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&#8216;<i>Avenue Q: School Edition' to be staged by </i>Nature Coast Technical

 
Published April 3, 2013

Shark Theatre will present the comedy Avenue Q: School Edition at 7 p.m. April 18 and 19 and at 2 and 7 p.m. April 20 in the Black Box Theatre on the campus of Nature Coast Technical High School, 4057 California St., south of Brooksville. The 17 cast members will combine puppeteering skills with their acting, singing, and dancing abilities.

Avenue Q: School Edition tells the story of a recent college graduate named Princeton, who moves into a shabby New York apartment on Avenue Q. Princeton and his newfound friends struggle to find jobs, dates and their purpose in life. Some characters are puppets, and others human.

Senior Julia Rifino plays puppet Kate Monster, a kindergarten teaching assistant who falls for Princeton.

Other puppeteer/performers include sophomore Agustin Quijije and freshman Sarah Majka as slacker Nicky, junior Luis Tosado as Nicky's investment banker roommate Rod, senior Justin Balmaseda and junior Kaytlynn Bliss as the reclusive, Internet-obsessed Trekkie Monster, and senior Fairlight Mathieu as Lucy, the sultry lounge singer. Senior Jacob Rice, sophomore Jennifer Munsey and freshman Jacob Guardado play the human characters of Brian, his fiancee Christmas Eve and Gary Coleman, respectively.

The production will feature a two-story brick apartment building set designed by Nature Coast theater director Tim Erickson and built by the technical theater design and production students. The school's performing arts department chairwoman, Lori Erickson, directs; local piano instructor LeAnn Champagne serves as musical director; and the eight-member student crew is led by junior Heather Collins, who serves as stage manager.

To reserve tickets or for information call, Erickson at (352) 797-7088, ext. 296.