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 the Porchlight in Concert 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__
BILL WALTERS* (Stage Manager)
Bill was the Stage Manager for Porchlight in Concert’s Follies and Sunday in the Park with George, Passing Strange, Minnie’s Boys, Do Re Mi, On a Clear Day…, and Chess, as well as Porchlight and Broadway in Chicago’s Titanique! at the Broadway Playhouse. A Chicago native, Bill began his career as a singer and dancer appearing in over 20 productions at Candlelight Dinner Playhouse in Summit, IL (1981-1987.) He was seen as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors which opened the Royal George Theatre in 1987. Bill then returned to Candlelight as the Stage Manager, working on 30 productions before it closed its doors in 1997. Since then, he has stage managed productions at Drury Lane Oakbrook, Ravinia, the Barn Theatre in Augusta, Michigan and Theatre at the Center in Munster, IN. Bill was the Director for Chicago Folks Operetta’s Arizona Lady in 2010, and The Circus Princess in 2012. Bill recently retired from Lyric Opera of Chicago where he was a Stage Manager and the Supernumerary Captain for 20 years. Thanks to Michael for this opportunity.
JONATHAN BERG-EINHORN (Scenic & Props Designer)
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
TRISTIN HALL (Violence and Intimacy Designer)
Tristin is thrilled to be working with Porchlight for the first time! Tristin is Chicago born and raised actor, Intimacy and Fight Choreographer trained with IDC, SAFD, and BASSC. They have choreographed at Northlight, Steep, Strawdog, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Writers, Bramble Theater, Jackalope, Theater Evolve, and Babes with Blades to name a few. Tristin is a proud founding member of Point Theatre Project and of Gladiator Fight Night! If you want to see them fight, check out their work at pointtheatreproject.com. All the love to their family for their constant support!
PRODUCTION STAFF
RACHEL WEST (Production Manager)
LINDA MADONIA (Company Manager)
ADAM FANE (Assistant Director)
KATIE NOWAK (Assistant Stage Manager)
JORDAN ZICKMANN (Assistant Stage Manager)
KIANA J. BEVERLY (Dance Captain)
JOSH BERNASKI (Intimacy and Violence Captain)
CECELIA CHAN (Assistant Props Designer)
NICK ZABEL (Scenic Supervisor)
ARTHUR KARSON (Paint Charge)
KRISTI MARTENS (Costume Supervisor)
RILEY WOODS (Lighting Supervisor)
MATTHEW R. CHASE (Sound / Media Supervisor)
(in alphabetical order)
DARYN ALEXUS (Standby Understudy for Crystal, Ronnette, and Chiffon)
Daryn studied music and theater at Columbia College Chicago. She made appearances in primetime television shows Chicago Med, Empire, Next, and The Chi, as well as a variety of commercials with Adidas, State Farm, McDonald’s, and many more. Seen in Safronia at the Lyric Opera, Dream Girls at Paramount Theater, Gospel of Colonus at Court Theater, and more!
KIANA J. BEVERLY (Chiffon)
Kiana is thrilled to be making her Porchlight debut! Recent credits include: The Wizard of Oz and The Wedding Singer (Ensemble) at Metropolis Performing Arts Center, as well as Lil’ Inez in Hairspray aboard Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas. She would like to thank her family and friends for all of their support. Follow her journey and future endeavors on Instagram! IG: officialKianaBeverly
JOSH BERNASKI (Audrey II – Puppeteer, Understudy for Orin Scrivello and Mr. Mushnik)
Josh is so happy to be making his Porchlight debut! Josh puppeteered and voiced Tigger and Eeyore in Disney’s Winnie the Pooh, with the Off-Broadway, Chicago, LA and National Tour companies. In Chicago, Josh has worked with Paramount, Marriott, Manual Cinema, Lifeline, Shakespeare Project, Drury Lane, Kerfuffle and others. Beyond Chicago, Josh works often at regional theaters across the country and toured five years around the world with Artspot Educational Theatre. Proud graduate of Temple University, represented by BMG Talent, founder of The Connecting Routes Project. Thanks to his ever supportive family, friends and Ashley. www.joshbernaski.com
ERLINE DORCY (Standby Understudy for Crystal, Ronnette, and Chiffon)
Erline is a passionate performer, educator (Drama Teacher at Morgan Park Academy), and arts advocate. Her international credits include Rafiki in The Lion King at Disneyland Paris and Lead Blues Singer in Big Band Beat at Tokyo Disneyland. She has also performed as a lead vocalist with Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Lines. Her regional credits include Sarah in Ragtime at the Beverly Arts Center, Nancy in Oliver!, Armelia in Ain’t Misbehavin’, Lorrell in Dreamgirls, and a Dynamite while understudying Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray at the Beverly Arts Center. She received a Black Theater Alliance Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Dreamgirls. Recently, she understudied for the role of Patti LaBelle in Black Ensemble Theater’s Jeff Award-nominated production of That’s What Friends Are For. As founder of Take a Bow Productions, Erline empowers children through theater education and creative expression. She thanks her family for their unwavering support. “Theatre transforms imagination into truth and gives every voice the courage to be heard.”
