Avenue Q - which opened on Broadway on July 31, 2003 to great critical and popular acclaim - went on to win three top 2004 Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Original Score of a Musical (Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx) and Best Book of a Musical (Jeff Whitty).

"Avenue Q, the hit musical about trying to make it in New York with big dreams and a tiny bank account, is the creation of a host of talented young theatre artists, 30-somethings all: the show has music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, book by Jeff Whitty, based on an original concept by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx; and directed by Jason Moore.  Avenue Q has puppets conceived and designed by Rick Lyon; musical supervision by Stephen Oremus, and choreography by Ken Roberson. The show's scenic design is by Anna Louizos, costume design by Mirena Rada, lighting design by Howell Binkley, and sound design by Acme Sound Partners.

The musical is produced on Broadway by Kevin McCollum, Robyn Goodman, Jeffrey Seller, Vineyard Theatre and The New Group.

The current Broadway company of Avenue Q features one member of the original cast -- Jennifer Barnhart -- joined by Mary Faber, Evan Harrington, Robert McClure, Ann Sanders, Howie Michael Smith and Haneefah Wood.

For more information on the show, including performance schedules and ticket information for both Broadway, please visit www.avenueq.com.

Photo - Stephanie D'Abruzzo