‘Little Shop Of Horrors’ Creeping Into Moline’s Spotlight Theatre This Weekend
A new Spotlight Theatre production of the beloved musical, “Little Shop of Horrors” is creeping into the Moline theater this weekend!
Becca Johnson as Audrey, gets friendly with her Venus flytrap counterpart, Audrey II.
Directed by Spotlight co-owner Brent Tubbs, and starring Jacob Johnson as Seymour and Becca Johnson (no relation) as Audrey, the Alan Menken/Howard Ashman musical is a dream come true for all three. It opens tonight, Friday, Sept. 24 at 1800 7th Ave., Moline.
Based on a Roger Corman B-movie, non-musical cult classic (1960), in the 1982 off-Broadway hit, the meek floral assistant Seymour Krelborn stumbles across a new breed of plant he names “Audrey II” — after his coworker crush, Audrey. This foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore promises unending fame and fortune to the down-and-out Krelborn as long as he keeps feeding it human blood. Over time, though, Seymour discovers Audrey II’s out-of-this-world origins and relentless march towards global domination.
Tubbs said this was his favorite show growing up, and he loved the 1986 movie version (directed by Frank Oz). “Rick Moranis was like my
A group number in Spotlight’s “Little Shop of Horrors.”
spirit animal as a kid,” he said of the star who played Seymour. The film co-starred Steve Martin as the dentist Orin, Ellen Greene as Audrey and Levi Stubbs as the voice of Audrey II. “The movie was just so good, and I had all the music memorized like immediately.”
“This was the show I’ve always wanted to do it – be in it or see it live,” Tubbs said, noting he has never seen it live before. Music Guild in Moline performed it in spring 2017. “If I could sing, I would have loved to have done it.”
With the Illinois indoor mask mandate, the cast has rehearsed about six weeks wearing masks, but they will perform without them. All Spotlight patrons will be required to wear masks. “We’re so ready for that to be done,” Tubbs said.
Performances will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 24, 25, and Oct. 1-2, plus 2 p.m. on Sundays, Sept. 26 and Oct. 3. Tickets are $20 in advance and $22 at the door. For reservations and more information, visit thespotlighttheatreqc.com.