TYLER EHRENBERG (Standby Understudy for Audrey II – Puppeteer)
Tyler is thrilled to be joining his first show with Porchlight! He is a Chicago based actor most recently seen in FAME with The Beautiful City Project as Nick. He’d like to thank his family and friends for supporting him through everything. He would also like to ask everyone to please feed the plant, as nothing bad will happen and everyone is doing it.
ADAM FANE* (Orin Scrivello and Everyone Else)
Adam is thrilled to return to Porchlight with this seminal classic. Porchlight credits: Jack Dawson in Titanique! and Tony Elliot in Billy Elliot. Other credits include: Disney’s The Little Mermaid (MUNY); Rock of Ages (National Tour); Salome & Medea (Lyric Opera); Frozen, The Full Monty, Into The Woods and The Producers (Paramount Theatre); Jim Hensen’s Emmet Otter (Studebaker); Ms. Blakk for President (Steppenwolf); Shrek the Musical, Gypsy, and Ride the Cyclone (Chicago Shakes); First Date (Royal George); Sex Tips (Chicago & Edinburgh Fringe); Jersey Boys, Spamalot, Pippin, and Avenue Q (Mercury Theater). Film: Canal Street. TV: Chicago PD. IG:@almostfanemous
DONNALESLY FONDJO (Crystal)
Donnalesly is thrilled to be making her Porchlight Music Theatre debut playing Crystal in Little Shop of Horrors. Recent credits include Ensemble in Heartbreak Hotel (Derby Dinner Playhouse, IN), Crystal in Little Shop of Horrors (Little Theatre on the Square, IL), Ada Twist in the National Tour of Ada Twist, Scientist and Friends (TheaterWorksUSA, NY), Dynamite in Hairspray (Festival 56, IL), Rose in Fever/Dream (Hangar Theatre, NY), and Lucrece in The Liar (Kitchen Theatre, NY). Donna is deeply grateful to God and her loved ones for their love and support. IG: @donnaleslyy
NIKI-CHARISSE FRANCO (Standby Understudy for Audrey II – Voice)
Niki-Charisse is a Chicago native and a University of Iowa Theatre Alumni. She is so excited to be part working on one of her favorite musical of all time with Porchlight. Her previous credits include The Uncanny Attic: E-H (The Witness), Alice by Heart (Red Cross Nurse/ Queen of Hearts), and Hair (Dionne). She would like to thank all her loved ones who have supported her through the years as well her coaches who have helped her grow!
SAM HOOK (Standby Understudy for Seymour Krelborn)
Sam is excited to make his Porchlight Debut! Previous credits include Rock Of Ages (MPAC), Amelie (Kokandy Productions), and A Year With Frog And Toad (YPT). Thanks to his family, friends, and his entire Chicago community who he truly wouldn’t dream of doing this without.
