Cast & Creative Team Set for LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at 5-Star Theatricals

5-STAR THEATRICALS has revealed the cast and creative team for LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, music by Alan Menken, book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, musical direction by Ryan O'Connell, choreography by Dana Solimando and directed by Brian Kite.  LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS opens on Friday, October 4, 2024 at 7:30pm (press opening) and runs through Sunday, October 20, 2024 at the Scherr Forum Theatre at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center, 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.  

Just in time for Halloween, “feel the sturm and drang in the air” as we bring to the intimate Scherr Forum Theatre, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, a delectable sci-fi horror musical with an electrifying 1960s pop/rock score by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman.  Seymour Krelborn is a meek and dejected assistant at a floral shop who happens upon a strange plant, which he affectionately names “Audrey II” after his crush at the shop.  Little does he know that this strange and unusual plant will develop a soulful R&B voice, a potty mouth, and an unquenchable thirst for HUMAN BLOOD!                                                                             

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST

Brian Kite (Director) has directed live theater across the United States and abroad and is currently a professor of directing and the Dean of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.  Before coming to UCLA, he was the producing artistic director of La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and directed many productions for the theater including their critically acclaimed productions of American Idiot, Billy Elliot, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Little Shop of Horrors, and Dinner with Friends. Kite is the recipient of the Los Angeles Ovation Award for Best Direction of a Musical for his production of Spring Awakening and was again nominated for his productions of Les Misérables and American Idiot. He directed the national tours of Judgment at Nuremberg, In the Heat of the Night, Steel Magnolias, The Graduate, and Pride and Prejudice for L.A. Theatre Works, and staged the first production of Miss Saigon to ever play in China when his show closed the Macau International Music Festival. He also directed Top Secret: The Battle for the Pentagon Papers which toured throughout Mainland China and was the first U.S. production of a play at Beijing's National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA). His production of the new musical, Irena, recently premiered in Berlin and Warsaw. Other credits include directing the live radio recordings of J.T. Rogers's Oslo, David Mamet's American Buffalo, David Rambo's The Tug of War and Ayad Akhtar's Disgraced.

Dana Solimando (Choreography) has won several awards, including three Los Angeles Stage Alliance Ovation Awards, seven Ovation nominations, a NAACP nomination, and three L.A. Drama Critics Circle nominations. Credits include recent productions of Jersey Boys, La Cage at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, IRENA - The Irena Sendler Story for Teatr Muzyczny Poznan (2023 Koryfeusz award and 2022 Kiepura award nom), Cabaret (2019 Ovation and L.A. Drama Critics Circle nominations), Rebel Genius (2019 World Premier), American Idiot (Ovation Award nom.), Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame (5th Ave Theater), Parade (Ovation nom.), Spring Awakening (Ovation nom), Mamma Mia!, Rent, The Addams Family (with Rachael York and Bronson Pinchot), Billy Elliot (L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award nom.), Ragtime (Ovation nom.), Damn Yankees (Ovation award nom.), Urinetown, Hairspray, All Shook Up, Swing! (L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation Awards—Best Choreography). Miss Saigon at Macau International Arts Festival/McCoy Rigby Ent, Jesus Christ Superstar - national tour (NAACP Theatre Award nomination). La Cage aux Folles, The Wizard of Oz, Hair (Sacramento Broadway Music Circus); Little Miss Scrooge (world premiere). As a performer her Broadway performance credits include Peter Pan (Tiger Lily), Cats (Rumpleteazer), and Swing! (West Coast/Country girl).  danasolimando.com

RYAN O'CONNELL (Musical Director/Conductor) has worked on more than 75 productions as a musical director, orchestrator, and composer.  Favorite credits: Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (2nd Stage NYC), Ragtime (1st Nationl Tour), Mary Poppins (Musical Theatre West), Bonnie & Clyde (Candlelight Pavilion), In The Heights (Broadway at the Gardens), and Loch Ness (The Rev). He has helped create music for NBC, CBS, Fox, Netflix, Cartoon Network, Disney World, and Disneyland, where he currently works as a music director and teaching artist. www.ryanomusic.com.

The Cast of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS features; Jared Goldsmith (Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway, “Better Nate Than Ever” for Disney+) as “Seymour,” Emily Goglia (“Mae” in Reefer Madness, “Megan” in A Transparent Musical at the Mark Taper Forum) as “Audrey,” Tyler Matthew Burk (“Tommy DeVito” in Las Vegas Jersey Boys, Cinderella for 5-Star Theatricals) as “Orin Scrivello, DDS,” Jay Brian Winnick (The Frogs at Lincoln Center, “How I Met Your Mother”) as “Mr. Mushnik,” Rezia Landers (Chess, Holiday Inn) as “Crystal,” Naya Ramsey-Clarke (“Johanna” in Sweeney Todd at the Chance) as “Chiffon,” Luz Rodríguez (“Mimi” in Rent, “Esmerelda” in The Hunchback of Notre Dame”) as “Ronnette,” Mitchell Gerrard Johnson (Dreamgirls for 5-Star Theatricals, A New Brain for Celebration Theatre) as “Audrey II.”  Understudies will feature (in alphabetical order): Sammy Linkowski, and Corinne Miller.

The Design Team of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS features: Lighting Design by Brandon Baruch; Sound Design by Jonathan A. Burke; Costume Coordinators are Chris Steele & Gail Garon; Hair & Wig Design by Luis Martinez; Props Design by Alex Choate. The Puppeteer is Genevieve Rebecca Flati.  The Production Stage Manager is Cameron Turner.

ABOUT THE PRICING AND SCHEDULE

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS opens on Friday, October 4, 2024 at 7:30pm (press opening) and runs through Sunday, October 20, 2024 at the Scherr Forum Theatre at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center, 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.  

Performances are Thursdays at 7:30pm; Fridays at 7:30pm; Saturdays at 1:00pm and 7:30pm; Sundays at 1:00pm.

Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center Box Office located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks, or through www.5startheatricals.com, or by phone at (805) 449-2787.  For groups of 10 or more, please call Group Sales, 5-STAR THEATRICALS at (805) 497-8613 x 1.     

Ticket prices range from $37 – $67.  For ticket and theatre information, call (805) 449-ARTS (2787).  LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS performs at the Scherr Form Theatre, Bank of America Performing Arts Center, at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.  

For membership and ticket information, call 805-231-3604 or visit www.5startheatricals.com. 

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