Little Shop of Horrors
Little Shop of Horrors
November 4 – December 13, 2026
Začek McVay Mainstage at Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave.
Directed by Michael Weber
Music Directed by David Fiorello
Choreographed by Nataki Rennie
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
For more than four decades, this Tony Award-winning musical has delighted millions of fans around the world with the funny and frightening story of the shy shop assistant, his coworker crush and a mysterious, and carnivorous, plant. Written by the powerhouse team of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken (Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Beauty and The Beast and Aladdin), Little Shop takes audiences on a wild trip where love and world domination meet at a Skid Row floral shop.
Learn more about the cast and creative team in the tabs to the side.
MICHAEL WEBER (Director)
Michael is a nationally recognized, award-winning director, producer, actor, and educator. As the Elaine Cohen and Arlen Rubin Artistic Director of Porchlight Music Theatre, he recently directed Porchlight in Concert’s production of Follies and served as the Resident Director of the Chicago premiere of Titanique. Recently he directed the Off-Broadway and European premieres of Shake It Away: The Ann Miller Story and Call Me Elizabeth written by and starring Kayla Boye. Under his artistic leadership, Porchlight was awarded Chicago’s Jeff Award for “Best Production” six times for A Class Act, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Sondheim on Sondheim, The Scottsboro Boys, Dreamgirls, and Blues in the Night. Porchlight productions that he directed, including Cabaret, Gypsy, End of the Rainbow, Sweeney Todd, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Pal Joey, Assassins, and Side Show, as well as Grand Hotel at Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place and She Loves Me at Theatre at the Center were each nominated for the Jeff Award Award for Best Production.
DAVID FIORELLO (Music Director)
David is an Equity Jeff Award-winning Music Director, Director, Playwright and Performer who is no stranger to Porchlight. His work at PMT has spanned multiple seasons of Chicago Sings, New Faces Sing Broadway, Revisits Series, ICONS Galas and special events, as well as Music Directing the Mainstage productions of Gypsy, Blues in the Night, and most recently, The Irish…And How They Got That Way. Chicago & Regional credits include work at The Goodman, Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakes, Drury Lane, The Fulton Theatre, and Maine State Music Theatre. David is the Founder & Artistic Director of The Beautiful City Project, using the tool of musical theatre to raise funds for charity. He also heads up Fiorello Studios, a premiere vocal coaching studio in Chicago, as well as the Music Theatre program with the International Lyric Academy in Vicenza, Italy. David sends continual and undying love to his warrior wife Sarah. www.fiorellostudios.com
NATAKI RENNIE (Choreographer)
Nataki is beyond excited to be back at Porchlight Music Theatre! Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Nataki is a graduate of the musical theatre dance concentration program at the Chicago College of Performing Arts. Recent Chicagoland theatre credits include Beautiful the Carole King Musical at Drury Lane Theater, and White Christmas at the Marriott Theatre. She was previously seen on the Porchlight stage in Anything Goes, and in previous Chicago Sings productions. In her free time she enjoys thrift shopping, creative writing and laughing with loved ones. Nataki would like to thank all of her family, friends, and teachers for their love and support. IG: @nataki__
MAX MAXIN IV (Lighting Designer)
After over a decade in Chicago, Max has created over 300 designs on over 200 professional & educational productions, and is a member of the United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE. He has won 2 Non-Equity Jeff Awards (Lighting – Jekyll & Hyde @ Kokandy and Projections – Angels in America @ Invictus), a Lou Award (Lighting – Into the Woods @ Big Noise), and 3 Equity & 9 additional Non-Equity Jeff nominations. Max has also designed on 1 Equity & 6 Non-Equity Jeff Award Winning Musicals/Plays. He is the Resident Lighting Designer for Roosevelt University’s CCPA & before that was an instructor at Northeastern Illinois University for 7 years (Instructor Excellence Award, 2019). A founding member of Another Door Theatre Project, Max worked for 3 years as Head of Production/Resident Scenographer. He spent 2 summers designing lighting for the touring opera company La Musica Lirica (Novafeltria, Italy). Favorite projects at Porchlight, Kokandy, Paramount, The Gift, Black Ensemble, Invictus, American Blues, Handbag, Cincinnati Shakespeare, Mercury, TATC, Black Button Eyes, BoHo, Steppenwolf Garage, City Lit, ADTP, CCPA, NEIU, Northwestern, & DePaul. ivMaxin.com
Gregory Graham (Costume Designer)
