AVENUE Q Opens At Theatre In The Park Indoors This Week

Theatre in the Park INDOORS opens its 2018 season with the blockbuster musical AVENUE Q in performance March 9-25* at the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center in Overland Park. Described as Sesame Street on steroids, AVENUE Q is a laugh-out-loud musical dealing with coming of age issues in an R-rated manner- it is not appropriate for families. While addressing humorous adult issues, AVENUE Q is like a beloved children's show where puppets are friends, monsters are good and life lessons are learned.

Winner of the Tony "Triple Crown" for best musical, best score and best book, AVENUE Q is part flesh, part felt and packed with heart. AVENUE Q is a timeless story of a recent college grad named Princeton, who moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q. Princeton discovers his new digs are not located in your ordinary neighborhood. Together, Princeton and his new-found friends struggle to find jobs, dates and their ever-elusive purpose in life.

Filled with gut-busting humor a delightfully catchy score and puppets, AVENUE Q is a truly unique show.

(*AVENUE Q performances dates are March 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24 & 25.)

Tiffany Garrison-Schweigert is directing AVENUE Q, her first venture with TTIP.

"AVENUE Q has been a bucket list show for me and I am super excited to be directing this show for Theatre in the Park," Garrison-Schweigert said. "I am just thrilled to have the opportunity to work with such a professional production team and diverse cast. We are so excited to show the Kansas City community a new AVENUE Q."

Garrison-Schweigert has teamed up with James Levy as music director for AVENUE Q. Guy Gardner is serving as both puppet trainer and choreographer for this production.

TTIP INDOOR productions are held in the Black Box Theatre at the AHC at 7:30 p.m.; matinee performances are at 2 p.m.

Tickets are now on sale for AVENUE Q and may be purchased online at www.theatreinthepark.org or at the theatre box office the nights/afternoons of performance.

TTIP OUTDOOR will present five musicals this summer, with the first production opening in June.

THE TTIP OUTDOOR season includes:

• Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID* (June 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15 &16; rated G)

• SOUTH PACIFIC (June 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29 & 30; rated PG)

• INTO THE WOODS (July 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13 & 14; rated PG)

• THE ADDAMS FAMILY* (July 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27 & 28; rated PG)

• Disney's HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 1 & 2*-One Act Versions (Aug. 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10 & 11; rated G)

Showtime for all 2018 TTIP OUTDOOR productions is 8:30 p.m.

*Denotes TTIP premiere

TTIP is the largest outdoor community theater in the country, and has been providing quality theatre entertainment in the community for more than four decades. TTIP now produces entertainment in two locations: during the summer outdoors at Shawnee Mission Park, at 7710 Renner Road, and indoors at AHC, 8788 Metcalf, in Overland Park. TTIP is a program of the Johnson County Park & Recreation District.

For more information about 2018 TTIP productions, please visit http://www.theatreinthepark.org.