Skylar Astin to Take Over as Seymour in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

Award-winning film, television, and Broadway star Skylar Astin (Pitch Perfect, Spring Awakening, "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist") will take on the lead role of Seymour in the three-time Best Musical Revival Award-winning production of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. Astin joins the cast beginning Tuesday, May 17, 2022, after Grammy nominee & Theater World Award-Winner Conrad Ricamora ("How to Get Away With Murder", Here Lies Love) plays his final performance on May 15, 2022 at The Westside Theatre (407 West 43rd Street). A new block of tickets, through January 8, 2023, is a now available.

Widely known for his role as Jesse in Pitch Perfect and Pitch Perfect 2, and Georg in the Tony Award-winning original Broadway production of Spring Awakening, Skylar Astin has led an acclaimed career on screen and stage, earning two Teen Choice Awards and two BTVA Awards. He also starred as Max in "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist," Greg Serrano in "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend," Roy in Wreck-It Ralph, and can currently be seen in "Grey's Anatomy" in the role of Todd Eames.

Andrew Call will be stepping into the role of Orin Scrivello, D.D.S. from May 3-29, 2022, while original cast member and Tony Award-winner Christian Borle is on a leave of absence from the production. Call's Broadway credits include Groundhog Day, Rock of Ages, American Idiot, Glory Days, Cry-Baby, and High Fidelity, and film & television roles in "Grease: Live," "Z: The Beginning of Everything," and Ordinary World. Borle will return to the production on May 31, 2022. Stuart Zagnit (Caroline, Or Change; Newsies; Seussical) joins the cast as Mushnik on April 19, replacing original cast member Tom Alan Robbins who plays his final performance on Sunday, April 17. The production also features three new urchins: Tatiana Lofton (Once on This Island Nat'l Tour) as Ronnette, Cristina Raé ("Americas Got Talent") as Chiffon, and Khadija Sankoh (Paper Mill Rising Star Nomination for Lost Boys) as Crystal.

Rounding out the cast of Little Shop of Horrors are Emmy Award winner Tammy Blanchard (Life with Judy Garland, Gypsy) as Audrey, Aaron Arnell Harrington (RENT 20th Anniversary Tour) as The Voice of Audrey II, and Eric Wright, Teddy Yudain, Stephen Berger, Josh Daniel, Jana Djenne Jackson, and Chelsea Turbin.

With a book and lyrics by Grammy and Academy Award winner Howard Ashman (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast), and music by Tony and Academy Award winner Alan Menken (Aladdin, Newsies), the 2020 Drama League, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama Desk Award-winning Best Musical Revival of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Spring Awakening).

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS began previews at Westside Theatre on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 and opened to widespread critical acclaim on Thursday, October 17, 2019. Ben Brantley of The New York Times deemed the show a "Critic's Pick," declaring that "a certain carnivorous plant has been repotted in Hell's Kitchen, and I am delighted to report that it's thriving there. Michael Mayer's delicious revival...summons the shivery elation I felt seeing the musical at the East Village's Orpheum nearly four decades ago. It restores the show to its original scale and sensibility, reminding us of the special potency of grisly things that come in small, impeccably wrapped packages." The Hollywood Reporter describes the production as "wildly exuberant and irresistible. This terrific revival will only deepen the devotion for those lucky enough to catch it." Time Out gives the musical "Four Stars! A deeply satisfying revival... with a marvelous cast. What kind of deal with what kind of devil are you willing to cut to see it?"

Following the theater industry's extended suspension of operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the production re-opened its doors on September 21, 2021, to sold-out audiences hungry for the thrill of live theater again. Washington Post critic Peter Marks wrote in 2022, "I'm back at Little Shop of Horrors because, friends, I needed to laugh today. Hearing the glorious Menken/Ashman score sung by this cast fills the prescription. [A return trip] is WORTH IT."

