Jake Loewenthal To Play Seymour In Ford's Theatre's LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

D.C.-based actor Jake Loewenthal has joined the cast of Ford's Theatre's 2024 production of Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Kevin S. McAllister. Derrick D. Truby Jr., who has been playing the role of Seymour since previews, had to withdraw from the production for personal reasons after performances had begun. Loewenthal will play Seymour for performances on April 22-May 18. 

“We are looking forward to having Jake join this talented cast and to seeing him take on one of the most iconic roles in the American theatre,” said Ford's Theatre Director Paul R. Tetreault. “While we are disappointed that Derrick won't be able to finish the run, we extend deep appreciation for everything he brought to this production.”

This production marks Loewenthal's Ford's debut. Credits include: Regional: Signature: Private Jones, Ragtime, Into the Woods, She Loves Me, RENT; Shakespeare: King Lear, Our Town; Rep Stage: Falsettos; Barrington Stage: Cabaret; Hartford Stage:Macbeth, La Dispute; Trinity Rep: A Christmas Carol. Other: Quintessence Theatre Group: King Lear; Playhouse on Park: Cabaret; Theater at Monmouth: Henry V, Richard III, Dial M For Murder; Short North Stage: Bad Jews, The Rocky Horror Show, Noises Off, Sondheim on Sondheim (Director); Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre: Young Frankenstein. Training: MFA, Brown/Trinity.

Production Details

This beloved American musical is being brought to life by an all-local cast and creative team, including director Kevin S. McAllister, choreographer Ashleigh King and music director William Yanesh. Chani Wereley plays Seymour's co-worker and love interest Audrey.

Little Shop of Horrors is a nonstop blast, sci-fi horror comedy, love story and rock musical that has become one of the most treasured pieces of American musical theatre. While paying homage to doo-wop and Motown recordings, the story follows a luckless florist shop worker, Seymour, who raises a wisecracking carnivorous plant that develops a craving for human blood. He delights in the fame and fortune that his leafy, ever-growing friend attracts, while trying to show his co-worker Audrey that she is the girl of his dreams. As Seymour discovers his plant's out-of-this-world origins and intent toward world domination, he learns the lesson: “Don't feed the plants!”

Tickets

Performances run through May 18 at Ford's Theatre. Tickets range from $55 to $95 and are available at www.fords.org and by calling the box office at (888) 616-0270. Performances are Tuesdays-Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 p.m.; Friday, May 10 at 12 p.m.; Mondays at 6:30 p.m. (except May 6). See full schedule at bit.ly/FordsLittleShop.

The Cast and Musicians

Along with Loewenthal, Chani Wereley (Signature: Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, Pacific Overtures) plays Audrey. The cast includes Jay Frisby (Ford's: SHOUT SISTER SHOUT!, Grace) as Audrey II (Manipulation)/Derelict, Kaiyla Gross (Ford's: A Christmas Carol) as Ronnette, Joe Mallon (Ford's: A Christmas Carol, One Destiny, SHOUT SISTER SHOUT!) as Orin/Bernstein/Snip/Luce/Everyone Else, Lawrence Redmond (Ford's: Twelve Angry Men) as Mr. Mushnik, Nia Savoy-Dock (Ford's: SHOUT SISTER SHOUT!) as Chiffon, Ryan Sellers (Round House: The Tempest; Theater J: The Chameleon) as Audrey II (Manipulation)/Derelict, Tobias A. Young (Ford's: Ragtime, The Wiz; Signature: Passing Strange) as Audrey II (Voice) and Kanysha Williams (Arena: American Prophet: Frederick Douglass In His Own Words; ArtsCentric: Little Shop of Horrors) as Crystal. Understudies include Scott Ward Abernethy (Mosaic: Till Trilogy; Ford's Oratory Teaching Artist), Tori Gomez (Ford's: A Christmas Carol), Christopher Mueller (Ford's: A Christmas Carol, Ragtime) and Theodore Sapp (Signature: Ragtime).

William Yanesh conducts a band that includes Nathan Beary Blustein, DeAnte Haggerty-Willis, Eliot Seppa and Carroll “CV” Dashiell III.

The Designers

Paige Hathaway (Round House: The Mountaintop; Arena: The High Ground) is the scenic designer. Alejo Vietti (Ford's: A Christmas Carol, SHOUT SISTER SHOUT!, Meet John Doe) is the costume designer. Max Doolittle (Ford's: My Lord, What a Night; Olney: Kinky Boots) serves as the lighting designer. David Budries (Ford's Associate Artist: Into the Woods, The Wiz, Ragtime, Little Shop of Horrors – 2010) is the sound designer. Danna Rosedahl (Ford's: The Trip to Bountiful, My Lord, What a Night, Fences) is the hair and make-up designer. Rachel Hirshorn-Johnston (Ford's: A Christmas Carol) is the dialects and vocal director.

Craig A. Horness (Ford's: A Christmas Carol, Into the Woods, The Wiz) is the production stage manager, with Taryn Friend (Ford's: A Christmas Carol, One Destiny) serving as assistant stage manager. Monkey Boys Productions provides the puppets for Audrey II. .

Accessibility and Special Performances

At Ford's Theatre, we are committed to ensuring visitors of all abilities can experience the performances, exhibits, history and programs our site has to offer. Remaining accessible performances include an audio-described performance scheduled for April 27 at 2 p.m. and a Sensory-Friendly performance scheduled for Saturday, May 4 at 2 p.m. This sensory-friendly performance will be open to the general public, and we welcome anyone who may benefit from an adjusted theatrical environment.

All performances are captioned via the GalaPro Free Closed Captioning Mobile App. GalaPro is available from the App Store or Google Play and allows patrons to access captioning on demand through their phone or tablet device. Patrons can set their phones to airplane mode and connect to the local GalaPro WiFi network before the performance begins.

More information is at bit.ly/fords-accessibility. Ford's Theatre accessibility programs are supported by the Liberty Mutual Foundation.

Ford's Theatre Society

One of the most visited sites in the nation's capital, Ford's Theatre reopened its doors in 1968, more than a hundred years after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Operated through a partnership between Ford's Theatre Society and the National Park Service, Ford's Theatre is the premier destination in the nation's capital to explore and celebrate Abraham Lincoln's life and legacy.

Ford's Theatre Society was founded under the guidance of executive producer Frankie Hewitt, who, during her 35-year tenure, established Ford's as a living, Working Theatre producing performances that highlighted the diversity of the American experience. Since the arrival of Paul R. Tetreault as Director, critics and the theatre-going public have recognized Ford's for the superior quality of its artistic programming. With works from the Tony-nominated Come From Away and the nationally acclaimed Big River, to the world premieres of Grace, Meet John Doe, The Heavens Are Hung In Black, Liberty Smith, Necessary Sacrifices, The Widow Lincoln and The Guard, Ford's Theatre is making its mark on the American theatre landscape. Under the current leadership of Board of Trustees Chairman Phebe N. Novakovic and through the lens of Lincoln's leadership and legacy, Ford's today endeavors to advance Lincoln's “unfinished work” with programs and performances that cultivate empathy, encourage dialogue and bridge divides in American life.

For more information on Ford's Theatre and the Ford's Theatre Society, please visit www.fords.org.