Theatre Arlington Presents the Tony Award-Winning Musical Avenue Q
Theatre Arlington is elated to announce the cast and creative team for the sixth installment in their 50th anniversary season, Avenue Q! Often dubbed “Sesame Street for Adults”, the show stars a cast of puppets in a fictional neighborhood of New York City.
Through witty satire and unforgettable songs, Avenue Q offers a raunchy comedic edge that very few shows can match. What arises through the show’s humor is an endearing and insightful exploration of the rough transition into adulthood. Avenue Q won the Tony “Triple Crown” for Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Book in 2004, famously coming out on top in a crowded field that included Wicked.
Avenue Q will be directed by Theatre Arlington technical director Bryan Stevenson. Stevenson is very familiar with the show, having directed a production with Theatre Wesleyan in 2019. When asked why he thought the show has been so uniquely popular with audiences for two decades, Stevenson did not cite the play’s laugh-out-loud humor or catchy tunes. He responded, “[Because] it allows us to see modern issues through the comfort and humor of puppetry. And I think in a way, that brings us back to our childhood.”
The music direction will be handled by renowned musician and painter Mark Mullino, audiences might remember Mullino from his work at Theatre Arlington’s production of Gypsy in February.
Starring in the role of Kate Monster is north Texas native Jessica Humphrey whose regional credits include productions as far away as Anchorage, San Diego, and Connecticut. Playing across from her in the role of Princeton is Bryson Petersen who audiences might know from his many roles around Dallas-Fort Worth with Casa Manana, Granbury Theatre Company, and Plaza Theater Company.
The rest of this brilliant ensemble cast is rounded out by Landry Beckley, Lindsay Hayward, Lindsey Longacre, Hayden Lopez, Darin Martin, Andrew Nicolas, Brandy Raper, Jayden Russell, and Brandon Wilhelm.
The rich world of the play will be filled out by a familiar design team featuring Stevenson (Set), Kyle Harris (Lighting), Ryan Simón (Sound), Hope Cox (Costume), Robin Dotson (Props), and Bianca Folgar (Scenic Artistry). Theatre Arlington production manager Maria Leon Hickox will be stage managing the production, alongside assistant stage manager Javier Casablanca.
Coming freshly off their run of Tracy Letts’ play Superior Donuts which was met with rave reviews from Dallas Voice, Onstage NTX, DFW Center Stage, and Dallas Theatre Journal – Avenue Q promises to be another winner for Theatre Arlington in their golden anniversary season.
CONTENT WARNING: Avenue Q contains adult content, language, situations, and humor. This production is not suitable for all audiences.
Avenue Q features music & lyrics by Jeff Marx & Robert Lopez, book by Jeff Whitty
Based on an original concept by Robert Lopez & Jeff Marx
Avenue Q will open on Friday August 25th
Performances will continue through Sunday, September 10th with the following schedule:
Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 pm
Sundays at 2 pm
For more information and to purchase tickets: www.TheatreArlington.org
Box Office: 817.275.7661
About Theatre Arlington:
Located in the center of Arlington’s Cultural Arts District, Theatre Arlington is one of the largest semi-professional, non-profit theaters in the Southwest with roots that date back to 1973 and a roaming theater group known as The Potluck Players. Fifty years later, the staff and board of directors are still as dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in North Texas by presenting superior, diverse, artistic experiences through performance, production and education as they were during their humble beginnings.
In addition to a regular season featuring eight productions, an all-youth musical and a club series, the theater runs a year-round theater school including spring break and summer camps, and partners with the Arlington ISD and local community organizations to provide free and low-cost art enrichment programs for area children and teens. The theater is also proud to perform under an Actors’ Equity Small Professional Theatre contract. Theatre Arlington has become a key player in enriching the city’s cultural environment