Gregory is a Chicago three time Jeff nominated costume designer and milliner. His credits include: That’s What Friends Are For (Black Ensemble Theatre); Coronation (Refracted Theatre Company); Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus (Marriott Theatre); Stokely: The Unfinished Revolution, The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice (Court Theatre); Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet, Dream: A Community Reimaging of A Midsummer’s Night Dream (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); Mothers (Gift Theater) The Writer (Steep Theatre); Blues for an Alabama Sky, Anna in the Tropics, Routes (Remy Bumppo Theatre); The Porch on Windyhill, Garbologist, Fireflies (Northlight Theatre); Once (Writers Theatre); Is God Is (A Red Orchid Theatre); From the Mississippi Delta (Lifeline Theatre); A Mile in the Dark (Interronbang Theatre Project); The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre); 1919 (Steppenwolf Theatre); Enough to Let The Light In (Teatro Vista); The Prodigal Daughter, Private Lives (Raven Theatre); Ernest Shackleton Loves Me, Rent, Porchlight Revisits: Passing Strange (Porchlight Music Theatre); On the Greenbelt, Herschel and the Hanukkah Goblins (Strawdog Theatre); The Facts of Life: Satan’s School for Girls, The Drag Seed (Hell in a Handbag Productions). Regional: The Children, The Treasurer (Next Act Theatre); The Wiz (Children’s Theatre of Madison); Raisin (Skylight Music Theatre); Blood at the Root (Millikin University, School of Theatre and Dance). Education: BA in Theatre Design, University of Illinois at Chicago . www.gregorygrahamdesign.com
Matthew R. Chase (Sound Designer)
REGIONAL/SOUND DESIGN: Always a Bridesmaid, Strangers On A Train (Meadow Brook Theatre); Assassins (Capital City Theater). CHICAGO/SOUND DESIGN: Follies, The Irish… and How They Got That Way, Fun Home, Sunday in the Park with George, Anything Goes, Ernest Shackleton Loves Me, Cabaret, Rent, Spring Awakening (Porchlight Music Theatre); The Golden Girls: The Cheese Pyramid, A Lost Episodes parody; The Real Housewives of the North Pole (Hell In A Handbag Productions); Rock of Ages (Metropolis Performing Arts Centre); Diana, Tell Me On A Sunday, The Secret Garden, Never Better, The Sondheim Tribute Revue, Assassins, Baked: A New Musical! (Theo); Legally Blonde: The Musical, Little Shop of Horrors, Shrek the Musical, The Producers, Pippin (Music Theater Works); Who’s Holiday (Theater Wit); The House Without a Christmas Tree (Griffin Theatre Company); Elephant And Piggie’s We Are in a Play (Marriott Theatre). CHICAGO/PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT: Mud Row (Remy Bumppo Theatre Company); Adolescent Salvation, The Ally, Inanimate, Who’s Holiday!, Household Spirits, The Whistleblower, Hurricane Diane, Mr. Burns a post electric play (Theater Wit); Girls and Boys, Astronaut Group 1, The House Without a Christmas Tree, Marys Seacole, Heisenberg (Griffin Theatre Company); The Secret Garden, Never Better, A Little Night Music, The Sondheim Tribute Revue, Assassins, Baked!: A New Musical, Passing Strange, The Threepenny Opera (Theo); Spring Awakening (Porchlight Music Theatre). www.matthewrchasedesign.com
Jonathan Berg-Einhorn (Scenic & Props Designer)
Bill Walters (Stage Manager)
KAIT AUBURN
Performer
Kait is thrilled to be making her Porchlight debut in this concert series! Kait recently premiered her own concert, Hey There: the Music of Rosemary Clooney. Chicago credits: Addams Family, Ragtime, Cabaret, Legally Blonde and Anything Goes. Other credits include: Shrek, Joseph, Bright Star, Elf and the world premier of 2076 at Columbia University. Offstage, Kait is either dancing, gardening or playing with her dog, Sesame. Many thanks to Ethan, family, and friends for their love and support. Kait earned her BFA from the University of Michigan – Go Blue!
SAMANTHA BUCKLEY
Performer
Samantha is so excited to be joining Porchlight Music Theatre for New Faces Sing Broadway 1976! Credits include A Christmas Carol (Metropolis Performing Arts), the world premiere of An American Tail the Musical (Children’s Theatre Company), Smokey Joe’s Cafe (Lyric Arts) and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Highland Summer Theater). Sam holds a BFA in Musical Theater from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Sam thanks her family, friends, and Felipe for all their love and support.
ANDRES J. DELEON
Performer
Andres is thrilled to be making his debut with Porchlight Music Theatre as a New Face! Some of his favorite credits have included The Wedding Singer (Metropolis); Finding Nemo, In The Heights (Marriott Theatre); and Fun Home, Rock of Ages (Paramount Theatre). He has also been seen in productions with the American Music Theatre Project, Music Theater Works, Theo, Beautiful City Project and others. Later this year you can find Andres under the sea in Marriott Theatre’s The Spongebob Musical as Patrick Star. Andres is represented by Big Mouth Talent inc. and is endlessly grateful to his family and friends for their constant love and support! andresjdeleon.com IG:ajiodeleon.
