Chicagoland’s longest-running musical theatre, Marriott Theatre, opens its highly anticipated 2026 season with the long-requested fan favorite, Little Shop of Horrors, previewing Wednesday, January 21, opening Wednesday, January 28, and running through Sunday, March 15. Directed and choreographed by Tommy Rapley (Marriott Theatre: James and the Giant Peach, Big Fish) and featuring music direction by Jeff Award winner Ryan T. Nelson, this production brings the beloved, darkly comic musical to life with a blend of sci-fi flair, 1960s pop, and outrageous theatrical imagination.
Little Shop provides a tasty musical theatre recipe: start with well-intended people in dire and seemingly inescapable circumstances. Add a healthy handful of love, plenty of greed, a touch of murder, and a dash of carnivorous magical plant from outer space. Mix well with a banging score by Alan Menken and the incredible talents of this Chicago-based cast, and you have yourself a rollicking good time. Puppets are the icing on the cake.
“I hope that audiences leave the theatre with guts sore from laughing, with hearts heavy for our tragic and loveable lovers, and with ears joyfully ringing with this delectable score,” said director and choreographer Tommy Rapley. “And also, with a little more empathy for the folks who are desperately trying to get by-well-intended people in dire and seemingly inescapable circumstances who haven’t succumbed to the murderous temptations of a man-eating plant… yet. Perhaps if we build better roads in and out of Skid Row, and care more for the people who live there, we can save the world before The Plant consumes us all.”
Little Shop of Horrors stars Jackson Evans as “Seymour” (Marriott Theatre: Singin’ in the Rain, A Christmas Story, Charlie Brown); Maya Rowe as “Audrey” (Marriott Theatre: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Disney's Finding Nemo; Theo Ubique: A Little Night Music–Jeff Award Winner, Best Supporting Actress); Andrew Mueller as “Orin & Others” (Marriott Theatre: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical–Jeff Award, Man of La Mancha, For The Boys); Mark David Kaplan as “Mr. Mushnik” (Marriott Theatre: Titanic, Oliver!, Anything Goes); Lorenzo Rush Jr. as “Audrey II (Voice)” (Marriott Theatre: Joseph…,A Christmas Story, The Wizard of Oz); with Lydia Burke, Daryn Harrell, Miciah Lathan, and Garrett Lutz; Ensemble Jordan Anthony Arredondo, and Ed Kross; and understudies Marta Bady, Dan Gold, Darryl D'Angelo Jones, and Arwen-Vira Marsh. Starting March 4th the role of “Audrey” will be played by Amanda Walker.
The artistic team features Costume Design by Amanda Vander Byl, Lighting Design by Jesse Klug, Sound Design by John Johnson, Scenic Design by Milo Bue, Props Design by Ivy Thomas, Puppet Design by Jesse Mooney-Bullock, Wig Design by Miguel Armstrong and Stage Manager Richard Strimer.
Little Shop of Horrors is scheduled to run Wednesdays at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., with select Thursday 1:00 p.m. shows. Call for dinner-theatre, student, senior, and military discounts. Free parking is available at all performances. To reserve tickets or become a Marriott Theatre subscriber, please call the Marriott Theatre Box Office at 847.634.0200 or go to www.tickets.marriotttheatre.com. Visit www.MarriottTheatre.com for more information. To make a restaurant reservation, please call 847.634.0100.