ECC Musical Theatre presents 'Avenue Q' Feb. 24-March 5
Elgin Community College Musical Theatre will present its spring production of the Tony Award-winning, R-rated musical comedy "Avenue Q" from Friday, Feb. 24 through Sunday, March 5. The music and lyrics are by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, with the book by Jeff Whitty.
Performances will be 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays, in the SecondSpace Theatre, located in the ECC Arts Center in Building H, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin.
The 2004 winner of the Tony "Triple Crown" for best musical, best score, and best book, "Avenue Q" is an adult-themed musical comedy that features a colorful cast of puppets and a few human counterparts brought to life by ECC Musical Theatre's 16-person ensemble. The musical tells the story of a recent college grad named Princeton, who moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q. He soon discovers that although the avenue's residents seem nice, this is not your average neighborhood. Together, Princeton and his newfound friends struggle to find jobs, dates and their ever-elusive purpose in life.
ECC Musical Theatre's production is directed by Elgin native Andy Bero with musical direction by Marc Beth, ECC music instructor and program coordinator.
"'Avenue Q' is a story of characters searching for their purpose in the world," said director Andy Bero. "In the end, the show tells us that we can all find our purpose by building relationships and trusting community."
Musical Director Marc Beth echoes this sentiment: "The show says what so many of us are thinking. Sometimes life is hard. When we form a community, we bond strength together with struggle."
According to both directors, ECC Musical Theatre's production of "Avenue Q" aims to immerse its audience in the titular puppet-populated neighborhood. By casting a large ensemble of actors and creating a set that encompasses much of the theater, the production "transforms the theater into a vibrant living street in New York City and plunges you into the world of these characters," Bero said.
"Even those who know 'Avenue Q' quite well will have plenty of new things to see," Beth adds. "We create a world around the main characters."
The musical's theme of community means a lot to director Andy Bero. "I grew up in Elgin and saw every musical produced at Elgin Community College," he said. "Now, I have the extreme fortune to return to the stage that provided my life's purpose."
Bero's childhood love of musicals led him to earn a degree in musical theater from Millikin University and to perform professionally, including as part of Broadway touring productions of "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Wonderful Town." He is now the artistic director of the Children's Theatre of Elgin and an English/drama teacher at Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville.
"I'm honored to direct a show that emphasizes the power of community," he said. "After all, this community developed me into the artist that I am today."
Tickets are $20, $18 for seniors and students. Please note that "Avenue Q" is rated R due to strong adult content and language.
Tickets for all performances in the ECC Arts Center are available online at tickets.elgin.edu or at the ECC Arts Center box office. Box office hours are noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday. To purchase tickets by phone, call (847) 622-0300. All major credit cards are accepted. Follow the ECC Arts Center at facebook.com/eccartscenter and on Twitter @eccartscenter.
"Avenue Q" is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International. All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI, www.MTIShows.com. "Avenue Q" has not been authorized or approved by the Jim Henson Company or Sesame Workshop, which have no responsibility over its content.