Olney Theatre Center to Present AVENUE Q, 6/11-7/6

Olney Theatre Center, a Maryland destination for professional theater performance and education, continues its critically-acclaimed 76thAnniversary season with Avenue Q, winner of the 2004 Tony Award® for Best Musical, running June 11 - July 6, 2014 on the Mainstage.

This seriously-for-adults musical features songs like "The Internet Is For Porn," "Schadenfreude," and "If You Were Gay" which rocketed Avenue Q to the list of longest-running Broadway shows, satirizing (with its very big heart) the "you can do anything" message of kids' shows from the 70s and 80s.

Avenue Q tells the story of Princeton, a bright-eyed college grad who moves to NYC with big dreams and a tiny bank account. Along with his friends Kate Monster, Christmas Eve, Trekkie Monster, and Gary Coleman, they discover they might not be special in the grand scheme, but they're awfully special to each other - and that's even more important.

Jason Loewith, Artistic Director of Olney Theatre Center, director of this season's How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and co-writer and director of Studio Theatre's recent production of Adding Machine: A Musical, directs the production. Mr. Loewith is joined by Helen Hayes Award-winning Music Director Christopher Youstra and Choreographer Helen Hayes Award-winner Bobby Smith.

"I saw Avenue Q the night before it won the Tony," said Mr. Loewith. "Actually, I couldn't see it that well because those performers with their puppets made me laugh so hard I cried. And this extraordinary cast is going to follow in their little puppet footsteps, doing the same for our audiences in Maryland."

The cast is led by Sam Ludwig as Princeton. Mr. Ludwig recently appeared at Olney Theatre Center in the season opener How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. DC audiences will recognize him from his performances in Big Nate: The Musical at Adventure Theatre, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris at MetroStage, and 1776 at Ford's Theatre. Opposite Mr. Ludwig is Rachel Zampelli, making her Olney Theatre debut as Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut. Ms. Zampelli recently appeared in the Ford's Theatre production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

Joining Mr. Ludwig and Ms. Zampelli are Olney Theatre Center veterans Evan Casey (Brian), Kellee Knighten Hough (Gary Coleman), Stephen Gregory Smith (Trekkie Monster/Nicky), and Janine Sunday (Christmas Eve) and Olney Theatre Center newcomer Tracey Stephens (Mrs. Thistletwat). Rounding out the cast are David Landstrom and Awa Sal Secka.

The award-winning design team includes Scenic Designer Court Watson, Helen Hayes Award-winning Lighting Designer Andrew Griffin, Sound DesignerMax Krembs, Projection Designer JJ Kaczynski, and features the return of Costume Designer Rosemary Pardee.

Avenue Q is made possible in part by contributions from production sponsors Kevin White and Rossana Salvadori, Joan E. Dubinsky and Craig N. Packard, and Kathleen Quinn.

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