Melvin Ferd the Third, an aspiring earth scientist, is determined to clean up Tromaville's burgeoning toxic waste. When he is tossed into a vat of radioactive goo, he emerges as a seven-foot mutant freak, armed with superhuman strength, a heart as big as Newark and plans of saving New Jersey, ending global warming and wooing Sarah, the prettiest, blindest librarian in town.
Set in the fictional town or Tromaville, Exit 13B in New Jersey, The Toxic Avenger tells the story of Melvin Ferd the Third, a hopeless dweeb with bulky glasses who loves science almost as much as he loves Sarah, the local (and very blind) librarian. When Melvin discovers the mayor has been littering the town with radioactive waste, he storms into her office and vows to expose her. But not before her flunkies get a hold of him and toss him into a vat of toxic waste. But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and Melvin emerges from the goo as a green mutant with superhuman strength! Now the town knows him as Toxie, New Jersey’s first superhero, and he’s a man (or thing) on a mission, out to crush some heads, save Tromaville and, of course, win the heart of that blind chick.
""If you are among the tens of millions of people who enjoy American Idol, campy horror movies, Bon Jovi, or drinking alcohol in your seat (something the New World Stages downright encourages) then Toxic Avenger is very far from being a poisonous night out.""
Entertainment Weekly
Clark Collis
"The show’s appeal derives from the exuberantly silly performances that the director, John Rando, elicits from his cast of five...rank idiocy can tickle when the actors doing the tickling have real talent.""
The New York Times
Charles Isherwood
""Fun, worth watching carefully and rewarding. David Bryan and Christopher Janke's orchestrations are deceptively complicated.""
Variety
Sam Thielman