When the College of the Canyons theatre department debuts its production of “Little Shop of Horrors” on the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center stage on Friday night, it will be seen in a different light thanks to a technical light package purchased by the college’s new technical theater program.

The $120,000 light package will allow for a highly automated production of the horror comedy musical, said Harriet Happel, director of career and technical education at the college.

“We are very excited that our new technical theater program has been able to purchase state-of-the-art equipment recommended by our advisory board industry partners that will benefit our career technical education students here at College of the Canyons,” said Happel.

The college’s new technical theater program launched in April 2017 and offers students the opportunity to earn a certificate or associate of arts degree in technical theater.

Created by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, “Little Shop of Horrors” is a musical about a florist shop worker who raises a flesh-eating plant, which he names Audrey II.

Performances of the COC theatre department’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors” will take place at 8 p.m. April 27-28 and May 4-5. Matinee performances will run at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 29 and May 6. General admission tickets are $12. Students and seniors are $6.

The light package, funded in part by a Carl D. Perkins Technical Education grant, will be operated by COC technical theater student, Julia Ciociolo, during the show’s run.

“She has been instrumental in programming the lights for this performance,” Happel said.

For more information or to purchase tickets please contact the PAC box office at 661-362-5304 or visit the PAC website.

More about the COC Theatre Department
Part of the college’s School of Visual and Performing Arts, the COC theatre department offers a highly regarded transfer program with three-degree options available to students in the field of theatre.

Students interested in attending a COC theatre department performance or learning more about the program are encouraged to email theatre@canyons.edu.

For more information about the College of the Canyons theatre department, please visit the department’s web page or like its Facebook page.