'Avenue Q' takes over Shea's

"Avenue Q" cast members Minglie Chen, Nicky, David Benoit, Rod and Robert McClure. ©Carol Rosegg 2007

Take Main Street to "Avenue Q," the 2004 Tony Award Winning Best Musical, for performances April 29 through May 4 at Shea's Performing Arts Center.

"Avenue Q" is the smash hit musical about trying to make it in New York with big dreams and a tiny bank account. "Avenue Q" with music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx and book by Jeff Whitty, features a cast of people and puppets who tell the story in a smart, risque and downright entertaining way.

"Avenue Q" opened on Broadway on July 31, 2003, to great critical and popular acclaim. It went on to win three 2004 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Original Score of a Musical (Lopez and Marx) and Best Book of a Musical (Whitty). More than 1,500 performances later, "Avenue Q" remains one of Broadway's biggest and most enduring successes, playing to enthusiastic sold-out audiences eight times a week. In June of last year, "Avenue Q" opened its first international production in London's West End at the Noel Coward Theatre.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, April 29-May 1; 8 p.m. Friday, May 2; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, May 3; and 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday, May 4 at Shea's Performing Arts Center, 646 Main St., Buffalo.

Tickets are $22.50-$52.50 and are available at the Shea's box office at 650 Main St., or through Ticketmaster at 852-5000 or www.ticketmas ter.com. For more information on "Avenue Q," visit www.avenueq.com.