Little Shop of Horrors is headed back to its off-Broadway roots. The dark musical comedy will receive a new staging from Tony-winning director Michael Mayer at the Westside Theatre this fall, with previews slated to begin on September 17 and an opening night set for October 17. Heading the cast will be two-time Tony nominee Jonathan Groff as Seymour, two-time Tony nominee Tammy Blanchard as Audrey and two-time Tony winner Christian Borle as Orin Scrivello D.D.S. Tickets are now on sale.
Based on the 1960 film by Roger Corman and featuring a book by Howard Ashman, music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Ashman, Little Shop follows meek plant store attendant Seymour (Groff), his co-worker crush Audrey (Blanchard), her sadistic dentist of a boyfriend (Borle) and the man-eating plant that threatens them and the world as we know it.
Groff earned Tony nominations for Spring Awakening (also directed by Mayer) and Hamilton. His screen credits include Mindhunter, Looking, Frozen and Glee.
Most recently seen on Broadway in The Iceman Cometh, Blanchard was Tony-nommed for Gypsy and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. She was seen on the big screen in Into the Woods and won an Emmy Award for the TV movie Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows.
Borle nabbed Tonys for his turns in Peter and the Starcatcher and Something Rotten! and received Tony nominations for Legally Blonde and Falsettos. His screen credits include Smash and The Good Wife.
This marks the first major off-Broadway production of Little Shop since its 1982 premiere at the Orpheum Theatre. The show made its Broadway debut in a 2003 production at the Virginia Theatre (now the August Wilson).
Joining Mayer on the Little Shop creative team is choreographer Ellenore Scott, scenic designer Julian Crouch, lighting designer Bradley King, costume designer Tom Broecker, sound designer Jessica Paz and puppet designer Nicholas Mahon. The production will feature music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Will Van Dyke.
Little Shop is produced by Tom Kirdahy, Robert Ahrens, Hunter Arnold, Mickey Liddell, Curt Cronin and John Joseph.
Further casting will be announced at a later date.