Casting announced for Avenue Q UK Tour

WhatsOnStage have announced casting for the upcoming UK Tour of Avenue Q.

New cast members include: Sarah Harlington as Kate Monster/Lucy the Slut, Richard Lowe as Princeton/Rod and Arina II as Christmas Eve.

Returning cast members include: Stephen Arden as Nicky/Trekkie Monster, Richard Morse as Brian, Etisyai Philip as Gary Coleman and Jessica Parker as Mrs T/ Bad Idea Bear.

Michael Woolston-Thomas, Douglas Walker and Cleopatra Joseph complete the cast.

Sell A Door's touring production of Avenue Q to return next year

Sell A Door have announced via WhatsOnStage that their touring production of Avenue Q will return in 2015 and 2016.

Opening on Wednesday 22nd April 2015, the tour will visit Colchester, Aylesbury, Greenwich, Clywyd Theatre Cymru, Tunbridge Wells, Darlington, Kings Lynn, Dartford, Hastings, Watford, Doncaster, Swindon, Cheltenham, Swansea, Woking, Bournemouth, Southend, Glasgow, Bromley, York, Brighton, Halifax, Richmond, Grimsby and Preston.

Sell a Door announces casting for Hong Kong transfers of Avenue Q & Seussical

Following the success of its UK and Ireland Tour,  Sell a Door’s production of Avenue Q is transferring to Hong Kong in November 2014. Cressida Carré will once again direct the production.

The cast includes: Jessica Parker, Jacqueline Tate, Greg Airey, Will Hawksworth, Emily-Jane Morris, Richard Morse and Etisyai Philip.

Following two West End seasons at the Arts Theatre, Sell a Door’s production of Seussical is also transferring to Hong Kong in November with direction from Racky Plews.

Review: Avenue Q (UK Tour) at the New Wimbledon Theatre

Avenue Q (UK Tour)

New Wimbledon Theatre

Reviewed on Tuesday 26th August 2014

★★★★

This was my fourth time seeing Avenue Q over the past year. Showing no signs of growing tired, I can't get enough of Robert Lopez, Jeff Marx and Jeff Whitty's musical. Sell A Door's UK touring production has improved significantly since I last saw it four months ago when I left the theatre with a sore throat from laughing so hard.

Review: Avenue Q (UK Tour) at the Greenwich Theatre

Avenue Q (UK Tour)

Greenwich Theatre

Reviewed on Tuesday 29th April 2014

Marking the third production of Avenue Q that I have seen within the past twelve months, Sell A Door have launched Robert Lopez, Jeff Marx and Jeff Whitty's musical at the Greenwich Theatre ahead of a UK Tour. 

Avenue Q follows a group of neighbours who are facing the issues and anxieties associated with entering adulthood. As the show progresses the characters begin to discover who they are and what their purpose is in life. Sesame Street style puppets perform alongside real people, creating a unique but strong recipe for a musical.

I seem to love Avenue Q more and more every time I see it; the show isn’t about big sets or huge production numbers, its success is down to clever, outrageous writing and strong casting. The score is tremendous, I find it impossible to pick a favourite number and it's always hilarious to watch the faces of those who are unfamiliar with the show - it's not every day you watch a musical which features musical numbers such as 'Everyone's a Little Bit Racist' and 'The Internet Is for Porn'.

Full casting announced for Sell A Door's Avenue Q

Emily-Jane Morris

Casting has been announced for Sell a Door Theatre Company’s touring production of Avenue Q.

The cast includes: Ellena Vincent as Gary Coleman, Richard Morse as Brian, Jessica Parker as Mrs T/Bad Idea Bear, Tom Steedon as Princeton/Rod, Lucie-Mae Sumner as Kate Monster/Lucy the Slut, Stephen Arden as Nicky/Trekkie Monster and Jacqueline Tate as Christmas Eve

The ensemble features Greg Airey, Emily-Jane Morris, Will Hawksworth and Wreh-Asha Walton.

