Rice Theatre to present ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ April 11-19

Rice University Theatre and the student-run Rice Players troupe will present “Little Shop of Horrors” at the university’s Hamman Hall. Performances are at 8 p.m. April 11-12 and April 17-19. A 3 p.m. matinee is scheduled for April 13.

“Depression is just status quo” for the residents of Skid Row until flower shop clerk Seymour Krelborn discovers a strange and unusual plant of unknown origin. Written by the award-winning team of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken (“The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast”), this rock musical is a “classic deal-with-the-devil tale with a horrifically horticultural twist,” said Christina Keefe, director of Rice’s Theatre Program and professor in the practice.

George Brock is the guest director of “Little Shop of Horrors.” Currently the director and coordinator of the Tommy Tune Award-winning theater program at Episcopal High School, Brock is also the founding artistic director of Generations: A Theatre Company. Generation’s most recent production, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” won 10 BroadwayWorld.com Houston Awards, including “Best Director” for Brock. Brock is reunited in “Little Shop” with his Generations counterpart, music director Jack Beetle. A visiting lecturer in Rice’s Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts, Beetle has worked on many productions around Houston as a music director, including work with Generations and Stages Repertory Theatre.

Mark Krouskop, lecturer and production manager of the Rice Theatre Program, who recently designed the magical set for Rice’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” will be designing the set along with Rice Theatre student Jake LaViola.

“Little Shop of Horrors” contains mild violence and suggestive language that may be inappropriate for children.

Tickets are $5 for Rice students; $8 for Rice alumni, faculty, staff and senior citizens; $10 for general admission; and $5 per person for groups of 10 and more. Tickets are available in advance at 713-348-PLAY.

For more information on the performances, visit http://arts.rice.edu.