Photo Flash: First Look at Theatre Wesleyan's AVENUE Q, Playing April 25-28

Theatre Wesleyan is excited to give DFW audiences a first look at their production of the Tony Award®-winning Broadway musical, AVENUE Q.

Performances will be held at the Thad Smotherman Theatre at Texas Wesleyan University (1205 Binkley Street, 76105) for one weekend only from Thursday, April 25 through Sunday, April 28, 2019.

Tickets to all performances of AVENUE Q are now available at the Theatre Wesleyan website (www.txwes.edu/theatre). For more information regarding group ticket sales at a discounted rate, please contact the Box Office at 817-531-4211 or via email at theatre@txwes.edu.

Winner of the Tony "Triple Crown" for Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Book, AVENUE Q is part flesh, part felt and packed with heart. Filled with gut-busting humor and a delightfully catchy score, not to mention puppets, AVENUE Q is a truly unique show that has quickly become a favorite for audiences everywhere. Although the show addresses humorous adult issues, it is inspired by the long-running TV series where big birds lived, monsters ate cookies, and Bert & Ernie were "just friends." The show contains mild adult language and humor. This production will have an original puppet design, the second university production to do so since the musical premiered in 2003, according to original Broadway cast member, Rick Lyon.

Theatre major Alastair Sigala Ramirez had the unique opportunity to create the original puppet design for this production. Ramirez received mentorship from Texas Wesleyan alumna, Kathy Kreuter '93, who is currently a designer at StageWorks USA and has previous experience as a designer and fabricator at Irene Corey Costume Design. Her work at Corey includes industrials, commercials, films, and corporate events, as well as the hit children's television series, Barney & Friends. Kreuter supervised as Texas Wesleyan theatre students built and constructed the puppets from Ramirez's original designs.

In March 2019, original AVENUE Q Broadway cast member, Rick Lyon, visited Texas Wesleyan to teach a private workshop and master class on puppetry performance to the cast of students. Lyon designed the original, and now iconic, puppets for the Broadway production, as well as originating the roles of "Nicky" and "Trekkie Monster." Lyon quoted that among all of the schools and universities he has visited for workshops since the show premiered in 2003, Texas Wesleyan will be only the second production to design and build their own puppets.

The cast of AVENUE Q includes Texas Wesleyan University students, many with previous onstage and backstage theater experience in the DFW area, all pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. The cast includes Gabe Crowley (Brian), Jasmine Mesre (Christmas Eve), Julissa Norment (Gary Coleman), Kimberly Owen (Kate Monster), Alfredo Tamayo (Princeton), Darin Martin (Rod), Ryan Simón (Nicky), Kristian Thomas (Trekkie Monster), Lauren Garza (Lucy The Slut), Alexandra Flurry (Mrs. Thistletw*t), Richard "Gibby" Givans (The Bad Idea Bears), Rebecca Nagle (The Bad Idea Bears), and rounding out the ensemble will be Alexis Garcia, Reagan Fraze, Hugo Morales Saldaña, and Mario Murillo.

The creative team, also consisting of Texas Wesleyan University students and faculty, includes BRyan Stevenson (Director & Scenic Design), Michael Plantz (Musical Director), Jacob Rivera-Sanchez (Assistant Director & Choreographer), Sabrina Alegria (Stage Manager), Delaney Pricer & Rayven Harris (Assistant Stage Manager), John Traxler (Lighting Design), Taylor Allen (Assistant Lighting Design), Tristen Brown (Sound Engineering & Design), Briana Cortez (Assistant Sound Design), William Bull (Costume Design), Brianna Hunter (Properties Design), Alexandra Flurry (Assistant Properties Design), Tobin Griffin (Projections Design), Jacob Rivera-Sanchez (Graphic Design), Kaitlin Hatton (Technical Director), Mario Murillo (Assistant Technical Director), Reagan Fraze and Jasmine Mesre (Assistant Graphic Design).

The eight-piece live band performing the Tony Award-winning score includes Michael Plantz (Conductor & Keyboard), Mark Miller (Keyboard), Michael Dooley (Drums/Percussion), Ben Skrabanek (Guitar), Phillip Friend (Bass), Skylar Peters (Flute), Brandie Peters (Clarinet), and Chris Milyo (Saxophone).

Photo Credits: Jacob Rivera-Sanchez and Lauren Garza

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