Playbill News: Fantasies Come True: Avenue Q Launches National Tour from San Diego June 30

Fantasies Come True: Avenue Q Launches National Tour from San Diego June 30

By Ernio Hernandez
June 30, 2007

The whole country will soon learn why "It Sucks to Be Me" as the national tour of the 2004 Tony Award-winning Best Musical Avenue Q launches June 30 from San Diego.

Presented in association with The Old Globe, the tour will play San Diego's Spreckels Theatre through Aug. 5 before embarking on an 18-month national tour.

Filling the fictional street populated by people and puppets are Robert McClure (as Princeton, Rod), Cole Porter (Brian), Kelli Sawyer (Kate Monster, Lucy The Slut & others), Christian Anderson (Nicky, Trekkie Monster, Bear & others), Angela Ai (Christmas Eve), Carla Renata (Gary Coleman) and Minglie Chen (Mrs. T., Bear & others). Rounding out the ensemble are Jennie Kwan, Maggie Lakis, Seth Rettberg, Erica Robinson, Danielle Thomas and Cullen R. Titmas.

The line-up of cities (subject to change) follows:

San Francisco, CA (Aug. 7-Sept. 2) - Orpheum Theatre

Los Angeles, CA (Sept. 4-Oct. 14) - Ahmanson Theatre

Tucson, AZ (Oct. 16-21) - Music Hall

Houston, TX (Oct. 23-Nov. 4) - Hobby Center

Kansas City, MO (Nov. 6-11) - Music Hall

Des Moines, IA (Nov. 13-18) - Civic Center

Pittsburgh, PA (Nov. 20-25) - Benedum Center

Washington, D.C. (Nov. 27- Dec. 9) - National Theatre

Baltimore, MD (Dec. 11-23) - Hippodrome Theatre

Minneapolis, MN (Jan. 1-13, 2008) - State Theatre

Cleveland, OH (Jan. 15-27, 2008) - Palace Theatre

Philadelphia, PA (Jan. 29-Feb. 10, 2008) - Forrest Theatre

St. Louis, MO (Feb. 12-24, 2008) - Fox Theatre

Milwaukee, WI (Feb. 26- March 2, 2008) - Marcus Center

Rochester, NY (March 4-9, 2008) - Auditorium Theatre

Boston, MA (March 11-23, 2008) - Colonial Theatre

Atlanta, GA (March 25-30, 2008) - Fox Theatre

Tampa, FL (April 1-6, 2008) - Tampa Bay PAC

Columbus, OH (April 8-13, 2008) - Ohio Theatre

East Lansing, MI (April 15-20, 2008) - Wharton Center

Louisville, KY (April 22-27, 2008) - Louisville Palace

Buffalo, NY (April 29-May 4, 2008) - Shea PAC

Raleigh, NC (May 6-11, 2008) - Progress Energy Center

Miami, FL (May 13-18, 2008) - Carnival Center

Seattle, WA (June 10-22, 2008) - Paramount Theatre

Portland, OR (June 24-29, 2008) - Keller Auditorium

Ft. Worth, TX (July 8-13, 2008) - Bass Performance Hall

Greenville, SC (July 15-20, 2008) - Peace Center

Charlotte, NC (July 22-27, 2008) - Blumenthal PAC

Toronto, ON (July 29-Aug. 31, 2008) - Elgin Theatre

Currently in its fourth year on Broadway, the show has already played a run in Las Vegas at the Wynn Las Vegas casino resort — an exclusive deal that originally kept the show from touring — and also enjoys a run at London's Noel Coward Theatre.

Avenue Q began previews July 11, 2003, and opened July 31 at the John Golden to positive critical and audience response following an Off-Broadway run at the Vineyard Theatre. The show's creators, Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, earned a Tony for their score as did book writer Jeff Whitty, and the musical itself garnered the top Best Musical prize at the 2004 Tony Awards. Jason Moore (Steel Magnolias) directed with musical direction by Gary Adler (Altar Boyz).

Avenue Q sends up popular children's television shows such as "Sesame Street" and "The Electric Company," while serving up a bounty of pop culture references and solving the mystery of the whereabouts of former "Diff'rent Strokes" child star Gary Coleman. The production bears the warning: "Full puppet nudity, not suitable for children."

Avenue Q can be found on the web at www.avenueq.com.