Theatre In The Park Goes Indoors With LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

Summer may be over BUT that doesn't stop the excitement of live, musical entertainment presented by Theatre in the Park (TIP)!

TIP now comes indoor to present its premiere production of the deviously delicious Broadway and Hollywood sci-fi smash musical, "Little Shop Of Horrors" opening Friday, Oct. 6 in the Black Box Theatre at the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center, 8788 Metcalf Ave, in Overland Park. With puppetry, song, and dance as well as a man-eating, singing plant, "Little Shop of Horrors" continues through Sunday, Oct. 22 with both evening and matinee performances.

"Little Shop of Horrors" is rated PG-13 and includes adult language and situations as well as themes of physical abuse in an intimate relationship*.

With a musical score by the creative duo of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken (Disney's "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty And The Beast," "Aladdin") "Little Shop of Horrors" has become one of the most popular shows in the world. The story follows meek floral assistant Seymour Krelborn, who stumbles across a new breed of plant he names "Audrey II" - after his co-worker crush - but that's where the similarities end. Audrey II is a foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore who 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.

For this production, TIP is excited to welcome back Ile Haggins, who is directing "Little Shop of Horrors". Haggins is joined by Choreographer Tara Burgat and Musical Director Ty Tuttle.

"When I first moved to Kansas City 30 years ago, TIP was the first theatre to welcome me and give me opportunities," Haggins said. "Back then, there were only outdoor performances. I stage managed and directed several shows, the last being 'Mack and Mable'."

Since those days, Haggins has directed around the metro including at Melting Pot Theatre; two of her colleagues from that theatre are part of the "Little Shop of Horrors" team including Stage Manager Lynn King and Actor Lewis Morrow, who is portraying Audrey II. Morrow is also a director and playwright.

Haggins is excited to return to the TIP family.

"The people I worked with all those years ago are now lifelong friends," she said. "That doesn't happen in every theatre.... TIP is a special place and is near and dear to my heart. "

Haggins and her team have assembled a talented cast for this fun musical including TIP veterans Renee Blinn (Chiffon), Scott Salem (Orin), Maggie Hutchinson (Audrey) and Michael Golliher, Audrey II puppeteer. Golliher last worked his puppet mastery in TIP's production of "Avenue Q".

Making his TIP debut is Kyle Anderson in the leading role of Seymour after appearing this spring in "Vilna: A Resistance Story," at The Lewis and Shirley White Theatre at the Jewish Community Center.

Haggins looks forward to sharing "Little Shop of Horrors" with audiences.

"I'm thrilled with the version and storytelling of this iconic tale. We've gone against typecasting with our leads, we're shaking things up a bit," Haggins said. "'Little Shop' has been performed in hundreds of venues all over the world. However, I think an intimate setting such as the (TIP) Black Box is ideal to bring this story to life. Our designer David Powell has created a wonderful set that utilizes every inch of the space."

Following "Little Shop of Horrors," TIP will present the family-friendly musical "Seussical" for the holiday season.

Curtain time for all INDOOR productions is 7:30 p.m. for evening performances; matinees are at 2 p.m. TIP INDOOR ticket prices for evening performances are $17 for adults, $14 for youth (ages 4-10) and $15 for seniors, plus tax. Matinee performance ticket prices are $15 for adults, $12 for youth (ages 4-10), and $13 for seniors, plus tax. Tickets and further details are available at www.theatreinthepark.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the front desk of the AHC, Monday - Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. The box office opens at 6:30 p.m. on performance evenings and at 1 p.m. for matinees. Seating is assigned at the time of ticket purchase.

TIP is a program of the Johnson County Park & Recreation District and is the largest community theatre in the nation. TIP produces eight musicals annually with a company of Kansas City Metro area performers, directors, musicians, designers, and staff for over 40,000 patrons thereby furthering its mission to enhance the quality of life in the community by providing a variety of entertainment programs through public and private partnerships. TIP thanks our 2023 Season Sponsor, AdventHealth.

(*NOTE: If you, or someone close to you, needs to talk with someone about something in your/their lives - reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-799-7233 and is available in over 200 languages.)

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