Ellen Greene and Jake Gyllenhaal Take on Little Shop of Horrors at City Center

Greene returns to the role of ditzy flower shop attendant Audrey, which made her a star.

Ellen Greene as Audrey in the 1986 film version of Little Shop of Horrors.
Ellen Greene as Audrey in the 1986 film version of Little Shop of Horrors.
(© Warner Bros.)

New York City Center's concert production of Little Shop of Horrors begins its completely sold-out run tonight, July 1, under the auspices of Encores! Off-Center. The production, directed by Dick Scanlan, continues through July 2.

As previously reported, the company of the Howard Ashman-Alan Menken musical is led by Jake Gyllenhaal (Constellations) as Seymour and original Little Shop leading lady Ellen Greene reprising her legendary performance as Audrey. Saturday Night Live player Taran Killam takes on the role of Orin Scrivello, D.D.S., with Tracy Nicole Chapman, Marva Hicks, and Ramona Keller — best known for their performances as the Radio in the musical Caroline, or Change — as the Urchins.

Completing the company are Joe Grifasi (The Mystery of Edwin Drood) as Mushnik and Eddie Cooper (TV's Forever) as the voice of talking alien plant Audrey II.

Written by Ashman and Menken, Little Shop of Horrors premiered off-off-Broadway in 1982 before moving off-Broadway to the Orpheum Theatre, where it played 2,209 performances. A film, featuring Greene and Rick Moranis, was released in 1986, and the musical premiered on Broadway in 2003, where it starred Hunter Foster and Kerry Butler.

The 2015 Encores! Off-Center production features sets by Donyale Werle, costumes by Clint Ramos, lighting by Mark Barton, and sound design by Leon Rothenberg.

For tickets to Little Shop of Horrors, click here.