THE TOXIC AVENGER Will Launch National Tour in 2010, Off-Broadway Production Celebrates 200 Performances 10/1

The Toxic Avenger - named "2009 Best New Off-Broadway Musical" by the Outer Critics Circle - marks its 200th performance tonight (Thursday, October 1st) at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street), where it has had audiences doubled over with laughter since performances began over six months ago. (Previews began on March 18th and the show officially opened on April 6th, 2009). October 1st is also the one year anniversary of its world premiere at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where the show became the biggest grossing musical in the theatre's 34 year history.

The celebration continues with the exciting news that a national tour of The Toxic Avenger will kick off in the fall of 2010. Producers Jean Cheever and Tom Polum announced today that they have inked a deal with On the Road, the national theatrical booking agency to "bring ‘Toxie' to all our fans across the country," says Polum. "Going to The Toxic Avenger is a great escape from everyday life and a chance to just have some fun. We also look forward to sharing the laughter with our neighbors just to the north when ‘Toxie' has its Canadian premiere in Toronto at The Music Hall. The opening is scheduled for Halloween night . . . how great is that?!"

"Toxie" fans can visit the show's official website, TheToxicAvengerMusical.com to request that the show play their city by clicking on "Want TOXIE to come to your town?" and filling out the requirEd Fields on the given form.

The Toxic Avenger is both a charming love story and laugh-out-loud musical -- complete with an unlikely hero, his beautiful girlfriend (a blind librarian and aspiring novelist), a corrupt New Jersey mayor and the most memorable and unbelievable duet you'll see on any New York stage! Audiences from teenagers to senior citizens have enthusiastically embraced this hilarious new musical comedy. Easily 1,000 laughs.

Based on the 1985 classic cult film from Lloyd Kaufman, The Toxic Avenger features music and lyrics by David Bryan (keyboardist and founding member of Bon Jovi) and book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change). Bryan and DiPietro have also co-written the upcoming Broadway musical Memphis (opening October 19th at the Shubert Theatre). The Toxic Avenger is directed by Tony Award® winner John Rando. The cast includes American Idol Season 3 runner up Diana DeGarmo, Nick Cordero, Demond Green, Jonathan Root and Nancy Opel.

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 (TimeLife) is in stores now and on iTunes. For further information about the show, fun online content, and new TOX-A-RI-FIC merchandise, please visit the show's official web site: TheToxicAvengerMusical.com.

On the Road is a full-servIce Theatrical booking agency providing booking and contract services for touring productions in cities throughout North America. Current titles include Burn the Floor, Finian's Rainbow, Hairspray, A Little Night Music, The Rat Pack - Live at the Sands, Spring Awakening, The Toxic Avenger and Young Frankenstein.

Founded in 1997, On the Road has served as tour director for multi-Tony award-winning musicals Movin' Out, Sweeney Todd, The Producers - The new Mel Brooks Musical, as well as Little Shop of Horrors, Swing and Smokey Joe's Café.

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