MAT opens 'Little Shop of Horrors'

The local acting troupe opens its next production this week, with the curtain rising on the musical dark comedy "Little Shop of Horrors" Friday at 8 p.m.

In the middle of that production, which runs the next three weekends, Montana Actors' Theatre is preparing for its busy 2013-2014 season, with auditions for the fantasy drama "Still Life with Iris" by Steven Dietz set for 7 p.m., Tuesday at the Little Theatre on the west end of Cowan Hall on the Montana State University-Northern campus.

"Little Shop of Horrors" is a popular musical version of a 1960 dark comedy, with the musical, which ran on Broadway and was made into a 1986 movie starring Rick Moranis, written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman.

It tells the tale of Seymour, who works for a failing flower shop, bringing what turns out to be a man-eating plant to the shop, and what he ends up doing to feed the plant - which he names after the woman he loves, who works in the shop with him.

The MAT production, directed by Andi Daniel and Sharon Dolph, includes some long-time MAT veterans and some newer additions to the troupe.

The cast list has Will Cochran as Seymour with Martin Holt providing the voice of the plant, while Emily Simonson is the puppeteer for the plant's actions.

Mike Palmer plays the owner of the shop, while MaryBeth Blankenship plays the woman for whom Seymour names the plant. Others in the cast are Mary Kaercher, Danae Ellis, Crysta Robinson, Donald Meyer, and Audrey Barger.

The band for the production comprises Sharon Dolph doubling on keyboards and as musical director, Ian Munson on guitar, Brenden Munson on bass and Jordan Lamphier on drums.

The doors and the backstage lounge open at 7:30 p.m. for the productions at the Little Theatre, which start at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and next Thursday, Halloween, and Nov. 1-2 and 7-9.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students and senior citizens and Northern students gain free admission with a current valid student identification card.