Photo Coverage: AVENUE Q Celebrates 2nd Anniversary Off-Broadway!

The Tony Award-winning AVENUE Q celebrated its second anniversary at New World Stages (340 W. 50 St.) in Manhattan on October 21, 2011. After a triumphant, six-year run on Broadway, AVENUE Q moved to New World Stages, opening there on October 21 and continuing to play to large houses filled with enthusiastic audiences eight times a week. On the occasion of its second anniversary, AVENUE Q played its 835th performance at New World Stages.

AVENUE Q made international headlines this summer when its gay male puppets Rod and Ricky were blissfully wed on July 24, the day same sex marriage became legal in the State of New York. It was widely noted at the time that the newlywed's vows were brief as they had to head uptown to the theater district for the show's matinee performance that afternoon. At a pre-show
ceremony on October 21 at New World Stages -- complete with anniversary cake -- it is expected the couple will finally have the opportunity to enjoy the wedding tradition of cutting the cake.

AVENUE Q is produced at New World Stages, as it was on Broadway, by Kevin McCollum, Robyn Goodman, Jeffrey Seller, The Vineyard Theatre and The New Group.

Featured in the cast of AVENUE Q - the hilarious and enormously popular musical about a group of 20-something people and puppets who live as neighbors in an outer borough of NYC - are Lexy Fridell, Adam Kantor, Nicholas Kohn, Veronica J. Kuehn, Rob Morrison, Hazel Anne Raymundo and Haneefah Wood.

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, AVENUE Q has musical supervision by Stephen Oremus, choreography by Ken Roberson, scenic design by Anna Louizos, costume design by Mirena Rada, lightingdesign by Howell Binkley, and sound design by ACME Sound Partners.

Winner of three 2004 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Score (Messrs. Lopez and Marx) and Best Book of a Musical (Mr. Whitty), AVENUE Q became an overnight sensation on Broadway in July 2003, having transferred to the John Golden Theatre from a wildly successful, extended and sold-out engagement Off-Broadway at The Vineyard Theatre in Union Square.

During its six-plus years on Broadway, AVENUE Q played a total of 2,534 performances, surpassing such musicals as THE PRODUCERS, OKLAHOMA! and ANNIE to become, at present, the 20th longest-running show in Broadway history.

Millions of people - both young and not-so-young - have enjoyed AVENUE Q in New York, London and on national tour. As well, the musical continues to receive productions in countries around the world. The show has attracted audiences including a former President (Bill Clinton), a U.S. Senator (Hillary Clinton), celebrities including Tom Hanks, Diana Ross, Zac Efron, Kelly Clarkson, Carol Burnett, Charlton Heston, Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, Hillary Swank, Jennifer Aniston, Sean Penn and Judge Judy, all of whom have enjoyed the wit and wisdom of the musical with such popular songs as "It Sucks to be Me," "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist," "The Internet is for Porn" and "Schaudenfreude."

At the 499-seat theatre at New World Stages, AVENUE Q performs Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00pm, Saturdays at 2:30 pm and 8:00pm and Sundays at 3:00pm and 7:30 pm. Tickets range in price from $89.50 to $69.50 and are available by calling Tele Charge 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com. A limited number of rush tickets for $26.50 are available at the box office for each performance.

Visit the Avenue Q website at www.avenueq.com