Extended Avenue Q Finds London Purpose Through Jan.

London theatregoers will be able to stroll down Avenue Q for another few months.  The West End production of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical has announced an extension through January 27th, 2007 at the Noel Coward Theatre, according to Whatsonstage.com.  It was originally slated to play through September 30th.

Avenue Q opened at the Coward--formerly the Albery but renamed under the ownership of Cameron Mackintosh--on June 28th after starting previews on June 1st.  Starring Ann Harada (as Christmas Eve) from the original Broadway cast, the London production also stars Jon Robyns as Princeton and Rod, Simon Lipkin as Nicky and Trekkie Monster, Julie Atherton as Kate Monster and Lucy The Slut, Clare Foster as Mrs T.,  Sion Lloyd as Brian and Giles Terera as Gary Coleman. The cast also includes Luke Evans, Matthew J Henry, Gloria Onitiri, Gabriel Vick and Yanle Zhong.

"Avenue Q is not the most upmarket of New York streets, and is about as far away from Park Avenue as you can get, but it is home to some lively and off the wall characters performed by an unholy comedic alliance of humans and puppets!...Life may suck on Avenue Q but being jobless, homeless, politically incorrect, having sex (whether hetero, homo or porno… and that's just the puppets) are just some of the topics featured in the terrific songs of this show," state press notes. 

Avenue Q has Tony Award-winning music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, a Tony Award-winning book by Jeff Whitty, based on an original concept by Lopez and Marx; and is directed by Jason Moore.

The show features puppets conceived and designed by Rick Lyon; musical supervision by Stephen Oremus, and choreography by Ken Roberson. Avenue Q's scenic design is by Anna Louizos, costume design by Mirena Rada, lighting design by Howell Binkley, and sound design by Acme Sound Partners.

The musical is produced by Kevin McCollum, Robyn Goodman, Jeffrey Seller, Vineyard Theatre, The New Group and Cameron Mackintosh.

Visit www.avenueqthemusical.co.uk for more information.