AVENUE Q Ends Its 15+ Year Run Tonight; Watch a Tribute Video!
By: Stephi Wild May. 26, 2019
Avenue Q officially ends its 15+ year run tonight, May 26.
Produced by Kevin McCollum, Robyn Goodman, Jeffrey Seller, Vineyard Theatre and The New Group, Avenue Q will have played a total of 6569 performances upon closing: from its first Broadway preview on July 14, 2003 to its final performance at New World Stages (340 W. 50 St.) on May 26.
Rick Lyon made a tribute video featuring the puppets of Avenue Q saying goodbye. Watch it below!
Powered by its Tony for Best Musical and additional Tonys for Best Music and Lyrics to Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, and Best Book of a Musical to Jeff Whitty, Avenue Q's victory at the 2004 Tony Awards was considered an historic upset and effectively redrew the landscape for innovation, originality and success on Broadway. The musical recouped its investment in just 10 months, and with its fresh and funny tale about people and puppets just out of college looking for their purpose in life, Avenue Q has been groundbreaking in its appeal to young theatergoers who relate to the characters and the challenges they face learning adult life lessons about racism, coming out, unemployment, dating, sex and porn. The show has indeed captivated audiences of all generations with it singular, hilarious take on the traditional story of boy-meets-girl, boy-loses girl, boy tries to win girl back - except in Avenue Q, the boy and girl just happen to be puppets.
AVENUE Q has music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, book by Jeff Whitty, and is directed by Jason Moore. Based on an original concept by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, with puppets conceived and designed by Rick Lyon, musical supervision by Stephen Oremus, choreography by Ken Roberson, scenic design by Anna Louizos, costume design by Mirena Rada, lighting design by Howell Binkley, and sound design by ACME Sound Partners. Music director is Brian Hertz. Animation design is by Robert Lopez, incidental music is by Gary Adler, and casting is by Cindy Tolan & Adam Caldwell. Christine M. Daly is Production Stage Manager.
After its 6+ year run on Broadway, on the occasion of the musical's closing night in September 2009, Avenue Q's producers made the surprise announcement that the show was, in fact, not closing, but would open again three weeks later at New World Stages, where it has been playing for more than 9 years.
The current cast of Avenue Q includes Katie Boren, Grace Choi, Matt Dengler, Jamie Glickman, Imari Hardon, Jason Jacoby, Nicholas Kohn, Veronica Kuehn, Lacretta, Michael Liscio, Jr., and Jed Resnick.
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