Manoa Valley Theatre has obtained the rights to produce the acclaimed Broadway musical, “Avenue Q” next season.

It is only the second community theatre in the country to so far obtain licensing to stage the Tony Award-winning best musical, officials said.
Described as “pant-wettingly funny,” the production combines a cast of humans and puppets who tackle such thorny-but-topical subjects as dating, racism, internet porn, being gay and finding your purpose in life. The show is largely inspired by (and is in the style of) “Sesame Street.” MVT’s production will be held in March 2011 as a featured part of its 2010-11 season.
“Our artistic mission is served in large part by presenting plays that are timely, topical, theatrically clever, and of course entertaining. ‘Avenue Q’ hits smartly on all counts,”
“Avenue Q” was initially developed at the 2002 National Music Theatre Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. The show opened Off-Broadway in March 2003, and subsequently transferred to Broadway in July 2003. It won several Tony Awards including “Best Musical.”
After a run lasting more than six years and over 2,500 performances, the Broadway production closed on Sept. 13. The production ranked as the 20th longest running show in Broadway history. Moments after the final Broadway performance ended, producers announced that “Avenue Q” is transferring back for another Off-Broadway run. Previews for the Off-Broadway run will begin Saturday.