South Coast Repertory Opens 2024-25 Season With LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

It's the predatory plant bent on world domination. Join South Coast Repertory (Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Director Suzanne Appel) as it opens its 2024-25 season with the musical creature feature Little Shop of Horrors, Directed by Jenn Thompson, the cult classic runs Sept. 21-Oct. 19 on the Segerstrom Stage.

Little Shop of Horrors' book and lyrics are by Howard Ashman, music by Alan Menken and based on the film by Roger Corman, screenplay by Charles Griffith. It was originally produced by The WPA Theatre (Kyle Renick, Producing Director) and originally produced at the Orpheum Theatre, New York City by The WPA Theatre, David Geffen, Cameron Mackintosh and The Shubert Organization. The production is licensed by Music Theatre International.

This is the first time SCR has produced Little Shop of Horrors, the wildly popular story of down-on-his-luck Seymour, who pines for his beautiful co-worker, Audrey, at Mushnik's Skid Row Florists—not knowing the feelings are mutual. When he stumbles across a strange and interesting new plant, it looks like Seymour may get everything he's ever wanted. But first, he'll have to tackle the sneaky succulent's unquenchable thirst for human blood in this thrilling creature feature bursting with the sounds of doo-wop and Motown. For Seymour to reap the benefits that his voracious plant promises him: love,  fame and fortune, he has to keep the plant alive—with blood.

“Little Shop of Horrors continues to feel invigorating, fresh and totally entertaining. I'm inspired by the musical's strong dramaturgy, it's dark and hilarious obsession with the cost of fame and it's infectious and delightful score,” Ivers said. “Those components, in harmony with a terrific cast and creative team makes it a not-to-miss opener of our 61st season.”

Little Shop of Horrors came to life as a 1960 B-movie film directed by Corman. That spawned the 1982 Off-Broadway musical written by Menken and Ashman, which led to the 1986 film adaptation.

“I do think it is the perfect bite of a musical,” Thompson said about Little Shop of Horrors. “It is equal measure funny, scary, thrilling, sexy, dangerous—all of those things. The scale of it is perfect. It's accessible, it's relatable. And I'm from the Lower East Side, so I feel at home on Skid Row.”

Acclaimed for her versatility, Thompson has directed classics, modern classics, comedies, musicals, dramas and solo plays alike. She's currently directing the National Tour of Annie and has directed such musicals as Oklahoma, Into the Woods and Peter and the Starcatcher. Thompson has helmed works from some of the world's most famous playwrights: Neil Simon, Vaclav Havel, Alan Ayckbourn, Tennessee Williams and William Inge, among others. Nominated for numerous New York Drama Desk Awards, the New York-based Thompson has directed plays throughout New York, including Off-Broadway's TACT/The Actors Company Theatre, The Mint Theatre Company, Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, Abington Theatre Company, MCC, Primary Stages, The Bridge Theatre and York Theatre Company, among others.

Thompson's regional credits include Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Denver Center Theatre, Theatre Aspen, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, TheaterWorks Hartford, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and Hartford Stage, among others.

Little Shop of Horrors features Emerson Boatwright (Seymour), Celeste Butler (Chiffon), Joslynn Cortes (Crystal), Joe Gallina (manipulation of Audrey II), Holly Jackson (Ronnette), Derek Manson (Dr. Orin Scrivello/Others), Michael A. Shepperd (Voice of Audrey II/Derelict), Geoffrey Wade (Mr. Mushnik), Michelle Veintimilla (Audrey). The understudies are Analisa Idalia (Chiffon/Crystal/Ronnette), Natalie Llerena (Audrey), Garrett Marshall (Orin/Mushinik) and Brian Kim McCormick (Seymour/Audrey II).

Veintimilla is fresh off her Kennedy Center debut as Carla in Nine. She made her Broadway debut alongside Chita Rivera in the Tony Award-nominated musical The Visit. Boatwright appeared on the national tours of Peppa Pig Live, Octonauts Live and Pete the Cat. Shepperd is an award-winning actor and director who appeared on Broadway in Little Shop of Horrors as the voice of Audrey II, Peter Pan with Cathy Rigby and Caroline, or Change. Wade, who appeared previously at SCR in Amadeus, Anastasia Krupnik and James and the Giant Peach, was on the national tours of Crazy for You and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. Manson's previous SCR credits include Snow White, Tiger Style! and You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

The design and creative team include Angela Steiner, music director; Patricia Wilcox, choreographer; Robert Billig, vocal arrangements; Robert Merkin, orchestrations; Alexander Dodge, scenic design; Jessica Ford, costume design; Amanda Zieve, lighting design; Ken Travis, sound design; Michael Schweikardt, puppet design; Michael Donovan Casting handled casting, with additional casting by Joanne DeNaut, CSA. Maisie Chan is the production manager, Kathryn Davies is the production stage manager, and Natalie Figaredo is the assistant stage manager.

Tickets are now on sale and range in price from $40 to $121, with additional discounts available for educators, seniors and students. Tickets may be purchased online at www.scr.org or by phone at (714) 708-5555. More information is available at www.scr.org.

Special Events

• Post-Show Discussions: 

• Wednesday, Oct. 2, Thursday, Oct. 10 and Friday, Oct. 18 (Actor Conversations with members of the cast). Sunday, Oct. 6 (Community Conversation, a presentation and discussion surrounding a theme specific to Little Shop of Horrors).

• Inside the Season: Saturday, Oct. 5, from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Led by members of SCR's literary staff, this lively 90-minute session includes in-depth interviews with cast members and artists from the production staff, revealing secrets and offering insights into Little Shop of Horrors. Tickets are $14 and may be purchased in advance or at the door.
• ASL Interpreted Performance: Sunday, Oct. 6 at 2 p.m.

• Little Shop of Horrors: The Movie. SCR is partnering with The Frida Cinema in downtown Santa Ana for a special Director's Cut screening of the 1986 movie musical Little Shop of Horrors, Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m. Frank Oz directed the adaptation, which stars Rick Moranis, Ellen Green and Steve Martin. More information here: https://thefridacinema.org/movies/little-shop-of-horrors.

Complete information is available at www.scr.org.

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