RuPaul's Drag Race star Latrice Royale has become a fabulous man-eating plant from outer space in Ogunquit Playhouse's Little Shop of Horrors, running through September 21. Get a first look at the production, which began August 22 at the Maine theatre, in the gallery below.
Royale leads the Howard Ashman-Alan Menken musical as Audrey II, sharing the stage with Etai Benson (The Band's Visit) as Seymour, Talia Suskauer (Wicked) as Audrey, Adam Heller (Some Like It Hot) as Mr. Mushnik, Edward Watts (The Book of Mormon) as Orin Scrivello, Chelsea Hooker (Hair) as Crystal, Briana Brooks (Beautiful) as Ronette, and Olivia Elease Hardy (Kimberly Akimbo) as Chiffon.
Rounding out the company are ensemble members Nick Davis, Joseph Ryan Harrington, and Jackson Kanawha Perry; along with understudies Ray DeMattis, Diva LaMarr, Amirah Joy Lomax, and Christian Probst.
Chelsea Hooker, Briana Brooks, Olivia Elease Hardy, Talia Suskauer, and Etai Benson in Little Shop of Horrors
Chelsea Hooker, Olivia Elease Hardy, Briana Brooks, and Talia Suskauer in Little Shop of Horrors
Etai Benson and Edward Watts in Little Shop of Horrors
Etai Benson and Latrice Royale in Little Shop of Horrors
Etai Benson in Little Shop of Horrors
Etai Benson, Talia Suskauer, and Adam Heller in Little Shop of Horrors
Latrice Royale in Little Shop of Horrors
Etai Benson, Talia Suskauer, and Adam Heller in Little Shop of Horrors
Etai Benson, Talia Suskauer, and Adam Heller in Little Shop of Horrors
Featuring a book and lyrics by Ashman and music by Menken, Little Shop of Horrors is adapted from Roger Corman's zany horror film with a screenplay by Charles Griffith, centering on a man-eating plant that begins its campaign of world destruction in a tiny florist shop on skid row. The musical version premiered Off-Broadway in 1982, and quickly became a worldwide hit, including a 1986 big screen version, a 2003 Broadway bow, and a currently running Off-Broadway revival.
That 2003 Broadway iteration, which starred director Foster as Seymour, appears to be coming back in some capacity for Ogunquit's production, specifically through Scott Pask's original scenic design. The Ogunquit creative team, otherwise unaffiliated with the Broadway production, also includes choreographer Mara Newbery Greer, music director Dan Pardo, additional scenic designer Nate Bertone, lighting designer Richard Latta, costume designers Dustin Cross and Bryce Turgeon, sound designer Kevin Heard, and wig, hair, and makeup designer Roxanne De Luna. Rebecca McBee serves as production stage manager with Veronica Aglow as assistant stage manager.
Ogunquit's Little Shop of Horrors is being presented by special arrangement with Music Theatre International.
Tickets are available at OgunquitPlayhouse.org.
