Cast Album of Little Shop of Horrors Hits Stores Oct. 21

By Robert Simonson
and Kenneth Jones
21 Oct 2003

The cast album of Broadway's new production of Little Shop of Horrors, which was recorded Sept. 15 by DRG Records, will be released on Oct. 21.

Hugh Fordin produces the disc, and composer Alan Menken executive produces. The album will include four demo tracks of songs written for the show, featuring Menken and the late Howard Ashman.

Menken and lyricist-librettist Howard Ashman penned the Off-Broadway smash 20 years ago, inspired by the B-grade horror film of the same name. The show didn't have a Broadway run, but became a Hollywood movie directed by Frank Oz. The Broadway bow of the musical comedy is currently playing the Virginia Theatre.

Jerry Zaks directs, Kathleen Marshall choreographs and Kerry Butler and Hunter Foster play Seymour and Audrey, co-workers in a flower shop whose world is rocked by an alien man-eating plant.

Menken and Ashman went on to write songs for animated Disney projects such as Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid. Ashman died of AIDS-related causes in 1991.

Visit drgrecords.com.