OPENING: Little Shop of Horrors at Drury Lane Theatre Through October 28, 2018

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Drury Lane Theatre announces the cast for 

Little Shop of Horrors

Music by Alan Menken

Book by Howard Ashman

Direction and Choreography by Scott Calcagno

Musical Direction by Roberta Duchak

September 6 – October 28, 2018

Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows, we can't wait to see Drury Lane's take on this perennial crowd pleaser! Playfully macabre, Little Shop of Horrors has long been one of our favorite musicals. With it's charmingly dark humor, catchy score, and absurd plot, it's a hit for all ages from tweens to twilight years. 

Drury Lane announces the cast for Little Shop of Horrors, with music by Alan Menken, book by Howard Ashman, direction and choreography by Scott Calcagno, and music direction by Roberta Duchak. Little Shop of Horrors runs September 6 – October 28, 2018, at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. The press opening is Thursday, September 13 at 8:00 p.m.

The cast of Little Shop of Horrors is led by Kelly Felthous (Audrey), returning to Drury Lane after earning a Jeff Award nomination for her performance as Roxie Hart in Chicago, and Will Lidke (Seymour Krelborn) who was last seen at Drury Lane in Saturday Night Fever. The production also features Melanie Brezill (Ronette), Candace C. Edwards (Crystal), Melanie Loren (Chiffon), Ron E. Rains (Mr. Mushnik), Lorenzo Rush Jr. (Voice of Audrey II), and Steven Strafford (Dr. Orin Scrivello D.D.S.). Audrey II will be brought to life by puppeteer Matthew P. Sitz.

The creative team includes Kevin Depinet (Scenic Design), Lynda Myers (Costume Design), Ryan O’Gara (Lighting Design), Ray Nardelli (Sound Design), Cassy Schillo (Properties Design), Martin P. Robinson (Puppet Design), Claire Moores (Wig & Hair Design), and Sammi Grant (Dialect Coach).

This gem of a musical inspired by the 1960 dark comedy horror film will charm your heart with infectious doo-wop songs and endearing characters. A down-on-his-luck resident of Skid Row is offered the girl of his dreams, fame, and success from an all-powerful, R&B singin’ carnivorous plant, but at what cost? Little Shop of Horrors is the winner of the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical.

SCOTT CALCAGNO (director) returns to Drury Lane, where he most recently directed Seussical the Musical last spring. Other Drury Lane credits include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and, for the last 10 seasons, A Christmas Carol. For Warner Bros and Rail Productions, Scott is the current director and writer of The Polar Express Train Ride™, a live theatrical production aboard a moving Amtrak train out of Chicago’s Union Station and New Orleans’ Passenger Terminal and on the Whippany Express outside of NYC. Other credits include: Legally Blonde (Civic Theatre), Second City Divas (Mercury Theatre), Bye, Bye Birdie (Long Lake Theatre), and Unmasking What Matters, a one woman show for Broadway’s The Phantom of the Opera actress Sandra Joseph. Scott is also the director for the youth acting program for Drury Lane, RegardingActors.com. 

KELLY FELTHOUS (Audrey) is returning to Drury Lane where she was last seen as Roxie Hart in Chicago, which earned her a Jeff Award nomination. Most recently, she starred as Sally Bowles in Paramount Theater's Cabaret! National Tours include: Wicked (Glinda, Nessarose u/s), Flashdance (Gloria), and Grease (Marty). New York credits include the original companies of Trip of Love (Caroline), Max and Ruby (Ruby), and Seussical (Mayzie). Other favorites are South Pacific (Nellie) at Asolo Rep; Rock of Ages (Regina) in the regional premiere at The Gateway Playhouse; Legally Blonde (Elle) at North Shore Music Theatre; Bring It On (Eva), originating the role at the Alliance Theatre; A Chorus Line (Val) at Maine State Music Theatre; Singin’ in the Rain (Kathy) at North Shore Music Theatre; Gypsy (June) at Sacramento Music Circus; and Jane Eyre at La Jolla Playhouse. She is a graduate of NYU/CAP21.

