Old Globe's Avenue Q Begins in San Diego June 30

San Diego's Old Globe Theatre will produce the West Coast premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical, Avenue Q, music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, book by Jeff Whitty, based on an original concept by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx; and directed by Jason Moore. The production will run June 30 through August 5, 2007 (press opening: July 11) at the historic Spreckels Theatre.

"Producing Avenue Q at this important downtown theatre is another milestone for The Old Globe. We are thrilled to bring this entertaining Broadway hit to San Diego audiences" said Old Globe Executive Director Louis Spisto. "Avenue Q has a distinctively 'downtown' sensibility, and we think it is the perfect show for the Globe's return to The Spreckels. President and CEO Jacquie Littlefield has a long history of arts support and we are looking forward to working with her to provide the highest quality theatrical events for the region while expanding our reach to new audiences." 

Winner of the 2004 Tony Award for Best Musical and still one of the biggest hits on Broadway, Avenue Q "tells the hilarious story of Princeton, a bright-eyed college grad who comes to New York City with big dreams and a tiny bank account...Together, Princeton and his newfound friends struggle to find jobs, dates, and their ever-elusive purpose in life," as described in press notes.

Avenue Q opened off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre in March 2003, where it garnered rave reviews, and was extended four times. In addition to the Tony Award for Best Musical, the show won Tonys for its creators Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx for score, as well as Jeff Whitty for Best Book of a Musical. The show, which was originally directed by Jason Moore, also won the 2003 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding New Musical, as well as a nomination for the 2003 Outer Critics Circle Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical award.

Broadway/San Diego, the local presenter of touring Broadway shows and events, will also be offering Avenue Q to its subscribers as part of their 2007/8 subscription season.  "We thank the Globe for allowing us the opportunity to offer this Tony Award-winning production to our patrons," remarked Diane Willcox, B/SD General Manager. "It continues the on-going relationship The Nederlander Organization (parent company of B/SD) has had with the Globe over the years."

Avenue Q will be part of the Globe's previously announced 2007 summer season, featuring the renowned Shakespeare Festival, with Hamlet, Measure for Measure and The Two Gentlemen of Verona playing in nightly rotation in the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre. The season will also include a production in the Old Globe Theatre and in the Cassius Carter Centre Stage, to be announced at a later date.

For more information or to subscribe to The Old Globe's 2007 summer season, please contact the Globe's Ticket Services Department at (619) 23-GLOBE or visit www.TheOldGlobe.org.