LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS Previews 7/10 At Carpenter PAC In Long Beach

Musical Theatre West is proud to present Little Shop of Horrors. Little Shop of Horrors previews on July 10th and opens July 11, 2009 and runs through July 26, 2009 at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach.

The story follows a meek down-and out skid row floral assistant who becomes an overnight sensation when he discovers an exotic plant with a mysterious craving for fresh blood. Soon "Audrey II" grows into an ill-tempered, foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore who offers him fame and fortune in exchange for feeding its growing appetite, finally revealing itself to be an alien creature poised for global domination!

One of the longest-running Off-Broadway shows of all time, this affectionate spoof of 1950s sci-fi movies has become a house-hold name, thanks to a highly successful film version and a score by the songwriting team of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, who redefined the animated musical film with Disney's The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. Charming, tuneful and hilarious, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, Little Shop of Horrors never fails to entertain.

Paul Garman, Musical Theatre West's Executive Director/Producer is, "pleased to present this delightful show with sets and costumes direct from the recent Broadway revival."

Steven Glaudini, Associate Artistic Director of Musical Theatre West, who recently directed the critically acclaimed MTW production of The Producers will direct this Little Shop of Horrors. "It has always been one of my favorite shows, and I am thrilled to be able to guide this terrific cast in this contemporary classic by the songwriting team of Disney's Beauty and the Beast."

The Cast in the Musical Theatre West production of Little Shop of Horrors features Danny Gurwin as Seymour (Broadway's Little Women, The Full Monty, The Scarlet Pimpernel), Peter Paige as Orin and Others (Emmett in Television's "Queer as Folk"), Lowe Taylor as Audrey (The Marvelous Wonderettes, Divorce, The Musical), Stuart Pankin as Mr. Mushnik (HBO's "Not Necessisarily The News", MTW's Silk Stockings), Michael Shepperd as the Voice of Audrey II (Artistic Director of the Celebration Theatre, Little Shop on Broadway), Kamilah Marshall, Meloney Collins and Fredericka Meek.

Performance dates and times are as follows: Thursday evening, July 16 & 23 at 8PM, Friday evening, July 10, 17, 24 at 8PM, Saturday Evening, July 11,18 & 25 at 8PM, Saturday matinees, July 18 & 25 at 2PM, Sunday matinees, July 12, 19 & 26 at 2PM and Sunday evening, July 19 at 7PM. Little Shop of Horrors previews on Friday, July 10th with discounted tickets available.

Ticket prices for Little Shop of Horrors at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center range in price from $30 and $58 with special premium seating available ranging in price from $66 to $78 (first eleven rows center, subject to availability). Group discounts for parties of 15 or more are available by calling Michael in the Group Sales Department. All tickets are available by calling the Box Office at 562-856-1999 x 4, or in person at the Box Office at 4350 E 7th Street, Long Beach (corner of Ximeno Avenue). Tickets are available online now at the MTW website, www.musical.org. Musical Theatre West is on Facebook.

Musical Theatre West's 2009/2010 season kicks off in October '09 with Meet Me in St. Louis then followed by Sweeney Todd, The Marvelous Wonderettes and 1776. RENT is a bonus show offered in December '09.