Book and Lyrics by Howard Ashman
Music by Alan Menken
Based on the film by Roger Corman, Screenplay by Charles Griffith Originally produced by the WPA Theatre (Kyle Renick, Producing Director) Originally produced at the Orpheum Theatre, New York City by the WPA Theatre, David Geffen, Cameron Mackintosh and the Shubert Organization Licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia). Original Vocal Arrangements by Robert Billig
New Arrangements by Michael Kosarin
Orchestrations by Danny Troob
The Knox School 2026 Senior School Production Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Saturday
7:00pm
7:00pm
2:00pm
7:00pm
AUG 20 AUG 21 AUG 22 AUG 22
From the Director
At first glance, Little Shop of Horrors – Alan Menken and Howard Ashman’s horror comedy rock musical about a sentient, carnivorous alien plant and a timid florist’s assistant – doesn’t immediately strike as a natural fit for a school production. What could our young people have to say about a 1980s cult off-Broadway show, itself based on a low-budget horror B-movie from the 1960s? Seymour Krelborn, a hapless orphan working at Mr Mushnik’s Skid Row Florist, dreams of escaping his deadend life and pines after his co-worker Audrey. Seymour’s discovery of a “strange and interesting” plant brings the struggling florist shop back from the brink of closure, and Seymour finds himself on a trajectory towards fame, fortune and love. However, the plant harbours a dark secret, and Seymour faces ever-increasing moral crises as he struggles to feed the plant’s insatiable hunger. On closer inspection, Menken and Ashman’s show remains frighteningly timely. It questions how far a person who has nothing - and nothing to lose - will go. It presents morally grey characters, who are simultaneously compromised and compromising. It shows an other-worldly force which preys on the poorest of the poor, and feeds on the very human desire to better one’s life and circumstances. Well, as for our young people - poised to step into a rapidly changing, ethically thorny and ever-more volatile world - I cannot imagine a better group of storytellers to bring this salient tale to life. Little Shop of Horrors is undoubtedly a political play, commenting on late-stage capitalism, the machine of modern celebrity, and the desperation felt by those who exist on the edges of society. But it is also a rollickingly good night at the theatre, with a Doo-Wop and Rock-andRoll infused score, a taut and hilarious script, inventive choreography, terrific vocals… and of course, one showstopping plant. TKS students have navigated the challenges in this epic piece of theatre with commitment, skill, humour and trust. This show, despite its larger-than-life characters and exaggerated style, demands absolute truth, and the students have delivered that in spades. It is thrilling to see and hear the wonderful work of our Little Shop orchestra. This year, in addition to our talented staff members, we welcome students into the band. I thank them for their valuable contribution. I would like to acknowledge our student choreographers Holly Callinan and Caio McDonald, whose choreographic work together is creative, full of artistry, collaborative, and always story-led. In addition to their brilliant work in devising, staging, and teaching their peers, it is wonderful to see them as dancers and performers in this piece. My gratitude to Max Bimbi, Nico di Stefano, Melissa Ciaravolo, Sinead Coulter, HeaSeung Jeong and Zoe Neal, who have quietly and gracefully done mighty work behind-the-scenes. And my thanks to you, dear audience, for choosing to spend your evening with us at the theatre. We welcome you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show… but whatever you do… don’t feed the plants! Anna O’Byrne Director
From the Musical Directors The world of Little Shop of Horrors is brought vividly to life through its iconic musical score, treating audiences to a vibrant mix of rock and roll, doo-wop and Motown-inspired sounds that are as infectious as they are memorable. As Seymour’s unlikely journey unfolds, each song draws us deeper into the lives of the characters, sharing their hopes, fears and ambitions while filling the stage with humour, suspense and irresistible musical energy. The process of bringing Little Shop of Horrors to life began in October 2025, when we announced it as The Knox School’s 2026 production. Auditions began shortly after, and we were immediately blown away by the incredible talent within our school community. From acting and singing to dancing, we knew very quickly that we had something special on our hands, and we were excited for the year that lay ahead. Since those first auditions, the world of Skid Row has steadily emerged on our stage. Throughout rehearsals, the cast have worked tirelessly to develop their singing skills, refine their vocal harmonies, and bring energy and expression to their characters. Seeing our students develop as performers, support one another, and take ownership of their characters has been one of the highlights of this production journey. This year we are running with a live Production Band comprised of both students and TKS Music staff. Performing in a live pit orchestra presents unique musical challenges, and our student musicians have embraced them with enthusiasm and dedication. Their growth as ensemble performers is evident in the energy and vitality they bring to the score, enhancing each scene and supporting the storytelling unfolding on the stage. For us, one of our favourite parts of putting on a musical is seeing the community that grows along the way. We have loved watching our senior students take younger students under their wing, sharing their experience, offering encouragement and helping them find their confidence. Seeing friendships develop across year levels has been incredibly special, and we know that these friendships will last long beyond their time on stage. It goes without saying that it has been an absolute privilege to work alongside such talented, dedicated and enthusiastic students, staff and alumni, all united by a genuine passion for their craft. Putting on a musical is no small undertaking, and this production would simply not be possible without the commitment of so many people. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the cast, band, crew, staff, alumni, families and friends, as well as the wider TKS community, for the time, energy, encouragement and support you have given throughout this process. Most importantly, we hope you enjoy watching Little Shop of Horrors as much as we have enjoyed being part of its journey. We are extremely proud of everyone involved and cannot wait to share this very special production with you. Nico Di Stefano & Melissa Ciaravolo Musical Directors
“The guy sure looks like plant food to me!”
