Photo Flash: Diana DeGarmo In THE TOXIC AVENGER

Diana DeGarmo, Season 3 "American Idol" runner-up and Broadway vet has returned to the New York stage where, on Friday, August 14th, she assumed 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.

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. Erin Leigh Peck and Nicholas Rodriguez are also featured as covers for all of the female and male roles in the production.

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.