Triple Tony Award Winner AVENUE Q Playing Winter Season at Pieter Toerien's Montecasino Theatre

In 2004 on Broadway, against all the odds, a little show called AVENUE Q snatched 3
Tony Awards for Best Book, Best Score and Best Musical from a monster hit, WICKED.
This year, VR Theatrical and Kosie Smit are proud to be presenting this triple Tony Award winner to Johannesburg audiences.

Described on Broadway production as 'equal parts puppetry, comedy and catchy tunes,' AVENUE Q is a laugh-out-loud comedy musical that 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 nice, it is clear
that this is not your ordinary neighbourhood. Together, Princeton and his new-found
friends struggle to find jobs, dates, and their ever-elusive purpose in life.

Television programmes like Sesame Street in America and TAKALANI SESAME in South Africa teach values and life-skills to young children through the use of puppetry and songs. AVENUE Q applies the same principle by teaching real-life lessons and broaching hard-to-discuss adult topics such as racism, pornography and a whole lot more in an entertaining and colourful manner.

The South African premiere will be directed and choreographed by Timothy le Roux, with musical direction by Dawid Boverhoff. Kosie Smit is tasked with puppet creation as well as scenic design. Lighting Design is by Oliver Hauser.

Le Roux said: 'The all South African cast were put through their paces at auditions late last year. In musical theatre jargon the term "triple threat" is often used to describe a person who is good at acting, singing and dancing. What makes this piece of theatre unique is that it includes all that - plus puppetry skills, which requires intensive training for our actors.'

The cast features stellar performers, including Ashleigh Harvey as Kate Monster/Lucy, Ryan Flynn as Princeton/Rod, Daniel Geddes as Nicky/Trekkie Monster, Grant Towers as Brian, Yamikani Mahaka-Phiri as Gary Coleman and Rebecca Hartle as Christmas Eve, with Nieke Lombard and Graeme Wicks as the Bad Idea Bears. Songezo Khumalo will fulfil various understudy roles. The actors operate their puppets in full view of the audience, using both their hands while singing, acting and dancing.

AVENUE Q is currently running at Pieter Toerien's Montecasino Theatre on Wednesdays through Saturdays at 20:00, with matinee performances on Saturdays at 16:00 and Sundays at 15:00. Tickets range from R100 - R350 and are available through Computicket. Discounts are available for block bookings, with details available by emailing Geraldine. AVENUE Q contains scenes which may be unsuitable for children under 16. Children under the age of five will not be admitted.

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