Avenue Q Opens in London June 28

By John Nathan
28 Jun 2006

Ann Harada in the London production of Avenue Q.
Ann Harada in the London production of Avenue Q.
Photo by Carol Rosegg

The Tony-winning Broadway musical Avenue Q officially opens at Cameron Mackintosh’s revamped Noel Coward Theatre — formerly the Albery — on June 28. Previews started June 1.

With such puppet characters as Trekkie Monster and Lucy the Slut, the debut musical by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx (music and lyrics) has been described as "Sesame Street" meets "South Park."

Avenue Q started life in 2002 with an Off-Broadway run at the 200-seat Vineyard Theatre, where it was extended four times. It then opened at the Golden Theatre on Broadway in July 2003 to critical acclaim. The show went on to win three 2004 Tonys: Best Musical, Best Original Score of a Musical and Best Book of a Musical.

In Avenue Q Jeff Whitty’s book follows the story of bright-eyed college student Princeton (Jon Robyns), who can only afford to live in the down-market New York street of the show’s title. With a variety of colorful neighbors, Princeton goes on a journey of self-discovery.

For the London production Ann Harada reprises her Broadway performance as Christmas Eve, for which she won an Outer Critics Circle Award. The show has been cast in collaboration with London’s Theatre Royal Stratford East, who helped the producers find hundreds of musical performers of all backgrounds bringing together a mix of young newcomers and seasoned West End performers.

London marks the show’s third production. After New York the show played Wynn Las Vegas — Avenue Q ended its Vegas run May 28 to make way for Monty Python’s Spamalot.

For more on Avenue Q, which is booking until Sept. 30, call (0)870 850 9175.