WILL LIDKE (Seymour Krelborn) returns to Drury Lane where he previously appeared in Saturday Night Fever. Most recently he was seen as Monty in Griffin Theater’s production of Violet. Other credits include: Ride The Cyclone and Tug of War: Foreign Fire at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, The Man Who Murdered Sherlock Holmes at Mercury Theater, and Bat Boy at Griffin Theater. On television, he appeared in Chicago Justice (NBC). 

Featuring: Melanie Brezill (Ronette), Candace C. Edwards (Crystal), Kelly Felthous (Audrey), Will Lidke (Seymour Krelborn), Melanie Loren (Chiffon), Ron E. Rains (Mr. Mushnik), Lorenzo Rush Jr. (Audrey II), Matthew P. Sitz (Audrey II Puppeteer), and Stephen Strafford (Dr. Orin Scrivello D.D.S.)

Creative Team: Kevin Depinet (Scenic Design), Lynda Myers (Costume Design), Ryan O’Gara (Lighting Design), Ray Nardelli (Sound Design), Cassy Schillo (Properties Design), Martin P. Robinson (Puppet Design), Claire Moores (Wig & Hair Design), and Sammi Grant (Dialect Coach)

Dates:
Previews: September 6 – 13, 2018
Regular run: September 14 – October 28, 2018 
Press Opening: Thursday, September 13 at 8:00 pm

Schedule: 
Wednesdays: 1:30 p.m.
Thursdays: 1:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Fridays: 8:00 p.m.
Saturdays: 5:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. 
Sundays: 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Location:
Drury Lane Theatre at 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace

Tickets:
Previews: $45 – $60

Single Tickets: $50 – $65
Wednesday and Thursday matinees: $50
Thursday and Sunday evenings: $60
Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees: $65
Student group tickets start at $30
Senior Citizens start at $45 for matinees
Dinner and show packages available 

Box Office:
100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace
630.530.0111, Ticketmaster at 800.745.3000
or visit DruryLaneTheatre.com

2018/2019 Season and Subscription Information
The 2018/2019 season opened with the Tony Award-winning Rodgers & Hammerstein landmark musical South Pacific (April 5 – June 17, 2018) and continued with Tennessee Williams’ sultry family drama Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (July 5 – August 26, 2018) followed by the darkly comedic musical Little Shop of Horrors (September 6 – October 28, 2018). For the holiday season, Drury Lane brings to life the treasured story of Belle with Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (November 9, 2018 – January 27, 2019) and then closes its 18/19 season with the global smash-hit Mamma Mia! featuring the music of ABBA (February 7 – April 14, 2019). The 2018/2019 season runs April 5, 2018, through April 14, 2019, at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace.

Subscriptions for the 2018/2019 season are priced from $157 to $187 and are currently on sale. Subscribers receive special offers on dining, flexible ticket exchanges, and early notification and priority seating for added events and concerts. For more information, visit DruryLaneTheatre.com.

The performance schedule for all productions is as follows: Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m., Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Student group tickets start as low as $30 and Senior Citizens start at $40 for matinees. Dinner and show packages are also available. For individual ticket on-sale dates and ticket reservations, call the Drury Lane Theatre box office at 630.530.0111 or TicketMaster at 800.745.3000 or visit DruryLaneTheatre.com.



About Drury Lane Theatre 
Under the leadership of President Kyle DeSantis and Artistic Director William Osetek, Drury Lane Theatre is a major force in the Chicagoland theatre scene, presenting world-class productions in collaboration with some of the nation’s leading actors, artists, writers, and directors. Over the past 30 years, Drury Lane has staged more than 2,000 productions and has been nominated for more than 360 Joseph Jefferson Awards. Drury Lane is committed to breathing new life into beloved classics and introducing audiences to exciting new works. 

Throughout its 30-year history, Drury Lane has employed more than 7,500 actors and 10,000 musicians, designers, and crew members to entertain upwards of nine million audience members. Originally founded by Anthony DeSantis, Drury Lane Theatre remains a family-run organization known for producing breathtaking Broadway classics, top-rated musicals, bold new works, hilarious comedies, and unforgettable concert events.