ANEESAH JEMEI (Ronette)
Aneesah is excited to be making her Porchlight Music Theatre debut with the wonderful cast of Little Shop of Horrors! Recently, Aneesah has been seen in Oil Lamp Theatre’s The Marvelous Wonderettes as Suzy Simpson and Janus Theatre Company’s An Iliad as The Poet. Graduate of Illinois State University; B.S. in Musical Theatre/Vocal Performance. At ISU, Aneesah was also cast as Natalie in Next to Normal and Hänsel in Hänsel and Grétel. Aneesah is based in Chicago/Chicagoland and, as always, sends her love to family and friends for their never- ending support! Follow @aneesah.jemei on all socials!
ANDREW LINDEN (Seymour Krelborn)
Andrew is thrilled to be making his Porchlight debut, as well as his first show in Chicago! Before moving from Madison, Wisconsin, you may have seen him in shows with Forward Theater, Children’s Theater of Madison, and Capital City Theatre. He is so excited to be in the city and wants to thank his friends, family, partner Tess, and cat Gilda.
STEVE MCDONAGH (Mr. Mushnik)
After having played Seymour under Michael Weber’s direction many years ago, Steve is happy to be here again to demonstrate the passage of time. Chicago credits include Anything Goes (Porchlight; Jeff Nomination); Judgment Day, Comedy of Errors (Chicago Shakespeare); The Music Man (Goodman); Henry Johnson (Victory Gardens); The Producers (Music Theatre Works); The Drowsy Chaperone (Theo); Dames at Sea (Citadel). Regional credits include Every Brilliant Thing (Farmer’s Alley; Wilde Award); Into The Woods (Saugatuck Center); A Christmas Story (MGM Beau Rivage); Wizard of Oz (Alabama Shakespeare); All That Beauty (CATF); Elephant Man, Native Gardens (Williams Street Rep). FILM: “Twisted Little Lies” and “Night Nurse.” TV: “Chicago Fire”, “Chicago Med” and many ‘exasperated dad’ commercials. As celebrity chef, Steve is Season One winner of “Food Network Star”, co-host of “Party Line with The Hearty Boys” and authored the cocktail guide “The New Old Bar”.
JUWON TYREL PERRY* (Audrey II – Voice)
Juwon has always been drawn to stories that sing, surprise, and leave a mark. For more than twenty years, Little Shop of Horrors has done exactly that. Porchlight audiences may recognize Juwon from Spring Awakening, Broadway in Your Backyard, and the Chicago Sings series. His work has also been seen at Goodman Theatre, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, The Arkansas Repertory Theater, Geva Theatre, and the Tony Award-winning Court Theatre, among others. Beyond the stage, Juwon’s cinematic reinterpretations of beloved songs have built an audience of more than 100,000 followers across social media, with performances reaching millions of viewers worldwide. Connect with him on Instagram and TikTok @juwontyrelperry.
GRACE REIDENAUER (Standby Understudy for Audrey)
Grace Is so excited to make her Porchlight Music Theatre debut in Little Shop of Horrors! She earned her BFA in Musical Theatre with an Emphasis in Dance from Roosevelt University in 2025. Her recent credits include Loki: The End of the World Tour as Hel (Lifeline Theatre); Always Something There (Marriott Theatre); Rock of Ages (Metropolis); and Chasing The Party (A 2025 Oscar Qualified live-action short film). She would like to thank the team for their passion about this project and for a supportive creative environment, as well as her friends and family for making her life so beautiful and fun.
ALINA TABER* (Audrey)
Alina is thrilled to be making her Porchlight Theatre debut. Recent credits include: Brokeback Mountain (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Anthony Rapp: Home for the Holidays (Lookingglass Theatre); Picnic, Winter’s Tale (American Players Theatre); The Lord of The Rings: A Musical Tale (International tour and original American cast; Te Civic, Auckland NZ and Chicago Shakespeare Theater); A Streetcar Named Desire (Paramount Theatre); Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Marriott Theatre); Grease (Drury Lane Theatre); and Once (Writer’s Theatre). In TV and Film, Alina was a recurring character on the One Chicago shows (Lexi Olinsky). As a cabaret singer and print model, she can be seen throughout Illinois performing or pretending to be a gambling addict on bus stop ads, billboards, and casino pamphlets. IG: @alinajeninetaber
*denotes a member of Actors Equity