Cast
Eric Li Seymour
Stephanie Jarvis Audrey
Cooper Gration Mr. Mushnik
Joshua Hick Orin Scrivello
Arien Manuel The Plant (Voice)
Belle Collins Crystal (Urchin)
Methuki Don Chiffon (Urchin)
Annabelle Budiman Ronette (Urchin)
Avina Adeli Vandella (Urchin)
Saachi Gohil Shirelle (Urchin)
Dhaani Nagaich Blossom (Urchin)
Oak Tysoe The Plant (Puppeteer)
Caio McDonald Frankie Jefferson The Plant (Puppeteer), Bernstein, WSKID Voice of God, Shadow Seymour, Choreographer
Imogen Ilott Mrs. Luce, Interviewer
Elisha Daftary Skip Snip
Bowen Li Patrick Martin/ Customer
William Zhu Wino, WSKID
Isabella PriscoBowles Trolley Lady
Holly Callinan Shadow Audrey, Dancer, Choreographer
Ensemble
Hannah AbdelHafez Dancer
Daniyal Ali
Aleeza Azmaan Moulana Customer
Alex Bianchin
Nischal Challur
Aleisha Cormick Dancer
Kavya Dasgupta
Rishekh Deepak
Arishka Dhariwal
Kavish Gajaria
Miraya Gajaria
Leah Hibbert
Ensemble
Michael Hick WSKID
Sarah Hilliard Dancer
Health Ilott
Cici Jin
Sunny Kolwalkar
Nikita Lad
Alicia Lee
Tristan Liyanage Don
Hope Luciano Shadow Girl, WSKID
Ishaan Manuel Shadow Boy
Piper Magnik
Cassandra Ng
Nilo Nishar
Hui En Ong
Emma Purcell
Jayme Schnitzler WSKID
Toby Stiglec
Neya Sundhar
Maneli Vaziri
Jason Yang
Zaydan Zaman
Mason McDowell Electric Bass
Aran Nota Percussion
Alex Peng Clarinet
Student Band
Megan Lee Flute
Frederick Long Percussion
Hudson McDowell Trumpet
Sophia Wang Tenor Saxophone
Sidath Wickramasinghe Guitar
Zachary Woon Keyboard
The videotaping of this production is a violation of United States Copyright Law and actionable federal offense. Photography is strictly forbidden throughout the performance.
Our Creative Team DIRECTOR Anna O’Byrne CHOREOGRAPHERS Holly Callinan Caio McDonald ASSISTANT DIRECTOR/ CHOREOGRAPHER/PRODUCER Max Bimbi MUSICAL DIRECTORS Nico Di Stefano Melissa Ciaravolo CONDUCTOR Nico Di Stefano BAND (STUDENTS) Megan Lee Frederick Long Hudson McDowell Mason McDowell Aran Nota Alex Peng Sophia Wang Sidath Wickramasinghe Zachary Woon BAND (STAFF) Andrew Darling (Trumpet) Ben Carr (Reeds) HeaSeung Jeong (Keyboard) Lincoln McKenzie (Guitar) Karman Melitsis (Flute) Alex Spicer (Drum Kit) STAGE MANAGER Zoe Neal (Alumni) CREW COORDINATOR Joshua Long
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS was originally Directed by Howard Ashman with Musical Staging by Edie Cowan
BACKSTAGE CREW Abigail Beer Anaya Bhatia Aliyah Huwald Meera Mohanathas Nithya Nayak Vivian Ngyuen Laura Paproth Aster Yang (Alumni)
PROGRAM AND MARKETING Max Bimbi Sarah O’Connor REHEARSAL PHOTOGRAPHY Max Bimbi Linda He (Alumni) Ryan Yu PRODUCTION PHOTOGRAPHER Cameron Grant (Parenthesy)
PUPPETS Western Arts Theatre Company
BACKSTAGE SUPERVISION Audrey Zhang, Emma Kenny, Glenn Bennie, Jade Hand, Liesl Schultz, Marko Mandusic, May Wang, Melanie Smith, Sarah McKenzie, Stephanie Cerquarelli
SET DESIGN/CONSTRUCTION YourShow Anna O’Byrne Max Bimbi LIGHTING DESIGNER Mark McDowell (YourShow) LIGHTING OPERATORS Alfie Beavers Declan Cotter Jack Simpson Andre Branda-Pawlacyk (YourShow) SOUND AND MIC COORDINATORS Sam Beavers (Alumni & YourShow) Jade Shanahan (YourShow) COSTUME COORDINATOR Sinead Coulter COSTUME/HAIR & MAKE UP ASSISTANTS Natalie Coulter Nina Chen Sam Elford Lily Gaunson Gary Ji Ryhan Kakar Claire Lin Riya Mehra
WITH SPECIAL THANKS Beth Higgs Cameron Grant (Parenthesy) Costume Box Emily & Miss Molly Floral Design Front of House Students HeaSeung Jeong Laura Pearce Janelle Mathias Jenny Lutz Mark McDowell (YourShow) Meg Warren & Western Arts Theatre Company Michelle Ozcan Natalie Coulter Nikki Kirkup Nick Eynaud (Wigs) Richard O’Byrne Sandy Elkassaby (Sweet Story) Shani Cossins Stephen Fitchett Toni-Ann Bright Wayne Greig & TKS Maintenance Team
These performances of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (BROADWAY VERSION) are licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia).
220 Burwood Hwy, Wantirna South Ph: 8805 3800 – E: info@knox.vic.edu.au www.knox.vic.edu.au