"Little Shop of Horrors" at the Spotlight Theatre -- September 24 through October 3.
Friday, September 24, through Sunday, October 23
The Spotlight Theatre, 1800 Seventh Avenue, Moline IL
The timeless musical tale of boy, girl, and man-eating plant, the beloved and iconic stage sensation Little Shop of Horrors enjoys a September 24 through October 3 run at Moline's Spotlight Theatre, this Tony-nominated delight an early hit for its composers and eventual Oscar winners Howard Ashman and Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty & the Beast, Aladdin) and, according to the New York Times, a show that remains “a genially gruesome classic.”
A delectable sci-fi/horror musical with an electrifying 1960s pop/rock score, Little Shops of Horrors concerns Seymour Krelborn, a meek and dejected floral-shop assistant who happens upon a strange plant during a total eclipse of the sun. Seymour affectionately names the plant “Audrey II” after his crush at the shop, a sweet but damaged Soul in an unhealthy relationship with dentist Orin Scrivello DDS. Little does Seymour know, however, that his strange and unusual plant will develop a soulful R&B voice, a potty mouth, and an unquenchable thirst for human blood. As Audrey II grows bigger and meaner, the carnivorous plant promises limitless fame and fortune to Seymour – just as long as he continues providing a fresh supply of "the sticky-licky sweets I crave." But what will happen when Seymour discovers Audrey II’s extraterrestrial origins and his true drive for world-domination? A New York smash inspired by Roger Corman's legendary 1960 comedy, Little Shop of Horrors was adapted into a Oscar-nominated 1986 film starring Rick Moranis, Steve Martin, Bill Murray, and original Audrey performer Ellen Greene, and the stage version received Outer Critics Circle Awards for its score and for Best Off-Broadway Musical.
Directing Little Shop's Moline engagement is Spotlight Theatre co-founder and -owner Brent Tubbs, who previously helmed such productions as Big: The Musial, A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder, and (alongside co-producer, -founder, and -owner Sara Tubbs) this past June's You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown for his venue. Jacob Johnson, a veteran of the Spotlight's The Wedding Singer, portrays Semour, with the roles of Audrey, Orin, and floral-shop owner Mr. Mushnik respectively played by venue veterans Becca Johnson (Matilda: The Musical), Adam Sanders (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), and Chris Tracy (Big: The Musical). The man-eating plant Audrey II is voiced by Kevin Moore and puppeteered by Andy Curtiss, with the Little Shop of Horrors cast completed by Kaitlyn Baker, Becca Casad, Brianne Kokemuller, Lillian Maynard, Dave Meumann, Annie Mitchell, Kirsten Sindelar, Joe Wren. And with Noah Hill serving as stage manager, the show's creative team includes music director Katie Griswold, choreographer Robyn Messerly, costume designer Heather Blair, puppet builder Bailey Hager, and prop princess Sarah Grein.
Little Shop of Horrors runs September 24 through October 3, with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Admission is $20-22, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)912-7647 and visiting TheSpotlightTheatreQC.com.
