Mercury Theater Chicago Extends AVENUE Q Through 7/27

Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N. Southport Avenue, has announced the extension of its home- grown version of the hilarious Broadway musical Avenue Q through July 27, 2014 due to popular demand. Avenue Q has broken all box office records for Mercury Theater Chicago. Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune described the show as "delightfully sweet and vulnerable...could not be more fun or charming to watch!" and the Chicago Sun Times Highly Recommends the show saying its "better than the Broadway original!" Winner of the Tony "Triple Crown" for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book in 2004, Avenue Q is part flesh, part felt, and packed with heart. The production is led by Jeff Award winners L. Walter Stearns (Director), Eugene Dizon (Musical Direction), and Kevin Bellie (Choreography) and features custom made puppets by Russ Walko.

A racy cross between South Park and Sesame Street, Avenue Q is a modern musical focusing on a group of unique 20-somethings making their way in the big city, seeking their purpose in life. Avenue Q features Music and Lyrics by Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez (co-creator of THE BOOK OF MORMON and recent Academy Award winner for FROZEN) and a Book by Jeff Whitty. Director L. Walter Stearns explains that the real magic of the show is when the audience "forgets that the puppets are nothing more than fur and felt and start to believe they have a mind, heart and soul." Although Avenue Q addresses humorous adult issues, it is similar to a beloved children's show: a place where puppets are friends, monsters are good and life lessons are learned.

The production opened Off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre in March 2003, where it 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. It played on Broadway at the Golden Theatre from 2003 through 2009 and is currently playing Off- Broadway once again at New World Stages.

AVENUE Q stars Jackson Evans as Princeton, Leah Morrow as Kate Monster, Adam Fane as Rod, Daniel Smeriglio as Nicky, Stephanie Herman as Lucy, Christine Bunuan as Christmas Eve, Donterrio Johnson as Gary Coleman, Thom Van Ermen as Trekkie Monster and Sean Patrick Fawcett as Brian.

The design team includes Alan Donahue (Scenic Design), Rachel Boylan (Costume Design), Nick Belley (Lighting Design), Mike Ross (Sound Design). Stage management is by Kristi Martens with Dan Hanson.

The beautifully renovated Mercury Theater Chicago is an intimate jewel box of a theater in the heart of the Southport Corridor, a sophisticated neighborhood of restaurants and boutiques just steps from Wrigley Field. A delightful theater destination, Mercury Theater Chicago takes care of its guests from the moment they arrive with valet service, dining at its adjoining restaurant, Deleece, and post-show libations at Cullen's Bar & Grill. Under the leadership of Executive Director L. Walter Stearns, Mercury Theater Chicago will follow Avenue Q with the devilishly delightful THE ADDAMS FAMILY- THE MUSICAL and the return engagement of Chicago's beloved holiday musical THE CHRISTMAS SCHOONER.

The performance schedule for Avenue Q from now until June 29th remains: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2pm and 8pm and Sundays at 2pm and 6:30pm. For the extension (July 9 to July 27) the performance schedule will be Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 5pm and 8:30pm and Sundays at 2pm.

Individual tickets range from $25-$65, and are available online at www.MercuryTheaterChicago.com, over the phone at 773.325.1700, or in person at 3745 N. Southport Avenue, Chicago.