Seymour is a down-on-his-luck florist with a crush on his co-worker Audrey. When he discovers a mysterious - and voracious - plant, suddenly Seymour and Audrey are thrust into an epic battle that will determine the fate of the entire human race. LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS first premiered Off-Broadway in 1982, where it made audiences laugh, scream, and give up gardening for good. The musical has since catapulted into a global phenomenon, with productions across the world from Broadway to London's West End, to Asia and Australia - plus a hit 1986 film adaptation directed by Frank Oz that starred Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene and Steve Martin. Now, the musical has made its highly-anticipated return home to Off-Broadway, in an intimate new production directed by Michael Mayer that offers an unprecedented opportunity to get close - maybe too close - to an incredible plant with an insatiable appetite.

Mayer is joined on the LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS creative team by Choreographer Ellenore Scott (Funny Girl, Mr. Saturday Night), Tony-nominated Scenic Designer Julian Crouch (Hedwig and the Angry Inch); Two-time Tony-winning Lighting Designer Bradley King (Hadestown, Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812); Emmy-winning Costume Designer Tom Broecker (Everyday Rapture); Tony-winning Sound Designer Jessica Paz (Hadestown); Emmy-nominated Puppet Designer Nicholas Mahon (Pyeongchang Olympics Opening Ceremony) and Hair and Makeup Designer Tommy Kurzman (My Fair Lady). Original puppet design is by Martin P. Robinson, Puppets are by Monkey Boys Productions, and Grammy nominee Will Van Dyke (Pretty Woman) serves as Music Supervisor, Orchestrator & Arranger.

This production of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is the recipient of multiple theater awards and nominations including: four Outer Critics Circle Honors (Outstanding Revival, Outstanding Director: Michael Mayer, Outstanding Actor in a Musical: Jonathan Groff, and Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical: Christian Borle); The Drama League Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical, as well as, Distinguished Performance Nominations for Jonathan Groff and Christian Borle; two Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Revival of a Musical and Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical for Christian Borle, in addition to an Outstanding Actress nomination for Tammy Blanchard and Outstanding Scenic Design nomination for Julian Crouch; the Lortel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical for Christian Borle, as well as, a Best Revival Nomination, an Outstanding Lead Actor nomination for Jonathan Groff and an Outstanding Supporting Actress nomination for Ari Groover; and a 2021 Grammy Award Nomination for Best Musical Theater Album.

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is produced by Tom Kirdahy, Robert Ahrens, Hunter Arnold, Mickey Liddell, Caiola Productions, Curt Cronin, John Joseph, DDM Productions, DeSantis-Baugh Productions, Elizabeth Dewberry & Ali Ahmet Kocabiyik, Wendy Federman, Roy Furman, Deborah Green, Kayla Greenspan, Marguerite Hoffman, Sally Cade Holmes, Latitude Link, Seriff Productions, Silva Theatrical Group, and Eric Gelb/Oliver Roth. Casting is by Jim Carnahan, C.S.A./Jason Thinger, General Management is by Live Wire Theatrical/ Chris Aniello, Production Management is by Tinc Productions and Production Stage Management is by Ryan Gohsman.

TICKETS & SAFETY PROTOCOLS:

Tickets starting at $69 are on sale now through January 8, 2023, at Telecharge.com/212-239-6200. Group ticket sales are now available through January 8, 2023. The regular performance schedule is: Tuesdays at 7pm, Wednesdays at 2pm & 8pm, Thursdays at 7pm, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2 & 8pm, and Sundays at 3pm. Holiday Week schedules may vary.

The Westside Theatre and the producers of Little Shop of Horrors are committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for audiences, performers, and staff. All audience and staff members will be required to follow all CDC, NYS, NYC health guidelines, as well as those established by the production, at the time of performance. Covid protocols currently include mask enforcement, and vaccination and/or negative test verification. Please note that these guidelines are subject to change - for up-to-date information, visit http://westsidetheatre.com/covid-19/