Avenue Q for Greenwich Theatre run prior to UK Tour

It has been announced that Sell A Door are staging the Tony Award-winning musical comedy Avenue Q later this year. The production will open at the Greenwich Theatre on Monday 28th April 2014 (previews from 23rd April) and run until Sunday 11th May 2014 before touring the UK for ten weeks until August 2014.

Avenue Q premiered in 2003 Off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre before transferring to Broadway later that year. It won the Tony for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book. Cameron Mackintosh  brought the show to the West End in 2006 where it ran for five years. Most recently Avenue Q was staged at Upstairs at the Gatehouse and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

London Fringe Production of the Year: The Full Result

We can officially reveal the full result of our London Fringe Production of the Year Award. Ovation's production of Avenue Q triumphed in the publicly voted for award, out of twelve nominated fringe shows. 

WINNER

Avenue Q

Upstairs at the Gatehouse

32% of the final vote

Avenue Q wins 'London Fringe Production of the Year' Award

Ovation's production of Avenue Q  has won West End Frame's 'London Fringe Production of the Year' Award, voted for by the theatregoing public.

Speaking to West End Frame, Ovation's John and Katie Plews said: “We are absolutely delighted to be recognised by West End Frame and would like to say a massive thank you to all who saw Avenue Q and voted for us”.

The adult Sesame Street-style show, written by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, ran at fringe theatre Upstairs at the Gatehouse in Highgate between May and June this year. Ovation are Upstairs at the Gatehouse's in-house company who produce several shows each year. Their latest production, the fringe premiere of Kiss Me Kate, officially opened earlier this week to rave reviews.

Alice in Wonderland (St Paul’s Church) comes second and Rent (Tabard Theatre) comes third. Click here for the full result.

Big Interview: Julie Atherton

Julie Atherton is currently starring in the world premiere of Another Way at the Cockpit Theatre. The new musical features a book by Sarah Henley and Tori Allen-Martin and music by Benedict.

Another Way is three short stories about three London-based couples - friends, family and lovers - over the course of three months. It’s about luck in its different forms, from feeling lucky to being struck by luck, by a chance meeting. It’s about hope, it’s about getting stronger, and staying up later, for the 'dawn of our glory days'.

Julie Atherton famously created the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy The Slut in the original West End production of Avenue Q (Noël Coward & Gielgud). She made her West End debut as Sophie in Mamma Mia (Prince Edward) and went on to play Serena Katz in Fame (Aldwych & UK Tour).

Her other theatre credits include: Emily in The Hired Man (Mercury Colcester & Curve Leicester), French Teacher in Lift (Soho Theatre), Sister Mary Robert in Sister Act (UK Tour), Deb in Ordinary Days (Trafalgar Studios & Finborough), Cathy in The Last 5 Years (Theatre Royal Haymarket) and Kolokolo Bird in Just So (Chicester Festival).

Julie has also released two studio albums, 'A Girl of Few Words' and 'No Space for Air' and continues to support new writing. Later this year she will star alongside Daniel Boys in The Opinion Makers which will run in Derby and Colchester. Yesterday I chatted to Julie about what attracted her to starring in Another Way, why she feels so strongly about supporting new writing and what it was like to perform in Scott Alan’s recent concert at the IndigO2...

How are rehearsals for Another Way going so far?

Really well, we’ve got a lot to cram in! I’m trying to learn my lines at the moment so we’re at that stressful stage but I’m really enjoying it, the music is incredible!

Edinburgh Review: Avenue Q at Assembly Hall ​

Avenue Q
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Assembly Hall ​
Reviewed on Saturday 10th August 2013

Avenue Q ran for nearly five years in the West End and has since enjoyed several UK tours as well as a London Fringe premiere. I recently saw the show at Upstairs at the Gatehouse in London so already knew that Avenue Q works well in a more intimate setting, after all the musical was originally produced Off-Broadway in 2003. Avenue Q follows a group of neighbours who are facing the issues and anxieties associated with entering adulthood. As the show progresses the characters begin to discover who they are and what their purpose is in life.