AVENUE Q to Pay Tribute to Gary Coleman Tonight

In light of the death this afternoon of actor Gary Coleman, the musical AVENUE Q --in which Gary Coleman is depicted as one of the show's characters -- have issued the following statement.

"The creators, producers, and company of 'Avenue Q' are terribly saddened to hear of the death of Gary Coleman, whose tremendous gifts brought delight and inspiration to audiences around the world. While everything in life may be only for now, we suspect that Gary's legacy will live on for many years to come. Gary's memory will certainly endure in the hearts and minds of those of us who live on 'Avenue Q.'"

Tonight (5/28) when the show concludes at 10 pm, AVENUE Q at New World Stages, Danielle K. Thomas who portrays Mr. Coleman in the musical will pay a tribute to him from the stage.

New World Stages is located at 340 W. 50 St. in Manhattan.

AVENUE Q -- a musical about 20-somethings who move to NY with big dreams and tiny bank accounts -- will soon enter its 7th straight year of its run in NYC.

Gary Coleman, most famous for his portrayal of Arnold Jackson on the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, died of a brain hemorrhage today at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center near his home in Utah. After suffering a head injury at his home on Wednesday, May 26, he was placed on life support, however, his condition deteriorated rapidly.

John Alcantar, a rep. for the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center said yesterday: "We are saddened to announce that since mid-afternoon, Mountain Time, on May 27, 2010, Mr. Coleman has been unconscious and on life support...At this critical moment, we can only ask for your thoughts and prayers for Gary to make a speedy and full recovery."

This hemorrhage is the second major medical battle Coleman suffered this year.  In February he had a seizure on the set of The Insider. Dr. Drew Pinsky, who was with Coleman at the time, assisted him until paramedics arrived.

After Diff'rent Strokes, Coleman became a popular figure, starring in a number of feature films and made-for-TV movies including On the Right Track and The Kid with the Broken Halo. The latter eventually served as the basis for the Hanna-Barbera-produced animated series The Gary Coleman Show in 1982.

Coleman is best known in the theater world for being parodied in the hit 2003 Broadway musical Avenue Q, which won the 2004 Tony Award for best musical. A character presented as Coleman works as the superintendent of the apartment complex where the musical takes place. In the song, "It Sucks to be Me", he laments his fate. On Broadway, the role was originally played by Natalie Venetia Belcon.