Career Highlights

• Music and lyrics written by Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez and book by Jeff Whitty
• Opened at the Vineyard Theatre in 2003
• The story is about Princeton, a college-grad who is trying to make it big in New York. The only affordable housing within his price range is a New York city borough called Avenue Q
• Meet the tour's cast and crew here
• Won Tony awards for Best Musical and Best Score in 2004

Avenue Q

Avenue Q is the story of Princeton, a college grad who goes to New York City to try to make it big. He discovers the only affordable housing within his price range is the NYC borough called Avenue Q. Princeton and his new found friends and neighbors in Avenue Q struggle to find jobs, dates and their purpose in life.

The show was produced and opened off-Broadway in 2003 at the Vineyard Theater. The music and lyrics are written by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, show directed by Jason Moore. The production opened on Broadway in July of 2003 and won several Tony Awards including Best Musical.

Rob McClure

Robert McClure attended Montclair State University as a double major in English and Theater Studies. Before he was able to complete his degree he took time out to do regional work and some work on Broadway. McClure ended up returning to his high school to direct their musicals and even wrote a musical of his own, The Bagel Factory, for the school to perform.

McClure received a role in Grease where he met his future wife and moved to Philadelphia with her. Broadway came calling again with a role for McClure in Avenue Q originally playing Trekkie Monster and Nicky. He was then invited to participate in the show’s first national tour playing the characters Princeton and Rob. While on tour, McClure still manages to write and teach.

Anika Larsen

Anika Larsen graduated from Yale’s Theater Studies program and made her Broadway debut in 2000 in Rent. On Broadway she has also appeared in such shows as Xanadu and All Shook Up. Off Broadway Larsen has appeared in Zanna, Don’t!, How to Save the World and Find True Love in 90 Minutes, and Miracle Brothers.

Larsen is a member of Actor’s Equity, and Co-Founder and Associate Artistic Director of Jaradoa Theater, a company of professional theater artists who serve the community through performance-based outreach. She is currently developing and performing a solo show, a biographical piece called Shafrika, The White Girl. The show tells the story of her childhood and what it was like to grow up with 9 brothers and sisters of different races and nationalities.

Two of the stars of Avenue Q, Rob McClure and Anika Larsen, join host Nellie Yangmi to discuss the path that led them to Avenue Q and to answer George Washington University students’ questions. Izzy asks about the hours put into mastering the art of puppetry. Nicole asks Anika about her choice to work with puppets as opposed to other auditions available. And Ruth and Caroline ask for advice on animating the inanimate.