Carnivorous Plant Has Voracious Appetite on Novato Theater Company Stage

If you have an appetite for a colorful, campy musical featuring a snarky carnivorous plant, the has just the right show for you starting April 7.

The rock musical “Little Shop of Horrors” has long been a favorite as it combined the creepiness of a huge plant that feeds on humans that venture too close with the fun of early rock, doo-wop and Motown soul.

Howard Ashman penned the affectionate spoof of the old black-and-white 1950s sci-fi movies. The plant, Audrey II, is raised by a florist shop worker and watches it grow into a foul-mouthed singing carnivore. The show started as a low-budget film, became a long-running off-Broadway production and then was remade into a new film in 1986.  The music was composed by Alan Menken and includes several well-known tunes including “Skid Row” and “Suddenly Seymour.”

Karen Thouvenin is producing the musical with Blanca Floridio as director, and music director Judy Wiesen leads a four-piece band. The cast includes: Monica Burrowes of Fairfax; Hope Carrillo of San Rafael; Shari Clover of San Rafael; Dani Innocenti-Beem of Rohnert Park; Anthony Martinez of Santa Rosa; Alison Peltz of San Anselmo; Shelley Sanborn of San Rafael; Zac Schuman of Novato; Phillip Swanson of Santa Rosa; and Michael Walraven of San Anselmo.

Four puppets will be operated by Wendell H. Wilson of San Rafael; one is a terra cotta-type pot that Wilson operates from inside. “The other is a mature six-foot tall Audrey II, with a huge face and mouth that swallows the actors,” Floridio said.

“Little Shop of Horrors” runs through May 1 at Novato Theater Company Playhouse at Pacheco Plaza, 484 Ignacio Blvd. Shows are 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sunday matinees. Tickets are $25 for adults, $22 for seniors and students and $15 for children. The preview performance April 7 will can be seen for $15.

Tickets are available at www.novatotheatercompany.org or by calling 415-883-4498.  All seats are reserved.