NEW YORK — An award-winning play that features a character based on actor Gary Coleman is planning to keep that character even though Coleman has died.

The creative team behind "Avenue Q" decided to make only some small tweaks to the role played by Danielle Thomas. Coleman, a child star of the 1970s TV show "Diff'rent Strokes" who became a Utah transplant, died Friday at a Provo hospital after suffering a brain hemorrhage. He was 42.

"Avenue Q" is show about twentysomething New Yorkers, featuring both human and puppets. It won three 2004 Tony Awards including best musical.

The Gary Coleman character is a child star who now works as a building superintendent.

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It is now running off-Broadway.

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