Sierra Stages presents “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Dead Man’s Cell Phone”

Sierra Stages continues its 2016 season with the devilishly delightful hit musical “Little Shop of Horrors” at the historic Nevada Theatre in Nevada City this summer from July 14 through August 6, as well as the beguiling comedy “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” at the Off Center Stage in Grass Valley from September 29 through October 16.

Little Shop of Horrors” is one of the most popular musicals of all time. The show debuted off-Broadway in 1982 and ran for five years, was made into a popular and memorable film (starring Rick Moranis and Steve Martin) in 1986, premiered on Broadway in 2003, and received thousands of productions over the past 35 years.

The Sierra Stages production is directed by Robert Rossman, with musical direction by Ken Getz. The set and lighting design is by Erin Beatie and costume design is by Jill Kelly. The cast includes Nevada County actors Jay Barker, Audrey Delgado,Nancy Haffey, Jackie Kolenko, JR Lewis, Ken Miele, Tracy Nickle, Conor Nolan and Kim Wellman.

“Little Shop of Horrors” is popular because it is so fun to put together and so entertaining to watch. The music by Alan Menken is an amalgam of Broadway and ’60s rock and roll, with clever twists and turns, and the lyrics by Howard Ashman are straight forward and accessible.

The final show of the Sierra Stages 2016 season is “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” by Sarah Ruhl. “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” features comedy, mystery, romance, supernatural events, with eccentric characters in extreme situations— all because a young woman answers a stranger’s ringing cellphone.

“It’s an act any of us might do at any moment, but in this case the repercussions are huge,” says director Sharon Winegar. Playwright Sarah Ruhl explores the way individuals make contact in this digital world. If you’ve ever yearned for the good old days of rotary telephones, this is your kind of show. And if you’ve ever wondered how you existed before the advent of iPhones, this is your kind of show.

(Photo: David Wong)