AVENUE Q opens at Ocean State Theatre on August 3

Ocean State Theatre Company (OSTC) is thrilled to be concluding their summer season with the hysterical and touching Tony® Award-winning musical,Avenue Q, which opens on August 3.

Who are the people in your neighborhood? Well we can assure you they aren't the residents of Avenue Q. The laugh-out-loud musical tells the timeless story of a recent college grad named Princeton who moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q. He soon discovers that although the residents seem lovely, it's clear that this is not your ordinary neighborhood. Together, Princeton and his new-found friends struggle to find jobs, dates, and their ever-elusive purpose in life. Winner of the Tony® "Triple Crown" for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book, Avenue Q is part flesh, part felt, and packed with humor. (Show contains adult language, content, and full puppet nudity...yes we said puppet nudity.)

Ocean State Theatre Company is delighted to welcome director/actor Jason Parrish, who will be making his directing debut with OSTC. Mr. Parrish was a member of OSTC's staff for two summers at Theatre By The Sea then returned as an actor appearing in their production of The 39 Steps in 2011. He is in his twelfth year as Associate Director and Ensemble Member with Florida Repertory Company in Fort Myers. Justin P. Cowan, who has music directed OSTC productions of Damn Yankees, Gypsy, Guys and Dolls,Legally, Blonde: The Musical and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, returns as music director and MK Lawson, who choreographed Damn Yankees, The Winter Wonderettes and RENT, returns as choreographer. The cast includes former OSTC performers Elise Arsenault of Bristol who appeared in both The Diary of Anne Frank and The King and I, Joe DeLeo of East Greenwich, who was in both Damn Yankees and Gypsy, Tommy Labanaris of Coventry, who has appeared in Into The Woods, LES MISERABLES, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, The Diary of Anne Frank, Gypsy and 1776, Greg LoBuono of Boston, who made his OSTC debut earlier this summer in Damn Yankees, Helena Tafuri of North Kingstown who returns after appearing in Damn Yankees and Gypsy and Rochelle Weinrauch of Westerly who has appeared in Guys and Dolls and Lend Me A Tenor. Making their Ocean State Theatre Company debuts are Jeff Blanchette of Portsmouth, Lovely Hoffman of Roxbury and Jenna Lea Scott of Lowell.

Avenue Q will be presented at Ocean State Theatre from August 3 - 21. Previews are scheduled for Wednesday, August 3 and Thursday, August 4 at 7:30 pm. All other performances will be held Tuesday (except August 9), Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm, with matinees at 2:00 pm on Sundays. Special matinees are also scheduled for Thursday, August 11 and Saturday, August 20 at 2:00 pm. Conducting Conversations Live!, a free post-show discussion hosted by WCRI's Mike Maino, will follow the 2pmperformance on Sunday, August 7. The post show Piano Bar Series, hosted by Robert Miller, Jr., will continue following Friday and Saturday evening performances in the theatre's lobby on August 12, 13, 19 and 20.

The theatre is located at 1245 Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick, RI. Tickets are $39 for preview performances and $39-$59 for all other performances. Discount rates for groups of 20 or more are available by calling (401) 921-1777 x112. $30 "Rush" tickets are available on a limited basis one hour prior to curtain on the day of the performance. Tickets are on sale at the box office Monday through Friday from 12 noon - 6:00 pm, Saturdays from 12 noon - 4:00 pm, and from 12 noon until curtain time on performance days. Tickets are also available online 24 hours a day at www.OceanStateTheatre.org and via telephone during normal box office hours by calling (401) 921-6800.

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