WOB's 26th Season Kicks Off With LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre's 2019/2020 Season kicks off in September with the cult comedy classic Little Shop of Horrors. The production will be the first in the theatre's six-show, 26th Season.

In Little Shop of Horrors, the meek floral assistant Seymour Krelborn stumbles across a new breed of plant he names "Audrey II" - after his coworker crush. This foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore promises unending fame and fortune to the down and out Krelborn as long as he keeps feeding it, BLOOD. Over time, though, Seymour discovers Audrey II's out of this world origins and intent towards global domination.

A deviously delicious Broadway and Hollywood sci-fi smash musical, Little Shop of Horrors has devoured the hearts of theatre goers for over 30 years. One of the longest-running Off-Broadway shows, Little Shop of Horrors is a charmingly tongue in cheek comedy that been produced around the world.

Though a large part of the story was changed, Little Shop is based on the 1960 dark comedy of the same name. The stage adaptation made its world premiere Off-Off-Broadway on May 6, 1982 at the Workshop of the Players' Art Theatre.

In July 1982, Little Shop transferred Off-Broadway to the Orpheum Theatre in the East Village. The production, under the direction of its lyricist, Ashman, starred Lee Wilkof as Seymour and Ellen Greene as Audrey. Audiences and critics loved the show. For the 1982/1982 Season, Little Shop won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical, and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Musical. The production went on to run for five years, racking up over 2,200 performances.

While performances continued on stage in New York City, a film version of the musical was released in 1986 starring Rick Moranis as Seymour, Greene as Audrey, and Steve Martin as sadistic dentist Orin Scrivello.

Little Shop of Horrors finally reached Broadway in the fall of 2003 when it opened at the Virginia Theatre with a cast led by Hunter Foster as Seymour and Kerry Butler as Audrey. Due to its success as a motion picture and subsequent regional presentations, the production was classified as a "revival," making it ineligible to be nominated for the Tony Award for Best New Musical. Foster however, was nominated for Best Actor in a Musical for both the Tony and Drama Desk Awards. The Broadway run closed after 40 previews and 372 regular performances.

Featured in Way Off Broadway's 2019/2020 Season-opening production of Little Shop of Horrors are Joseph Waeyaert as Seymour, Jaimie Lea Kiska as Audrey, Bill Kiska as Mushnik, Jordan B. Stocksdale as Orin Scrivello, Emma Cooley as Ronnette, Melissa Ann Martin as Crystal, and Megan E. West as Chiffon. Bringing Audrey II to life will be puppeteer Adam Hobbs with Genevieve Williams providing the voice of the murderously devious plant.

Based on the film by Roger Corman with a screenplay by Charles Griffith, Little Shop has a book and lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken. Way Off Broadway's staging is directed by Justin M. Kiska, with music direction by Jordan B. Stocksdale and choreography by Jessica Billones.

To learn more about The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre or any of its productions, visit www.wayoffbroadway.com or www.Facebook.com/wayoffbroadway.

Tickets for Friday evening and Sunday matinees are $47 per person, with Saturday evening tickets being $50 per person. In the evenings, doors open for dinner at 6:00 p.m. with the show beginning at 8:00 p.m. For Sunday matinees, the doors open at 12:30 p.m. for lunch with the show beginning at 2:15 p.m.

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