Little Shop of Horrors will run at Kamloops’ Sagebrush Theatre from Oct. 8 to 25, marking a departure from the Western Canadian Theatre’s usual tradition of presenting a large family musical in November or December.
Instead, WCT artistic director Kelli Fox chose to use the October slot for the dark comedy about a struggling florist and a mysterious plant with an appetite for human blood.
“Little Shop of Horrors seemed a natural choice,” WCT said in its announcement.
The musical combines comedy, horror and science fiction with a 1960s-inspired rock and doo-wop score by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman. Menken and Ashman later collaborated on the music for several major Disney films, including The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Beauty and The Beast.
This production is based on Roger Corman’s 1960 comedy-horror film of the same name. The musical first premiered Off-Broadway in 1982; while the 1986 film adaptation starring Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene and Steve Martin became a cult classic, it will also be celebrating its 40th anniversary.
For Fox, the production will represent her first opportunity to share her directing work with Kamloops audiences since taking over as WCT’s artistic director.
Fox previously worked as an actor for more than a decade at the Shaw Festival and spent three seasons at the Stratford Festival. She has also directed productions across Canada, including a 2025 production of Waiting for Godot at Toronto’s Coal Mine Theatre.
For the upcoming play at Sagebrush Theatre, Fox is overseeing a production that puts a major emphasis on its central plant character, Audrey II, a murderous venus flytrap.
Puppet designer Jenna Purnell was brought in to create an entirely new version of Audrey II specifically for WCT’s production. Multiple puppets are required to portray the plant as it grows throughout the story.
Local performer Rem Murray, known for WCT productions including Hurry Hard and Pride & Prejudice, will operate the puppets, while actor, director and educator Jovanni Sy will provide Audrey II’s voice.
Fox said watching the plant develop from an early puppet design into a full character has been one of the highlights of the production process.
“From the first moment the puppet designer arrived in our shop and Audrey II started taking on form and personality,” Fox said, “to seeing all the other design elements begin to create a whole world around her … it’s been a privilege to work on this tale of madcap, horticultural horror.”
The production also brings together a cast of returning WCT performers and newcomers.
Brett Williams, who appeared as Gilbert in WCT’s Anne of Green Gables–The Musical, will play Seymour, while Robyn Wallis, previously seen as Cosette in Les Misérables, will play Audrey.
Scott Bellis will play Mr. Mushnik, Seymour’s boss, while Victor Hunter takes on the role of the sadistic dentist, Dr Orin Scrivello along with multiple other characters.
The production’s music will also feature several Kamloops musicians. Local band-leader Alex Ward will serve as band-leader and bassist, joined by Naomi Cloutier on keyboard, Daniela O’Fee on piano, Kris Ruston on guitar and Jason Staruiala on percussion.
WCT says the production will incorporate comic-book influences alongside a stylized version of the original production’s location: Skid Row. The creative team includes set designer Hans Saefkow, lighting designer Louise Guinand, costume designer Marian Truscott and sound designer Doug Perry.
The show is recommended for audiences aged 12 and older.
WCT is also offering Pay-What-You-Choose performances and reduced-rate Indigenous Community Tickets as part of its efforts to make its programming accessible to the community.
Little Shop of Horrors runs Oct. 8 to 25 at Sagebrush Theatre, located at 1300 9th Ave. The production has a running time of approximately two hours and 10 minutes, including a 20-minute intermission.
More information and tickets are available through Western Canada Theatre.