Avenue Q Debuts in Liverpool, 11 June

Currently at the Lowry, the show which enjoyed nearly five years of
mischief, bad behaviour and political incorrectness in the West End,
Tony Award-winning musical comedy – Avenue Q,
is set to return to the North West when it visits the Liverpool Empire
for the first time as part of its second national tour.  

Avenue Q
is a musical about the lively and off-the-wall characters on a downtown
New York street trying to make sense of life’s burning issues: love,
work, relationships, and, above all, just how are you supposed to pay
the bills with a BA in English?

The story follows Princeton, a
bright-eyed college graduate new to the area, as he desperately tries to
follow his dreams and discover his ever-elusive purpose in life. A tiny
bank balance, the distraction of a busty blonde, and a variety of weird
and wonderful friends and neighbours lead Princeton on a story of
self-discovery.

The show has enjoyed enormous success, both on
Broadway and in London, proving to be the perfect, contemporary musical.
Described as witty, rude and extremely funny, Avenue Q
combines a cast of humans and puppets who tackle subjects such as
dating, porn, racism, being gay and finding your purpose in life.

Avenue Q
The Musical is the result of a collaboration between Robert Lopez and
Jeff Marx, who began writing the show in 1999, originally thinking
the idea would make a great TV series. Three years later it opened
off-Broadway, and after extending four times at the Vineyard Theatre
following rave reviews, it transferred to Broadway.  In 2006, Avenue Q The
Musical travelled across the Atlantic, opening in London’s West End at
the Noel Coward Theatre (formerly the Albery Theatre). Whilst in the
West End, Avenue Q also enjoyed residencies at the Gielgud Theatre and
Wyndham’s Theatre, where it ran until October 2010 ahead of the first UK
tour in 2011.

The national tour is being staged by Associate
Director Evan Ensign, who has worked on the show previously on
Broadway. The cast for the UK tour features Manchester Theatre School
graduate Sam Lupton as Princeton and Rod;  Katherine Moraz as Kate
and Lucy, following West End appearances in Avenue Q;
and Julie Yammanee as Christmas Eve. Chris Thatcher reprises the
roles of Nicky, Trekkie and Bear, following West End appearances in Avenue Q; 
Daniella Gibb appears as Mrs T and Bear, with Matt Henry appearing as
Gary, a role he played in the original West End production; and Edward
Judge plays the role of Brian. The company is completed by Gabrielle
Brooks, Arina Ii, Luke Striffler, Rina Takasaki, Jonny Fines and Kayi
Ushe.

The Avenue Q UK Tour is produced by Theatre Royal Bath
Productions Ltd, by arrangement with Kevin McCollum, Robin Goodman,
Jeffrey Seller, Vineyard Theatre, The New Group and Cameron Mackintosh.

Avenue Q runs at the until tomorrow- 12 May and arrives at the Liverpool Empire from 11 – 16 June.