ELLA MAY GATLIN
Performer
Ella May is thrilled to be making her Porchlight debut! Recent credits include Anya in Anastasia (Festival 56), Adriana in The Comedy of Errors (Festival 56), Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel (Music Theatre Works), Mistress in Passion (Blank Theatre Company) and The Singer in The 4th Graders Present an Unnamed Love-Suicide (Bump in the Night Theatre Co.) Ella recently graduated from Northwestern University with a double major in Theatre and Psychology. She would like to thank her family, friends, and partner for all their love and support!
CLAIRE GUTHRIE
Performer
Claire is a singer, actor and Chicago-based Texan. Recent Chicago credits: TL;DR (Theo Ubique), Bold Stroke (Foaming @ the Mouth Fest). Claire is a recent (and proud!) Northwestern grad, where she performed in several new musical workshops (Cowboy Bob, Wonder Boy) and shows (As You Like It, Violet, Everybody). Outside of work, Claire is a passionate bike commuter and a regular at her local falafel shop.
GAVIN HARPER
Performer
Gavin is thrilled to be making his Porchlight Music Theatre debut in New Faces Sing Broadway 1976! Gavin is a performer, conductor, director and arts enthusiast. Gavin grew up in the Virginia Beach area, but has spent the last four years making Chicago his home. Favorite credits include: Cinderella (Virginia Musical Theater), Sister Act, Beauty and the Beast (Oak Lawn Theater); The Last Five Years (Generic Theater); and Grotesquerie Lake (Zeiders Dream Theatre). He is also a choir conductor for Uniting Voices Chicago, and Music Director at Street of Dreams Theatre. He holds a BA in Music and MME in Choral Conducting. Sending much love to his incredible friends, his partner Jonathan, and his furchildren: Charlie and Leo.
MICIAH LATHAN
Performer
Miciah is a Chicago Native excited to make her Porchlight New Faces debut. She was recently seen in Little Shop of Horrors at Marriott Theatre and Time Machine a Tribute to the 80’s at Black Ensemble Theatre. Her choreography credits include Urban Love Story (TYA Black Ensemble Theatre) and Ragtime Beverly Arts Center. Lathan wants to bring emotional depth and passion to every role she’s given. She would like to thank her supportive family “TGBTG”.
DARROW RICHMOND
Performer
Darrow is excited to make his Porchlight Music Theatre debut. From the South Suburbs, Richmond has performed in Homewood- Flossmoor, IHSTF All State, Chicago Heights’ Drama Group, Uptown Music Theater, Towle Theater and Dominican Performing Arts productions: Big (Big Josh), Aida (Mereb), Bright Star (Billy Cane), Dreamgirls (C.C. White), Hairspray (Gilbert, Seaweed u/s), Little Shop of Horrors (Ronnette), White Christmas (Mike Nulty), Company and The Little Mermaid (Jetsam). While studying Theatre, Richmond earned international championship titles on the University of Illinois Chicago Speech Team. Now, Richmond would like to thank his loved ones for always encouraging him, and the Porchlight family for welcoming Richmond with open arms. Following New Faces Sing Broadway 1976, Darrow is performing in the Black Ensemble Theater Production, You Can’t Fake the Funk, check out Richmond’s Instagram: @darrow.rv for more!
TAELON STONECIPHER
Performer
Taelon is a singer and actor based in Chicago. He was most recently seen as Jinx in Forever Plaid with Madkap Productions. Originally from Houston, some of his favorite credits include Urinetown (Bobby Strong) and Next to Normal (Gabe) with Island ETC; Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens (Sammy Sax) and Silence! The Musical (Miggs/Ensemble) with Obsidian Theater; Plaid Tidings (Jinx) with Unity Theatre; Goosebumps the Musical (Zeke); and Flat Stanley The Musical (Arthur/Ensemble) with Main Street Theater; Carousel (Chorus) and the world premiere of Monkey and Francine in the City of Tigers (Monkey) with Houston Grand Opera.
BEN WOODS
Performer
Ben is an actor/director based in the Chicago area. He holds an M.M. from Carthage College, where he also works as an assistant professor, and a BFA from Southern Methodist University. Ben is thrilled to be making his Porchlight debut in this production. His past credits include Men of Soul & The Jackie Wilson Story (Black Ensemble Theater), Godspell (Music Theater Works), Sister Act (Northern Lakes Arts Association) and Next to Normal (Northern Lakes Arts Association), LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (KAPA REP). Lastly, he’d like to thank God, his family, friends, and mentors for their support. Instagram: @thebenwoods.