Latest news with #LittleShopofHorrors
Buzz Feed
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Jinkx Monsoon Calls Out J.K. Rowling's Name
When it rains, it pours. This is Broadway star and RuPaul's Drag Race alum Jinkx Monsoon, and she had a few cleverly-placed words for the author best known for creating the Harry Potter series. In a clip for her upcoming interview with Ziwe, Jinkx answered a cheeky question about whether or not J.K. Rowling would "make a good Roxy Hart in Chicago." In addition to winning Season 5 of RuPaul's Drag Race and Season 7 of Drag Race All Stars, Jinkx has starred on Broadway as Ruth in Pirates! A Penzance Musical, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, and "Mama" Morton in Chicago. She is set to take over as Mary Todd Lincoln in Oh, Mary! in August 2025. Jinkx feigned confusion about J.K.'s identity, seemingly addressing a larger conversation surrounding the British author's anti-trans politics. "Who is Jake? Who is he? Jake Hay Rowling?" Jinkx asked. When Ziwe pointed out that J.K. was a "she", Jinkx immediately said, "Oh, dear. That is not a feminine name in the slightest." Jinkx then suggested that J.K. intentionally misled readers about her gender. "I know that oftentimes, female authors use initials so that people assume it's a male writer," Jinkx said, before adding, "I have to presume that J.K. Rowling was unsatisfied with the way that the world saw her, and then she transitioned herself into a new personality so that the world would perceive her the way she wanted to be perceived." Ziwe and Jinkx locked eyes for a moment, and she responded, "Gagging." In a July 2017 Teen Vogue interview, J.K., whose real name is Joanne, revealed that her publisher for Harry Potter suggested she "disguise" the fact she was a woman so the book "might appeal" to all genders. The author said it didn't last long because once she got a lot of publicity and an advance from America, she was "outed as a woman." Notably, J.K. also writes The Cormoran Strike series under the pen name Robert Galbraith. Over the last few years, J.K. has made headlines for her anti-Trans comments and active campaigning against laws in the UK that would allow transgender people to change their legal gender. Earlier this year, when the UK Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the legal definition of a woman only applied to those whose biological sex is female, J.K. shared a photo with the caption, "I love it when a plan comes together." Watch the clip from Jinkx's interview with Ziwe below: The full interview airs on July 31 at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
New York Post
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Slashercise' workouts at LA studio involve stabbing movements, plastic chainsaws and serial killers videos
This new workout is a scream. Killer Fitness, located in Burbank, California, offers health nuts and horror fans the chance to run for their lives — it's not exercise, it's 'Slashercise.' Strength is built and endurance is tested during hour-long classes where participants jump, kick, and punch against a giant screen that features looped footage of movie monsters, crazed killers and villains like Freddy Kruger. Advertisement 'Horror movies are a form of adrenaline-pumping escapism and so is exercise,' co-owner Vanessa Decker told The Los Angeles Times, 'I don't know, it just works!' 3 Killer Fitness in Los Angeles offers horror-themed 'Slashercise' workouts. Instagram/slashercise Decker and her partner Ama Lea are also artistic collaborators who bonded over their shared love of camp and macabre, co-creating the 2024 film 'Slashercise.' A montage of slasher sequences and workout routines, the film follows a serial killer, cheekily named Meathead, who attacks fitness instructors at an LA gym. Advertisement A hit among horror lovers, fans of the film were clamoring to have a real-life slasher-esque experience. Decker and Lea delivered, opening Killer Fitness in May of 2025 with 'Slashercise' as their signature class. The hour-long sessions focus on core work and is an homage to the retro, repetitive style of '80s workout videos from icons like Jane Fonda, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Richard Simmons. Advertisement Strength training is spookily supplemented with horror-themed props like plastic chainsaws and fake knives. A move to master? 'The Final Girl,' named for the horror archetype of the lone female survivor who confronts the killer and lives to tell the tale. 3 Slashercise includes props like plastic chainsaws and fake knives, really selling the horror theme. As Decker notes, chain gyms can be bright, annoying, and deterring to potential clients. Despite the dark undertones of Killer Fitness, she wanted to create a space that feels as welcoming as it does wonderfully weird. Advertisement 'Working out can be daunting, so we just want it to feel inviting. There's goat yoga, so why not a gym for horror fans?' However, Decker and Lea bill Killer Fitness as more than a gym, advertising the slasher inspired space as an immersive universe. The decor is decidedly '80s, with plenty of neon and fake blood to go around. 'Where every sweat session is a scene, and you're the star. Whether you're here for the nostalgia, the fitness, or just the chance to scream your lungs out between reps — we've got a spot for you,' they said. Among the other offerings at Killer Fitness are 'TERRORTwist,' a dance workout with cardio choreography pulled directly from cult favorites like Michael Jackson's 'Thriller,' 'Little Shop of Horrors,' and 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show.' 'Flexorcism' is Killer Fitness's version of a pilates class, billed as 'die-namic.' 3 Classes include 'TERRORTwist,' a dance workout with cardio choreography pulled directly from cult favorites like Michael Jackson's 'Thriller.' There's also 'horror yoga' and 'flexorcism.' Instagram/slashercise 'Corpse Pose Killer,' is a yoga-inspired class that promises, 'You'll leave breathless, sweaty, and feeling dead—but totally empowered.' Advertisement While the classes are marketed to horror fans, the workouts are designed for anyone looking to build strength, endurance and confidence and all instructors are certified by the American Council on Exercise. 'We're here for everybody and all body types,' said Lea, who also designs the shop's workout wear 'That's so important to us.' Fitness fans can document their post workout glow in Killer Fitness's vintage photo booth and outfit themselves in apparel to die for from the team's on site store.
