Beck Teen Theater Stages AVENUE Q: SCHOOL EDITION, Now thru 2/17

Beck Center Teen Theater presents the regional premiere of Avenue Q: School Edition, tonight, February 8-10 and 14-17, 2013 on the Mackey Main Stage. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays with a special student matinee performance 10 a.m. Thursday, February 14. Tickets are now on sale.

Based on Avenue Q, the 2004 Tony Award "Triple Crown" winner for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book, this laugh-out-loud musical adaptation tells the story of Princeton, a recent college grad who moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q. Princeton and his not-so ordinary neighbors struggle to find jobs, dates and their ever-elusive purpose in life. Just like your life, only funnier! This slightly censored version of the Broadway hit musical comedy is rated PG-13 and not recommended for children 12 and under. All of the laughs and life lessons but a little less lewdness - and, of course, the puppets!

"Avenue Q: School Edition fits with our commitment to offer an eclectic mix of Theater Productions and new challenges for our students," remarked Director of Education Ed Gallagher, MT-BC. "Our teen actors are enthusiastic about this opportunity to perform contemporary material like Avenue Q, along with other classic titles like Our Town this season."

With music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx and book by Jeff Whitty, Avenue Q: School Edition is performed entirely by students. Directed by Jonathan Kronenberger, Beck Center's associate director of Theater Education, Avenue Q: School Edition features a talented cast of 23 actors ages 13 to 19 and more than a dozen puppet characters. The teens have been working since early January to master the art of acting, dancing, singing, and puppetry - a challenge even for seasoned adult actors.

"Since Avenue Q is known by many simply as the 'show where the puppets do bad things,' some may wonder why do it at all. By softening some of those racier aspects in the School Edition, the audience gets to focus on the heartfelt story of this quirky group of characters as they seek their place in our world." commented Kronenberger. "At any age, we can find ourselves asking the question again, 'What is my purpose?' We may find that dreams don't often lead to reality and the best laid plans don't always work out; but that doesn't mean we should stop dreaming. Sometimes we find a better plan along the way."

Tickets are $12 for Adults/Seniors and $10 for Children (18 and under) and may be purchased online at beckcenter.org or by calling 216.521.2540, ext. 10. Discounted group rates are available for the student matinee. Call Customer Service Manager Rennie Tisdale at ext. 28 for more information and to schedule your student matinee.

Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood. Free onsite parking is available. This production of Avenue Q: School Edition is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI) and is made possible by the generous support of Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture and the Ohio Arts Council.

Beck Center for the Arts is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization that offers professional Theater Productions, arts education programming in dance, music, theater, visual arts, early childhood, and creative arts therapies for special needs students, and free gallery exhibits featuring local, regional, and International Artists. For more information about Beck Center, visit beckcenter.org.

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