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.
Tony nominee Stephanie D'Abruzzo, rising cabaret star Jennifer Sheehan, and multi-award-winning star of ZOMBIE, Bill Connington, appeared in a sold-out staged reading of The Importance of Being Earnest ('A Trivial Comedy for Serious People') by Oscar Wilde. Joining them were Gayton Scott (Gypsy), Brian Charles Rooney (Threepenny Opera), Annmarie Benedict (Robeson) and Michael Keyloun (Tartuffe). The staged reading was site-specific, and was performed in the white and gold gilded ballroom of a private Eastside club. The evening was produced by Razors Edge Productions. Scroll below for photos from the performance!
Tony nominee Stephanie D'Abruzzo, rising cabaret star Jennifer Sheehan, and multi-award-winning star of ZOMBIE, Bill Connington, will appear in The Importance of Being Earnest ('A Trivial Comedy for Serious People') by Oscar Wilde. Joining them will be Gayton Scott (Gypsy), Brian Charles Rooney (Threepenny Opera), AnnMarie Benedict (Robeson) and Michael Keyloun (Tartuffe). The staged reading will be site-specific, in the white and gold gilded ballroom of a private Eastside club, today, February 13th. The evening is produced by Razors Edge Productions.
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.
Tony nominee Stephanie D'Abruzzo, rising cabaret star Jennifer Sheehan, and multi-award-winning star of ZOMBIE, Bill Connington, will appear in The Importance of Being Earnest ("A Trivial Comedy for Serious People") by Oscar Wilde. Joining them will be Gayton Scott (Gypsy), Brian Charles Rooney (Threepenny Opera), Annmarie Benedict (Robeson) and Michael Keyloun (Tartuffe). The staged reading will be site-specific, in the white and gold gilded ballroom of a private Eastside club, on Wednesday, February 13th. The evening is produced by Razors Edge Productions.
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.
According to the New York Times, the Avenue Q puppets will soon be featured in several HIV public service announcements. 'Lucy the Slut,' ' Ricky,' and 'Rod' will discuss 'talking frankly about sex with partners and seeking treatment if diagnosed as HIV positive' in the PSAs, which are set to start airing January 28 during LOGO's 'RuPaul's Drag Race.'
Happy Birthday, Stephanie D'Abruzzo! Though D'Abruzzo has spent most of her career performing as a puppeteer in children's television, she is best known for originating the roles of single schoolteacher Kate Monster and sultry chanteuse Lucy the Slut in the Broadway musical Avenue Q. D'Abruzzo earned widespread acclaim for her performance of the dual role, including a nomination for the 2004 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, a Drama Desk nomination, the Theatre World Award, and the Outer Critics Circle Special Ensemble Award. Her other stage credits include I Love You Because (off-Broadway), If You Give A Mouse A Cookie (TheaterworksUSA), Carnival (for City Center Encores!), Kiss and Makeup (New York City Fringe Festival), and Austentatious (New York Musical Theatre Festival).
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.
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.
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 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.
Broadway stars Barbara Walsh (Company) and Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Avenue Q) join Bill Connington, the star of ZOMBIE, in performing in a benefit reading of Oscar Wilde's classic comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest ("A Trivial Comedy for Serious People"). Also in the cast are William Connell (The Coast of Utopia), Vivienne Cleary (Peace Warriors), Annmarie Benedict (Robeson), D.H. Johnson (Dodsworth), and Oliver Houser (Spring Awakening, Virginia Rep).
Boulder's Dinner Theatre presents the Tony award winning hit AVENUE Q (Music and Lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx and Book by Jeff Whitty) playing now through November 3rd in Boulder, CO. Okay, time for some honesty and confession - there has been a little hesitation for writing this review. Ultimately, it is time for a little tough love. As a critic, I am supposed to remain impartial but sometimes that is hard when we become invested in each play and the progress and setbacks of a company. Even though I am not supposed to show it, I must admit that each theater company holds a special place in my heart. I am thrilled when a company moves to a bigger performance space, add additional shows to their season or snags a regional or world premiere and am devastated when some have to shut down and their lights are extinguished forever.
Arkansas Repertory Theatre (The Rep), the state's largest nonprofit professional theatre, has announced its 37th MainStage Season. The new season will include dramatic contrasts, classic productions and a world premiere production to form a season that exemplifies The Rep's mission of producing diverse work of the highest artistic standards for its Arkansas audience.
The first installment of the four-part series Faces of Curtain Up. An interview with Amy Jakiel, who will be appearing as Marian Paroo in Music Man at Musicalfare Theatre from 9/5-10/14. I met with Amy to discuss this year's role and her career as a performer/director extraordinaire.
Avenue Q is edgy, sassy and an exciting change in the Barn's typical lineup. If you think it's sizzling outside these days, wait until you see the cast burning up the stage in one of the hottest musicals to hit Broadway. Opening night is Friday August 10th and the show runs through Saturday August 25th. Reserved seats for this comedy sponsored by the Farmington Rotary Club, are available now at farmingtonplayers.org or at the box office (248) 553-2955.
'AVENUE Q" opens the CATCO 2012-13 season with a delightful and satirical look at the struggles of coming into adulthood after college. But this is not the average coming of age story!
