Alan Menken and Howard Ashman’s Little Shop of Horrors will return to its roots (so to speak) with an Off-Broadway bow later this year, with Tony nominees Jonathan Groff and Tammy Blanchard taking center stage.

Tony winner Michael Mayer (recently represented on Broadway with Burn This) will direct the production, beginning September 17 at the Westside Theatre. Opening night is set for October 17.

Groff (Hamilton, Spring Awakening), soon to return to the small screen for the second season of Netflix's Mindhunter, will star as the gawky Seymour, with Emmy winner Blanchard (most recently on Broadway in The Iceman Cometh) as his flower shop companion Audrey. Joining them as sadistic dentist Orin is two-time Tony Award winner Christian Borle (Falsettos, Something Rotten!, Peter and the Starcatcher).

The musical adaptation of the famously low-budget 1960 horror film features a score by Menken and a book and lyrics by the late Ashman; the two have described their score "the dark side of Grease." After the show premiered Off-Broadway in 1982, a 1986 movie musical adaptation featured Ellen Greene reprising her stage performance as Audrey opposite Rick Moranis. A Broadway production opened in 2003.

The production will feature choreography by Ellenore Scott, sets by Julian Crouch, lighting by Bradley King, costumes by Tom Broecker, sound design by Jessica Paz (Hadestown), and puppets by Nicholas Mahon. Will Van Dyke serves as music supervisor;. casting is by Jim Carnahan, CSA.

Tickets are now on sale for performances through November 24.

The producing team includes Tom Kirdahy, Robert Ahrens, Hunter Arnold, Mickey Liddell, Curt Cronin, and John Joseph.