The Advanced Theatre class at Bozeman High School is set to present stagings of cult classic-turned-Broadway musical Little Shop of Horrors, originally written and directed by Howard Ashman with music and lyrics by Alan Menken. The performances are set for Thursday through Saturday, May 16th–18th at 7pm each night. All will be held at the Willson Auditorium in Downtown Bozeman.
Following a flower shop worker who raises a plant with a diet of fresh human blood, Little Shop of Horrors was first created as a black comedy film in 1960 and came to New York as an Off-Broadway production in 1982. It soon moved to Broadway and ran for a span of five years. It was remade in 1986 as a movie starring Rick Moranis and has been performed in a variety of theatres.
Bozeman High School is performing the show with an emphasis on Nature vs. Nurture. Bozeman High performed Little Shop of Horrors about five years ago, with Evan Pierson starring as Seymour Krelborn. While the script stays the same, director Stacie McKiernan’s concept is much more realistic and gritty than the previous production. Anyone who attended the last performance should expect an entirely new experience.
Performed by the Advanced Theatre class, the production is also supported by media sources throughout the school, such as Hawk TV and Hawk Tawk.
Technical director Michael Hillenius, who runs the Willson Auditorium, created an amazing set for the school’s fall performance of Grease, the School Version. Set designers for Little Shop of Horrors have revamped the set to fit the concept McKiernan, also the Advanced Theatre teacher, has created.
This year’s production of Little Shop of Horrors stars many of the same actors from this fall’s Grease performance. Julien Harris, who played Vince Fontaine, is playing the lovable and timid Seymour Krelborn, while Rachel Simpson who played Sandy is back as the sweet and scared Audrey. The play is produced almost entirely by students from Bozeman High School, with help from the technical crew at the Wilson Auditorium, adult volunteers, amazing teachers, and other generous sponsors.
Little Shop of Horrors runs approximately 90 minutes with an intermission each night. Tickets are $11 for adults and $6 for students, available in-store at Cactus Records and www.CactusRecords.net (plus online service fees). Remaining tickets will be sold at the door, depending on availability.
