IRT transforms into Skid Row for ‘Little Shop of Horrors’

“Whatever you do, don’t feed the plants!” The Indiana Repertory Theatre presents “Little Shop of Horrors” April 17-May 19. With music and lyrics by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, the cult classic Skid Row horror romance story is the first musical to grace the stage of the IRT in more than a decade, Benjamin Hanna, Director & Margot Lacy Eccles Artistic Director, said in an email to the Recorder. “A send-up of monster movies — which are often metaphors for societal woes — ‘Little Shop’ has always been one of my favorite musicals,” Hanna said. “Stuck on Skid Row by terrible circumstances, two oddball lovers strive for a dream just beyond their reach.” Having originally premiered on Broadway in 1982, “Little Shop of Horrors” was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical in 2004. Since its introduction, the show has become a fan-favorite, captivating audiences across the country whether through national tours, regional theater or high school productions, the movie or various cast recordings, music director Andrew Bourgoin told the Recorder. Bourgoin said the version the IRT is presenting is 42 years old and will feature the original off-Broadway five-piece rhythm section....