Extra.ie
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Little Shop of Horrors rocks the Bord Gáis energy theatre
When the hopeful production team put out a casting call for talent for this show, little did they imagine they would get over 2,000 audition tapes and would have to whittle those down to a final 160 to call for audition. The talent in Little Shop of Horrors is outstanding, and the cast of 17 super-talented individuals who made the final cut come from all walks of life, but are all multi-talented and all 100% Irish. This was the dream of the production team behind Little Shop of Horrors at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin, and it has finally become a reality for TheatreworX with their first full in-house production in the BGET. 2FM DJ David O'Reilly and Jacqueline Brunton in Little Shop of Horrors From the magical set, the centrepiece of which is the giant plant, The Audrey II, to the revolving flower shop and the live band, this show captivates from the word go. You will recognise a lot of the cast too, David O'Reilly who plays the leading man Seymour is a seasoned performer with a number of BBC and ITV dramas under his belt, but he's also well known as a presenter on Dublin radio station FM104. He made Seymour his own, full of fun, vulnerability and joy. His cohort and love interest Audrey, is played by Jacqueline Brunton. She holds a degree in Music and Performance from Maynooth University and spent three seasons as lead vocalist in the Irish Wilde Nights Cabaret aboard the Oscar Wilde ship on the high seas. Every night she entertained hundreds of passengers with her amazing vocal skills. She makes a perfect Audrey, just ditsy enough, but full of character and gutsy with it in the end. David O'Reilly and Jacqueline Brunton perform as Seymour and Audrey from Little Shop of Horrors on Dancing With The Stars Pic: Kryan O'Brien Taking on the role of the Dentist, is a very recognisable figure, one Johnny Ward, an actor whose screen credits include Love/Hate, and Fair City, but his theatre credits also include West Side Story in concert and the smash hit musical Copper Face Jacks. He was also a past finalist on RTE's Dancing with the stars. But you are in for a treat with his depiction of the Dentist, who has a fondness for motorbikes and causing pain, with his over the top antics with a drill, to his snake-hip dancing, and the vocals, which were out of this world, this man will make you laugh along as he throws himself wholeheartedly into the role of Orin, a far cry from his usual roles as a menacing character on screen. Johnny Ward stared on Love/Hate. Photo: RTE. When you think about a musical based on a B-movie that in itself wasn't a huge hit, this show at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre surprised and delighted the audience who were on their feet before the cast had taken their final bows. Hats off to the cast, the band, the crew and the entire team behind this all-Irish production of Little Shop of Horrors. If you haven't got your tickets yet, what are you waiting for? The show runs until the 9th August. Just remember, Don't feed the plant!
RTÉ News
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Little Shop of Horrors opens for business in Dublin
With Little Shop of Horrors set to open at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin this weekend, Evelyn O'Rourke headed there to meet the creative team behind the theatre's first in-house production. In 1986 a movie called Little Shop of Horrors burst on to cinema screens, telling the story of a hapless florist called Seymour who stumbles upon a mysterious plant that grows into a monster. The American horror comedy musical film, directed by Frank Oz, was a big hit with cinema audiences at the time, subsequently transferring to stage version which has been a popular show for both amateur and professional productions over the years. This weekend sees a new stage production opening at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin and the excitement is building as the team there is producing its own in-house production for the first time. "The aim is to give Irish musical creative teams, both on and off stage, an opportunity to work on a home grown level production on a major scale," explained Stephen Faloon, General Manager of the theatre. The cast and creative team behind Little Shop of Horrors. Photo by Brian McEvoy Claire Tighe, director and choreographer for the show in Dublin, describes this production as a "statement of intent by investing in a fully Irish cast and creative team" and explained how it started with an open casting call where over 2,000 hopefuls auditioned. "The idea is to demonstrate the breadth of musical theatre talent, not just only on stage but also in supportive, and the off stage, creative side of things." She went on to explain how "most talented people, the people who want to work within the industry, have to go abroad to work elsewhere, because that is where the action is, so to bring it to Ireland is special." Musical director David Hayes also teaches at the School of Music in Cork and he said that young students are very interested in developing music related careers here. "There are a number of under graduate third level courses in Ireland, and now with the Leaving Cert rolling out the new theatre, drama, and film studies course too this year, it shows the on-going interest," he said. David O'Reilly as Seymour Krelborn. Photo by Cían O'Riain He is enthusiastic about this production, noting that "this is an important moment for musical theatre, it takes a step forward, that we don't have to go to the UK all the time anymore, or it isn't our default, that you have to go, to the UK, we can do it here." He added, "there's an opportunity, there is space, there's facility, there are resources and now there's a will which was the missing bit I guess." David O'Reilly, who is playing Seymour Krelborn in the show, said that he and his friends have always had to focus on the UK as a base for work explaining that "certainly when I went over in 2007, if you wanted to work in musicals, you had to go over and live in London and train in London and kind of carve out a career there, so think its going to really change the landscape of musical theatre in Ireland and I'm very proud to be part of it." Little Shop of Horrors is set to open in the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre on 25 July. Photo by Brian McEvoy Faloon said they have been building towards this production for many years, explaining that they are usually host touring West End productions and that "for 16 years I have watched, Irish talent come on and off stage as part of a tour of a brilliant West End or Broadway show, even like Kinky Boots last week, that we had two Irish stars in it, but they can't get work in Ireland." He added "they have to go to London and beyond in order to get work, and this is the chance to bring them back home." We need your consent to load this rte-player content We use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preferences Little Shop of Horrors opens at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre on 25 July and runs until 9 August 2025.
