AVENUE Q Comes to Theatre Arlington This Month

Theatre Arlington has announced the cast and creative team for the sixth installment in their 50th anniversary season, Avenue Q! Often dubbed “Sesame Street for Adults”, the show stars a cast of puppets in a fictional neighborhood of New York City.

Through witty satire and unforgettable songs, Avenue Q offers a raunchy comedic edge that very few shows can match. What arises through the show’s humor is an endearing and insightful exploration of the rough transition into adulthood. Avenue Q won the Tony "Triple Crown" for Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Book in 2004, famously coming out on top in a crowded field that included Wicked.

Avenue Q will be directed by Theatre Arlington technical director Bryan Stevenson. Stevenson is very familiar with the show, having directed a production with Theatre Wesleyan in 2019. When asked why he thought the show has been so uniquely popular with audiences for two decades, Stevenson did not cite the play’s laugh-out-loud humor or catchy tunes. He responded, “[Because] it allows us to see modern issues through the comfort and humor of puppetry. And I think in a way, that brings us back to our childhood.”

The music direction will be handled by renowned musician and painter Mark Mullino, audiences might remember Mullino from his work at Theatre Arlington’s production of Gypsy in February.

Starring in the role of Kate Monster is north Texas native Jessica Humphrey whose regional credits include productions as far away as Anchorage, San Diego, and Connecticut. Playing across from her in the role of Princeton is Bryson Petersen who audiences might know from his many roles around Dallas-Fort Worth with Casa Manana, Granbury Theatre Company, and Plaza Theater Company.

The rest of this brilliant ensemble cast is rounded out by Landry Beckley, Lindsay Hayward, Lindsey Longacre, Hayden Lopez, Darin Martin, Andrew Nicolas, Brandy Raper, Jayden Russell, and Brandon Wilhelm.

The rich world of the play will be filled out by a familiar design team featuring Stevenson (Set), Kyle Harris (Lighting), Ryan Simón (Sound), Hope Cox (Costume), Robin Dotson (Props), and Bianca Folgar (Scenic Artistry). Theatre Arlington production manager Maria Leon Hickox will be stage managing the production, alongside assistant stage manager Javier Casablanca.

Coming freshly off their run of Tracy Letts’ play Superior Donuts which was met with rave reviews from Dallas Voice, Onstage NTX, DFW Center Stage, and Dallas Theatre Journal – Avenue Q promises to be another winner for Theatre Arlington in their golden anniversary season.

CONTENT WARNING: Avenue Q contains adult content, language, situations, and humor. This production is not suitable for all audiences.

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