For the third show of its inaugural season, All In Productions presents Little Shop of Horrors, an upbeat ’50s rock and doo-wop comedy-horror musical about an ever-growing, bloodthirsty plant. This exotic creature lures its caretaker, a nerdy botanist named Seymour (played in the popular 1986 film adaptation by the delightful Rick Moranis), into going great lengths to sate its appetite. Creating the stage puppets is Milwaukee Domes Designer Burt Gross, who Director Mara McGhee says “is one of the most amazing and talented people I’ve met.” All In’s co-founder and producer adds, “Not only did Burt come in with the set sketched out and the puppet design ready, he also threw together some costume ideas. He can create virtually anything we asked for and I’m so happy that we have our own puppet design.”
The show features a non-traditional cast, which includes Erica Brown as Audrey and James Carrington as Seymour, and McGhee says of the actors: “The talent I have is irreplaceable. Our cast is a vocal powerhouse and I am excited to let them showcase their various talents and strengths. This show is going to be so great.” Also worth mentioning is Jared Stepp as assistant director, Karl Miller as choreographer and Colleen Schmitt as music director.
All In Productions’ Little Shop of Horrors runs June 11-20 at Next Act Theatre, 255 S. Water St. For tickets, email AllInMKE@gmail.com or visit allin-mke.com.
Theatre Happenings:
■ Pink Banana Theatre Co. presents its 11th Annual One Act Play Festival titled Superheroes. Each performance showcases five new original thematic plays lead by five passionate local directors. The works are Issue #11 by Sam Sherman, directed by Amanda Sinko; Secret Origin by Harry Loeffler-Bell, directed by Amanda Hull; The Hand That Guides by Jeremiah Miller, directed by Emily Rindt; We Are the Unsung by Katie Lynne Krueger, directed by Rebecca Segal; and We Were Only Henchmen by Andrew Rosdail, directed by Tessara Morgan. Performances run June 4-13 at the Arcade Theatre at The Underground Collaborative, 161 W. Wisconsin Ave. For tickets, call 414-949-7282 or visit pinkbananamke.org.
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■ SummerStage at Lapham Peak presents Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, which combines robust hilarity with more serious meditations on honor, shame and politics, June 4-20. For tickets, call 262-337-1560 or visit summer-stage.org.
■ American Players Theatre opens both The Merry Wives of Windsor by Shakespeare and An Illiad by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare on June 6. Shows run through October. For more information and tickets, call 608-588-2361 or visit americanplayers.org.
