A father and son will sing together on stage for the first time during a half-dozen performances of “Little Shop of Horrors” at the Savannah Center this week.
Mark Kirschenbaum has appeared on the New York Stage and worldwide on Norwegian Renaissance Cruise Lines. Most recently, he is appearing in The Studio Theatre’s La Cage Aux Folles. He has been singing in musical shows since he was just a small boy 30 years ago. His father, Howard, drove him to all his auditions and rehearsals in South Florida until Mark was cast in his first major role in Lil Abner at age 15.
Mark and Howard’s duet is one of the highlights in the Smash Productions show, which runs Thursday, March 30, through Saturday, April 1, with shows at 3 and 7 p.m. each day.
Little Shop of Horrors is an American horror comedy plus love story from Skid Row complete with a man-eating plant. The play centers on a shy floral shop worker Seymour (Mark Kirschenbaum) who works for bombastic Mr. Mushnik (Bill Krone) and discovers a sci-fi carnivorous plant Audrey 2 (DJ Hiner). Seymour is in love with the beautiful Audrey (Pinky Bigley) who is dating an evil Dentist (Gary Chubeck), until the plant invades their lives.
The cast includes Pinky Bigley as Audrey, who toured as Eponine and Cosette in Les Miserables National Tour, Evita in European Tour and more. Recently, she starred as Maria in the SMASH Productions of The Sound of Music. The cast members have starred in many of The Villages best shows.
Carol Greenfield is director, Barry Corlew is assistant director, Mary Ann Rockenbach is musical director and Susan Feinberg is producer. Barbara Byer is the choreographer.
Little Shop of Horrors started as an off-Broadway play by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman. The play is an adaptation of the 1960 film The Little Shop of Horrors directed by Roger Corman. It became a cult music film in 1986 with many actors from Saturday Night Live. The original play is currently on Broadway with wonderful reviews and Winner of the 2020 Drama league, Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards for Best Musical Revival.
Little Shop of Horrors is presented under special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.
A portion of show proceeds will benefit The Villages Shrine Club and YOUR Humane Society SPCA.
Tickets are on sale at the Villages Box Offices and online at thevillagesentertainment.com.
