Audrey II invades SCA Nashville Dinner Theatre's 'LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS'

AUDREY II, the people-eating plant who stars in Little Shop Of Horrors, the frightfully freaky rock musical, has invaded Donelson's Senior Center for the Arts (SCA), for a run through November 15 at Nashville Dinner Theatre.

One of the longest running off-Broadway shows of all time, the cult classic also spawned a highly successful film version in 1986. The tongue-in-cheek tale is coupled with a tuneful score penned by the team of composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman, and features rousing rock and roll, doo-wop ditties and original Motown sounds that are reminiscent of the early 1960s.

Directed by veteran Nashville director Tim Larson, Little Shop introduces audiences to Seymour, an ill-fated florist shop worker who pines for fortune, fame and his flame, comely co-worker, Audrey. He later discovers an alien plant with a hankering for human blood and a dastardly desire to overtake the world. A perilous pact is made between the two, and mayhem ensues.

"Audiences will see a little different production of Little Shop of Horrors, but still staying true to the original off-Broadway version," Larson suggests. "I have added a small ensemble to create a bigger sound which adds to the Greek chorus style of the three doo-wop girls that take the audience through the story. The veteran actors and singers in this show will wow the crowds, as well as our four puppets that play Audrey II, the man eating plant, developed by Ron Cushman, Brent Pearce and Jennifer Klein."

The lead characters of Seymour and Audrey are played by David Y. Williams and Cat Eberwine. Rounding out the ensemble cast are several actors who've graced the SCA stage previously, including Cat Eberwine, David Arnold, Josh Waldrep, Amber Boyer and LaQuita James.

"The cast of 13 has been such a change to more recent shows that I directed, where I had 30 to 60 people, in that I was able to bring detail focus on every individual," Larson explains. "The SCA Theatre audiences will definitely have a highly entertaining Halloween experience with this award- winning musical."

Williams, playing Seymour, is a Louisville, Kentucky, native, performing on- and off-stage for over 30 years. He received a vocal performance scholarship from the University of Louisville and his most recent roles include Frank Butler in Annie Get Your Gun, Etches in Titanic, the Musical and Sir Harry in Once Upon a Mattress.

SCA's Audrey, Eberwine, has been performing in the Nashville area for the past five years in a myriad of stage shows. Most recently, she was featured in Circle Players' productio of Fame, the Musical and Titanic the Musical. While living in Los Angeles, she performed as a ballroom dancer in the Disney film Haunted Mansion and in the television series Alias. Eberwine has also worked for Walt Disney World as a character performer: the first female barge driver for Fantasmic!  

Larson who works in project management for Hospital Corporation of America, Inc., moonlighs by night as a theatrical director and performer, and has previously directed Titanic the Musical, Annie and Oklahoma! for Circle Players, just to mention a few. He was most recently seen in Mame, Singin' in the Rain, HMS Pinafore, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Music Man, Ragtime, Pirates of Penzance, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and High School Musical. Currently, Larson serves as vice president of Circle Players and on the board of ACT 1.

Sponsored by the First Tennessee Foundation, Metro Nashville Arts Commission and the Tennessee Arts Commission, SCA's Nashville Dinner Theatre production show times are Thursday through Saturday, with curtain at 7 p.m., with Sunday performances at 2 p.m. All shows are preceded by dinner or Sunday lunch. Tickets, at $25, which includes a three-course meal and show. Tickets are available by contacting the SCA at (615) 883-8375, purchasing in person at 108 Donelson Pike or online at www.SeniorCenterArts.org.