Performances begin July 6 for the Berkshire Theatre Group production of Little Shop of Horrors. Rather that use a puppet to depict Audrey II, Broadway actress Bryonha Parham (Ragtime, After Midnight) is providing the voice, and lip-syncing Drag Queen, Taurean Everett, is performing onstage as the actual plant.

The show officially opens July 9.

“My collaborators and I knew we wanted to find a fresh way to manifest Audrey II, in all her fun and terrifying glory,“ commented director Ethan Heard in an earlier statement. “We've decided to bring the infamous plant to life, not with a puppet, but with a fabulous, lip-syncing drag queen onstage (Everett) and a powerhouse, female, actor-singer offstage (Parham). Designed by Miodrag Guberinic, who has crafted eye-popping window displays for Bergdoorf Goodman and stunning costumes for Madonna, our Audrey II will be more magical, thrilling, and hilarious than ever. Fashion, camp, and ferocity combine to embody Seymour's wildest dreams...and nightmares.”

The production is playing at the Colonial Theatre through July 23. The popular Alan Menken and Howard Ashman musical is directed by Heard with choreography by Parker Esse and musical direction by Rick Bertone.

The cast also features Stanley Bahorek as Seymour (Broadway: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Amazing Grace), Lindsay Nicole Chambers as Audrey (Broadway: Lysistrata Jones, Legally Blonde, Hairspray), Alia Hodge as Chiffon (Regional theatre: Dreamgirls), James Ludwig as Orin (Spamalot, Little Shop of Horrors), Jalise Wilson as Crystal (Hairspray), Stephen DeRosa as Mushnik (On the Town) and Kay Trinidad as Ronnette (Broadway: The Little Mermaid.)

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit BerkshireTheatreGroup.org. The Colonial Theatre is located at BTG’s Pittsfield Campus, 111 South Street, Pittsfield.