Irish Daily Mirror
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Johnny Ward says brave mam will be in the audience for Little Shop of Horrors
Actor Johnny Ward has told how his brave mother plans to be in the audience for the Irish premiere of the Little Shop of Horrors. Johnny stars in the upcoming show at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre, which opens to the public from Friday, July 25. The Dubliner takes on the role of Orin in the theatre's first ever all-star Irish cast. Next Tuesday will see the stars – which include David O'Reilly and Kenneth O'Regan - perform for a special opening night – and Johnny said he will have more than just his lines on his mind. He revealed his mother, Kathy, will receive results after doctors found a lump two and a half months ago. "Yeah, I suppose it's all on Tuesdays. Of all the days, Tuesday is our opening night and Tuesday is kind of where we'll know how things stand with my mother, and what they kind of do for the next six months." Dubliner Johnny said the last year "has been a nightmare". David O Reilly, Jaqueline Brunton and Johnny Ward from the cast of The Little Shop of Horrors on stage in rehearsals at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre. Picture Brian McEvoy "This time last year she was obviously diagnosed with cancer. Where do you start? Like she just kept collapsing then on top of that, she had a heart attack, and she had a stroke, and then she had something called takotsubo cardiomyopathy (broken heart syndrome). "I suppose I didn't really take it as seriously as what I should've over the lockdown. It was a no brainer for me to move back in. And then, you know, we've got a really, really amazing arrangement between myself and my wife and my mam. "The last year has been an absolute nightmare, particularly like August to January was very difficult. August to November in particular was so tough, the worst. "We were told the worst at one stage, and she has cancer, and it was stage four and it was in part of her pancreas. "So part of her pancreas had to come out. It was just one step forward and two steps back. On top of that, once he was in the hospital, there's slow, very, very slow and extensive recovery, and then she got Covid, then she had a bad fall, then she had to be put on a feeding tube. "It was very difficult. She went into convalescent care in November and then she got out in January, and since then, you know, it's been great." But he said that on Tuesday, doctors will give them a new indication about what lies ahead for the next six months. "We know that the light is kind of dimming, and we need to go back into the tunnel for a while and kind of see where we stand for the next couple of months. "She's a suitable advocate for immunotherapy. The most recent thing is that they found a lump almost two and a half months ago. "But the professor actually recommended that given everything that she's been through, let's see if it gets any bigger. That's kind of where we stand." Lights, ! It was feeding time on Skid Row as the Bord Gais Energy Theatre and TheatreworX unveiled the set for their dazzling new production of Little Shop of Horrors in Dublin, Pictured were the cast including David O Reilly Johnny Ward and Jaqueline Brunton ahead of the shows opening this Friday 25th, it will run until until 9th August. But he said his mam will be in the audience with Johnny's wife Brenda cheering him on. "Tuesday is going to be very eventful. My mum will be there on Tuesday. My wife will bring her in. "From what you learn is you just take so many things for granted, and you have to be grateful for the last six months. "She's out walking now. She's doing it on her own. "She's got an amazing sense of independence, and I honestly thought that door was closed a long time ago. She's doing really, really well. And she just, yeah, she can't wait to come on Tuesday, regardless of the results." Speaking about the Little Shop Of Horrors, Johnny said: "It's great to be a part of. Everything feels brand new and it feels really special. It is the first in-house production ever to be in the Bord Gais Energy Theatre, which is really, really special to be a part of. "It's a lot of excitement, it's a lot of fun, it's a fantastic atmosphere and it doesn't feel like work. It's the most amazing bunch of people. "I suppose for a long time, to make it as a musical theatre performer it was a no brainer that you had to go over to the UK to make it in the West End so the fact that they have put on a production is hopefully a stepping stone for many more in house production from Bord Gais to come." Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
