Goodbye, Goo! Off-Broadway's Toxic Avenger Will Close Jan. 3, 2010

By Kenneth Jones
10 Nov 2009

Toxic Avenger stars Nick Cordero and Diana DeGarmo
Toxic Avenger stars Nick Cordero and Diana DeGarmo
Photo by Carol Rosegg

The Toxic Avenger, the critically-acclaimed Off-Broadway musical about an unlikely superhero in New Jersey, will end its New York City run on Jan. 3, 2010, producers announced on Nov. 10. By close, the show will have played over 300 performances at New World Stages.

A national tour is being put together; no dates or cities have been announced.

The Toxic Avenger, based on the 1985 classic cult film from Lloyd Kaufman, 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 also co-wrote the Broadway musical Memphis, currently playing 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 show had its world premiere at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, NJ, where it broke box office records before transferring Off-Broadway, beginning previews on March 18, 2009, and officially opening on April 6, 2009. A cast album preserves the score.

The Toxic Avenger won the 2009 Best Off Broadway Musical Award by the Outer Critics Circle. A Toronto production recently opened.

Producers Jean Cheever and Tom Polum said in a Nov. 10 statement, "We've been blessed with a talented creative team, phenomenal cast, highly skilled crew, smokin' hot band, dedicated behind-the-scenes support group and loyal theatre audiences."

The Toxic Avenger is billed as "both a charming love story and laugh-out-loud musical — complete with an unlikely hero, his beautiful blind girlfriend, a corrupt New Jersey mayor and the most memorable and unbelievable duet you'll see on any New York stage!"

The performance schedule for The Toxic Avenger is Monday, Wednesday-Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 4 & 8 PM and Sunday at 3 & 7:30 PM. Tickets are $51.50 & $71.50 and may be purchased through TeleCharge.com and at (212) 239-6200.

For further information about the show, visit TheToxicAvengerMusical.com.