FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Avenue Q press contact: Sam Rudy 212 221 8466

"AVENUE Q" CELEBRATES THE JOYS OF READING BY JOINING THE NATIONWIDE "GET CAUGHT READING" CAMPAIGN

Tony Award-winning musical's stars Trekkie Monster and Kate Monster
Share their Story and Love of Reading with Monsters and Mortals Across the Nation

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

April 25, 2007 - In celebration and anticipation of the Association of American Publishers' nationwide "Get Caught Reading" month in May, the cast of the Tony Award-winning musical AVENUE Q share their love of books and reading by joining the cast of celebrities and public figures who have been photographed getting caught reading their favorite books!

Two of the stars of AVENUE Q, Kate Monster and Trekkie Monster are the first performers from a hit Tony Award-winning Broadway show to be featured in the "Get Caught Reading" campaign, the first puppets to be featured in the campaign, and, in point of fact, the first monsters. They join the ever-growing list of celebrities who have lent their support to campaign: Whoopi Goldberg, Alicia Keys, Queen Latifah, Robin Williams, NY Yankees Johnny Damon, The Miami Heat, NY Giants' Tiki Barber, Rosie O'Donnell Mary Kate and Ashley Olson, Drew Carey, Michael Bloomberg, and George Foreman to name just a few.

"We are ever thankful that Kate and Trekkie agreed to share their love of books and reading by supporting our literacy campaign," notes Pat Schroeder, President and CEO of the Association of American Publishers. "As lead investor and teacher of the Monstersorri School on AVENUE Q, Trekkie and Kate respectively know the joys that books bring to children of all ages. We hope the theatre community will help support and spread the love of words that open the imagination on the page, and on the stage."

"Get Caught Reading" is a nationwide public service campaign launched by the Association of American Publishers in 1999 to promote the joy of reading. Through celebrity involvement, "Get Caught Reading" leads by example. Now in its eighth year, the Get Caught Reading campaigns continues to grow and has caught on worldwide.

AVENUE Q's Kate Monster -- whose busy life as a kindergarten teaching assistant and single young woman in the city would appear to preempt time with a good book - says, in fact, that she finds solace in reading: "There are only so many papers I can grade before I long to disappear into a little Jane Austen," she says. And Trekkie Monster, an avid investor who spends most days scrutinizing stock quotes, credits his love of reading to a monster aunt who turned him on to the works of Maurice Sendak. "I could have sworn WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE was written for me!" he adds.

AVENUE Q - which celebrates its 4th anniversary on Broadway in July - is a musical (with a cast of human and puppet characters) about making it in the city with a tiny bank account and big dreams. Winner of three 2004 Tony Awards - including Best Musical - AVENUE Q has music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, book by Jeff Whitty, and is directed by Jason Moore.

For performance and ticket information, call Telecharge at 212 239 6200, or log on to www.avenueq.com

Theatre media outlets interested in donating ad space to run "Trekkie Monster and Kate Monster Get Caught Reading" pro bono space should contact Christina Rodriguez at the AAP at crodriguez@publishers.org. 212/255-0200 ext. 264. A selection of magazines and newspapers which have run Get Caught Reading campaign include New York Times, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, People, Time, Esquire, Harpers Bazaar, Entertainment Weekly amongst others.

To view posters of the many celebrities getting caught reading their favorite books are available at no charge to complement the reading campaigns in every community across the nation by visiting the web site at www.getcaughtreading.org.