Flowers Stink

A world premiere Kennedy Center musical co-commissioned with the U.S. Botanic Garden.

When you live in a big city, a.k.a. “the concrete jungle,” sometimes it’s hard to appreciate the great outdoors. That’s definitely the case with one middle school girl, who’s struggling with writing a nature-themed poem for school. Giving up, she tweets: “#poetryisstupid #natureisborings #flowersstink.” Suddenly, two zany and lovable plants magically come to life in her room, encouraging her to open her eyes, ears, and mind to the beauty all around her. Pointing to her own family history, the girl’s newfound friends transport her imagination to the flora of a desert, a volcano, and a rain forest to help unleash her creativity. Mixing plenty of singing and dancing with folk, bluegrass, blues, and gospel, this colorful world premiere musical – by the Helen Hayes Award-winning creators of Dizzy Miss Lizzie’s Roadside Revue – shows that, if you look closely enough, you can find the best of nature in the most unlikely places.

Words and music by Debra Buonaccorsi and Stephen McWilliams. Gregg Henry directs.

Performed outdoors on the Amphitheatre stage at the U.S. Botanic Garden.

Open seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. In case of inclement weather, please check the USBG website for performance updates on the day of the performance.