Diana DeGarmo Will Join THE TOXIC AVENGER Beginning 8/14

Diana DeGarmo, Season 3 "American Idol" runner-up and Broadway vet is returning to the New York stage where, beginning Friday, August 14th, she will assume the role of Sarah, the sexy, blind librarian in The Toxic Avenger - named the "Best New Off-Broadway Musical" by the Outer Critics Circle.

Theatre audiences in New York will remember DeGarmo's critically acclaimed performance as Penny Pingleton in Broadway's Hairspray and across the country in the cast of the first national tour of Brooklyn: The Musical and her starring role as Dorothy in the first national tour of Oz. Ms. DeGarmo will soon appear in the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Raincoat. Diana exclaims "I am so excited to be coming back to New York to join the cast of The Toxic Avenger. When I saw the show, I laughed my head off. I can't wait to start rehearsal - and to be blonde again!"

The Toxic Avenger is a charming love story and laugh-out-loud musical that has it all -- an unlikely hero, his beautiful girlfriend, a corrupt New Jersey mayor and two guys who play...well, everyone else...bullies, mobsters, old ladies, and stiletto-wearing back-up singers. The show also features the most memorable and unbelievable duet you'll ever see on any New York stage. Audiences from teenagers to senior citizens love this hilarious new hit musical! Easily 1,000 laughs.

Featuring book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change), music by David Bryan (Bon Jovi) and direction by Tony Award winner John Rando (Urinetown), The Toxic Avenger is playing an open-ended run at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

Ms. DeGarmo joins fellow cast members: Nick Cordero, Demond Green*, Jonathan Root and Nancy Opel. *Nicholas Rodriguez is playing Mr. Green's roles through July 19th.

The production team for The Toxic Avenger includes: Beowolf Boritt (Scenic Design), David C. Woolard (Costume Design), Kenneth Posner (Lighting Design), Kurt Fischer (Sound Design), Mark Adam Rampmeyer (Hair & Make-Up Design), John Dods (Prosthetics & Special Effects Design), Rick Sordelet & David DeBesse (Fight Direction), Wendy Seyb (Choreographer), David Bryan & Chris Jahnke (Orchestrations) and Doug Katsaros (Music Director).

The performance schedule for The Toxic Avenger is: Monday, Wednesday - Friday at 8PM, Saturday at 4 & 8PM and Sunday at 3 & 7:30PM. Tickets are $51.50 & $71.50 and may be purchased through Telecharge at (212) 239-6200/www.telecharge.com. The original cast recording (Time Life) is in stores now and available on iTunes.

For further information and fun online content, please visit the show's official web site (TheToxicAvengerMusical.com).

Diana DeGarmo - With an amazing range and vocal prowess far beyond her years, Diana DeGarmo gained overnight fame as a runner-up on the third season of television's No. 1 series, 'American Idol.' Such high-profile exposure opened the door for DeGarmo's first radio single 'Dreams,' from her full-length RCA label debut Blue Skies, which claimed the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. Ms. DeGarmo has also conquered the Great White Way, starring as Penny Pingleton in Broadway's Hairspray and as Brooklyn in the first national tour of Brooklyn: The Musical. She also starred as Dorothy in the first national tour of OZ, The Musical and in Back to Bacharach and David at the Music Box at Fonda in Los Angeles. The talented singer's television credits include ABC TV's "Walt Disney World Christmas Parade," as well as NBC-TV's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," and CMT's reality series "Gone Country." DeGarmo is also a proud supporter of our American Troops, touring overseas with the USO and 16th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace.

Photo by Mark Rupp

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