A tuneful, funny musical score meets a giant man-eating plant when Cabrillo Music Theatre's production of Little Shop Of Horrors devours the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. One of the longest-running Off-Broadway shows of all time, with a hit movie and a Broadway revival to its credit, Little Shop Of Horrors takes root on Friday, April 23rd, 2010, and blossoms until Sunday, May 2nd. Locally produced exclusively for Southern California audiences, performances take place at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.
In this affectionate spoof of 1950s sci-fi movies, a down-and out skid row floral assistant becomes an overnight sensation when he discovers an exotic plant with a mysterious craving for fresh blood. Soon "Audrey II" grows into an ill-tempered, foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore who offers him fame and fortune in exchange for feeding its growing appetite, finally revealing itself to be an alien creature poised for global domination!
Little Shop Of Horrors has book and lyrics by the late Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken, the pair who went on to rejuvenate animated movies with their work on Disney's "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," and "Aladdin." Little Shop Of Horrors bears their unique touch: a bright, colorful score, complemented by a hilarious story with slightly larger-than-life characters, all presented with tongue firmly "planted" in cheek. Songs include "Suddenly Seymour," "Somewhere That's Green," "Feed Me," and the title tune will leave audiences humming - those that survive the plant, that is!
"Little Shop Of Horrors is a clever collaboration of songs and humor," says Carole W. Nussbaum, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cabrillo Music Theatre. "Audiences have been snapping their fingers to this music everywhere - Off-Broadway, on Broadway, and in the movies. Cabrillo Music Theatre is proud to bring another Kavli Theatre premiere to our audiences." Adds Nussbaum, "We've got the sets and costumes from the Broadway National Tour - and the plant from the local alien florist!"
Little Shop Of Horrors stars Southern California theatre veterans Jim Holdridge (Seymour Krelborn), Callie Carson (Audrey), Gibby Brand (Mr. Mushnik), and Damon Kirsche (Orin Scrivello, D.D.S., and other roles).
Little Shop Of HorrorsS performs April 23rd through May 2nd, and will be directed by Cabrillo Music Theatre’s Artistic Director, Lewis Wilkenfeld. John Charron will choreograph, while Matthew Smedal musical directs and leads the Cabrillo Music Theatre Orchestra.
For tickets and more information visit www.cabrillomusictheatre.com.