Gary Cole News

AVENUE Q, the zany, adult-themed spoof on Sesame Street, won the Tony "Triple Crown" for Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Book. Now onstage through April 6 at Santa Monica's Morgan-Wixson Theatre, the show is part flesh, part felt and packed with lots of heart. With 2,534 performances, Avenue Q ranks 23rd on the list of longest running shows in Broadway history, and this production does the show proud.

WIGS (www.watchwigs.com and www.youtube.com/wigs), the No. 1 channel for scripted drama on YouTube, announced today the return of two of its most acclaimed series, BLUE, starring Julia Stiles ("The Bourne Ultimatum"), and LAUREN, starring Troian Bellisario ("Pretty Little Liars") and Jennifer Beals.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company has announced the addition of Slowgirl by Greg Pierce to this summer's line-up. Directed by ensemble member Randall Arney, the production features ensemble member William Petersen with Rae Gray in the newly reconfigured Upstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St), July 18 - August 25, 2013. Tickets ($20 - $78) go on sale May 3 to the public through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St), 312-335-1650 and steppenwolf.org.

'Breaking Surface' is an acrobatic aerial dance theater work staged in and over a thirty-by-twenty five foot shallow pool of water. It will be presented March 19 to 23 at Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue (at E. 10th Street) by AiRealistic, an aerial theater company that was 'born out of a love of physical expression and an incessant urge to take wing.' It is performed by an ensemble of seven dancer/performers.

Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX) has entered into a multi-year pact with YouTube original drama channel WIGS. Building upon News Corporation's initial investment, FOX and WIGS have formed a programming, marketing and distribution partnership designed to expand the breadth of offerings through the WIGS channel.

Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX) has entered into a multi-year pact with YouTube original drama channel WIGS. Building upon News Corporation's initial investment, FOX and WIGS have formed a programming, marketing and distribution partnership designed to expand the breadth of offerings through the WIGS channel, and test and nurture dramatic concepts and talent in the digital realm. Under the terms of the partnership agreement, FOX will assume a collaborative role in developing and marketing the channel to grow its base of female viewers, with an eye toward building content that can be programmed on FOX and/or other channels.

The Emmy(R)-nominated comedy series VEEP kicks off its ten-episode second season SUNDAY, APRIL 14 (10:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO. Created by Armando Iannucci (Oscar(R) nominee for co-writing 'In the Loop'), the show stars Emmy(R)-winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer, who becomes vice president, only to discover the job is nothing like she expected, but everything she was warned about.

The award-winning theater company Maurer Productions OnStage (MPO) will present the irreverent and hilarious adult musical comedy "Avenue Q" at Mercer County Community College's Kelsey Theatre. Dates and times are Fridays, March 1 and 8 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, March 2 and 9 at 8 p.m.; and Sundays, March 3 and 10 at 2 p.m. A reception with the cast and crew follows the opening night performance on March 1.

Level 33 Entertainment hosts the red carpet premiere of the award winning horror/comedy VAMP U, Thursday, February 7 th at the Arena Cinema, 1625 North Las Palmas Avenue, Hollywood, CA

On Sunday, January 27 the Jefferson Performing Arts Society (JPAS) ended their run of AVENUE Q at the North Star Theater in Mandeville, LA. AVENUE Q was once described to me as "Sesame Street for big people," and I do not think I have heard a more accurate description. The cast is made up of people and puppets, and includes very adult content. While there are many good lessons to be learned from this show, it is not for the easily offended. It takes sensitive subjects such as racism and homosexuality, and makes light of them in a blunt and honest way.

TVGuide.com reports that Conrad Bain, best known for his role as Phillip Drummond on NBC's long-running sitcom DIFF'RENT STROKES, passed away on Monday in Livermore, CA at the age of 89.

Check out the recently released commercial for the show below and meet the cast with videos of them from past productions and roles!

Sierra Stages once again is offering affordable Season Passes for its upcoming season of plays and musicals in 2013. Sierra Stages' 5th Season includes three fully-staged productions: Shakespeare's popular and enduring comedy "A Midsummer Night's Dream", the hilarious Tony Award-winning musical "Avenue Q" and the hit Off-Broadway revue "Closer Than Ever". The basic General Admission Season Pass is priced at only $55 (just over $18 per show) and allows theatregoers to select any performance of each of the three productions, with unreserved seating. For an additional $25, theatregoers may become Sierra Stages Members and choose reserved seats for each production. A third option, new for 2013, is a special Preview Season Pass priced at only $40 (just over $13 per show!) which allows theatregoers to attend one of the first two public performances ("previews") of each production with unreserved seating. Sierra Stages' 2013 Season Passes may be purchased online at www.SierraStages.org or by calling Sierra Stages at 530-346-3210.

Two of the country's most talented and active thespians, OJ Mariano ("Rent," "Forbidden Broadway") and Kalila Aguilos ("Jekyll and Hyde," Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah") are chosen to play Rama and Sita respectively in the revival production of the hit pop ballet musical "Rama Hari," based on the Indian epic "Ramayana," and directed and choreographed by Ballet Philippines' founder Alice Reyes, which runs at the Cultural Center of the Philippines' (CCP) main theater from Friday, November 30 until Sunday, December 9.

This, my third viewing of the smash Tony Award winning musical superhit Avenue Q, was by far the most joyous and rewarding of all. This little show, like a Sesame Street for adults, plays out like life - only bigger - with off-the-wall grotesquely funny situations, hilarious one-liners and tantalizing music, each and every tune a winner. The show leaves you craving more, but unfortunately you only have through December 16 to see DOMA's splendid production at the Met Theatre in Hollywood. It's one thing to see this show on the huge Ahmanson or Pantages stages and quite another to see it on the smaller more intimate stage at the Met. This close-up intimacy enhances the enjoyment of the show 150%.

There's a certain amount of pressure when a theater company becomes the first in the area to produce a big name show locally. Yes, it's a coup to be the first to get the rights (and Balagan seems to be cornering the market on that this season) but they also need to do the show justice or else, why bother? This is why what Balagan is pulling off with their current production of "Avenue Q" is all the more spectacular. Not only have they put up one of the new hot shows but they've done it in a way that rivals any tour of the show and created an outstandingly fun time that will leave you grinning all the way home.

DOMA Theatre Company has struck gold with its final production of the 2012 season, a tightly crafted, well-played AVENUE Q directed by one of L.A.'s favorite local theatre directors, Richard Israel.

Tatiana Dalton directs the madcap muppet antics of Avenue Q at York Little Theatre through November 18.

Don't let the muppet-like celebrity puppet stars of Avenue Q fool you -- this is not your children's Broadway smash hit. Avenue Q, presented by York Little Theatre tonight, November 9 - 18, is an irreverent musical about urban adults struggling with careers, relationships, and frustrations. It has decidedly adult themes of sexuality, racism, political correctness, and hypocrisy but addresses them with great humor and abundant heart.

Deadline reports that Gary Cole has joined the cast of the new HBO comedy VEEP, starring Julia-Louis-Dreyfus. The actor will appear in a multi-episode story arc as a 'Karl Rove-type' on the coming season.