Producers of the three-time Best Musical Revival Award-winning production of Little Shop of Horrors are thrilled to announce that Joy Woods (Six: The Musical, The Notebook musical) will return to Skid Row to star as Audrey, beginning May 2, 2023. Woods, who originated the role of Chiffon in the hit Off-Broadway revival, will play Audrey opposite Tony Award winner Matt Doyle (Company, The Book of Mormon) as Seymour and Broadway favorite Drew Gehling (Almost Famous, Waitress) as Dr. Orin Scrivello D.D.S. A new block of tickets to the musical and group sales has just been released for performances at the Westside Theatre (407 West 43rd Street).

Woods made her off-Broadway debut as Chiffon in Little Shop in 2019, and went on to star as Catherine Parr in the Broadway production of Six: The Musical, the world premiere of the musical adaptation of The Notebook, Dreamgirls, and Ratatouille: A TikTok Musical.

“We are thrilled to welcome Joy back to the Westside Theatre. She has been such an integral part of our company from the very beginning and having her return to the show in this new and exciting way is bound to be a joyous gift for audiences near and far,” says Producer Tom Kirdahy.

Doyle and Gehling currently star alongside Maude Apatow, who finishes her acclaimed run as Audrey on Sunday, April 30, 2023, Tony Award nominee Brad Oscar (Something Rotten!, The Producers, Jekyll & Hyde) as Mushnik, Aaron Arnell Harrington (RENT 25 Anniversary Tour) as The Voice of Audrey II, Tiffany Renee Thompson as Crystal, Khadija Sankoh as Chiffon, and D’Kaylah Unique Whitley as Ronnette. Completing the cast are Camryn Hampton, Weston Chandler Long, Chelsea Turbin, Teddy Yudain, Zakiya Baptiste, Jonothon Lyons, Noel MacNeal, Kevin Pariseau, Jeff Sears, Evan Alexander Smith, and Melissa Victor.

With a book and lyrics by Grammy and Academy Award winner Howard Ashman (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast), and music by Tony and Academy Award winner Alan Menken (Aladdin, Newsies), the 2020 Drama League, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama Desk Award-winning Best Musical Revival of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORSis directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Spring Awakening) and choreographed by Ellenore Scott (Funny Girl, Mr. Saturday Night).

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS began previews at Westside Theatre on Tuesday, September 17, 2019, and opened to widespread critical acclaim on Thursday, October 17, 2019. Ben Brantley of The New York Times deemed the show a “Critic’s Pick,” declaring that “a certain carnivorous plant has been re-potted in Hell’s Kitchen, and I am delighted to report that it’s thriving there. Michael Mayer’s delicious revival…summons the shivery elation I felt seeing the musical at the East Village’s Orpheum nearly four decades ago. It restores the show to its original scale and sensibility, reminding us of the special potency of grisly things that come in small, impeccably wrapped packages.” The Hollywood Reporter describes the production as “wildly exuberant and irresistible. This terrific revival will only deepen the devotion for those lucky enough to catch it.” Time Out gives the musical “Four Stars! A deeply satisfying revival… with a marvelous cast. What kind of deal with what kind of devil are you willing to cut to see it?” When the production re-opened its doors following the pandemic-related extended shut-down, Washington Post critic Peter Marks exclaimed, “I’m back at Little Shop of Horrors because, friends, I needed to laugh today. Hearing the glorious Menken/Ashman score sung by this cast fills the prescription. [A return trip] is WORTH IT.”

Seymour is a down-on-his-luck florist with a crush on his co-worker Audrey. When he discovers a mysterious – and voracious – plant, suddenly Seymour and Audrey are thrust into an epic battle that will determine the fate of the entire human race. LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS first premiered Off-Broadway in 1982, where it made audiences laugh, scream, and give up gardening for good. The musical has since catapulted into a global phenomenon, with productions across the world from Broadway to London’s West End, to Asia and Australia – plus a hit 1986 film adaptation directed by Frank Oz that starred Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene and Steve Martin. Now, the musical has made its highly-anticipated return home to Off-Broadway, in an intimate new production directed by Michael Mayer that offers an unprecedented opportunity to get close — maybe too close — to an incredible plant with an insatiable appetite.

The LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS design team features Tony-nominated Scenic Designer Julian Crouch (Hedwig and the Angry Inch); Two-time Tony-winning Lighting Designer Bradley King (Hadestown, Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812); Emmy-winning Costume Designer Tom Broecker (Everyday Rapture); Tony-winning Sound Designer Jessica Paz (Hadestown); Emmy-nominated Puppet Designer Nicholas Mahon (Pyeongchang Olympics Opening Ceremony) and Hair and Makeup Designer Tommy Kurzman (My Fair Lady). Original puppet design is by Martin P. Robinson, Puppets are by Monkey Boys Productions, and Grammy nominee Will Van Dyke (Pretty Woman) serves as Music Supervisor, Orchestrator & Arranger.

This production of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is the recipient of multiple theater awards and nominations including: four Outer Critics Circle Honors (Outstanding Revival, Outstanding Director: Michael Mayer, Outstanding Actor in a Musical: Jonathan Groff, and Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical: Christian Borle); The Drama League Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical, as well as, Distinguished Performance Nominations for Jonathan Groff and Christian Borle; two Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Revival of a Musical and Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical for Christian Borle, in addition to an Outstanding Actress nomination for Tammy Blanchard and Outstanding Scenic Design nomination for Julian Crouch; the Lortel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical for Christian Borle, as well as, a Best Revival Nomination, an Outstanding Lead Actor nomination for Jonathan Groff and an Outstanding Supporting Actress nomination for Ari Groover; and a 2021 Grammy Award Nomination for Best Musical Theater Album.

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is produced by Tom Kirdahy, Robert Ahrens, Hunter Arnold, Mickey Liddell, Caiola Productions, Curt Cronin, John Joseph, DDM Productions, DeSantis-Baugh Productions, Elizabeth Dewberry & Ali Ahmet Kocabiyik, Wendy Federman, Roy Furman, Deborah Green, Kayla Greenspan, Marguerite Hoffman, Sally Cade Holmes, Latitude Link, Seriff Productions, Silva Theatrical Group, and Eric Gelb/Oliver Roth. Casting is by Jim Carnahan, C.S.A./Jason Thinger, General Management is by Live Wire Theatrical/ Chris Aniello, Production Management is by Tinc Productions and Production Stage Management is by Sara Sahin.