SummerTide Theatre, the professional summer theater of The University of Alabama, returns for its fourth summer to the George C. Meyer Theatre Arts Center (home of the South Baldwin Community Theatre) June 1-29, and this year they’re bringing a “mean, green, mother from outer space” with them.

Look out, here comes Audrey II and she’s hungry for Gulf Shores! A funny and irreverent spoof of 1950s B-horror/sci-fi movies, “Little Shop of Horrors” woos us with the quirky romance of Seymour Krelborn, an orphaned boy raised by his grim Flower Shop boss, and Audrey, a breathtaking blend of Marilyn Monroe, Billie Dawn and Judy Holiday — whose blinding beauty is only surmountable by her radiant innocence.

At the center of this magical romance is Audrey II, a colossal man-eating plant that provides Seymour with his every heart’s desire, but at what cost?

Bent on world domination, or at least world-consumption, Audrey II takes a comical bite of the action in this musical rock-n-roll romp.

One of the longest-running off-Broadway shows of all time, “Little Shop of Horrors” has become a household name, thanks to a highly successful film version and a score by the songwriting team of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, who redefined the animated musical film with Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Aladdin.”

Charming, tuneful and hilarious, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, “Little Shop of Horrors” never fails to entertain.

Returning to Gulf Shores are Ben Holmes as Seymour, Allison Wilkes as Audrey, Stephen Tyler Davis as Mushnik and Elise Zieman (a native of Mobile) as one of the doo-wopping Ronettes. Those in attendance at last summer’s production of “Grease” will remember Holmes as Doody, the youngest and most naïve member of the Burger Palace Boys and as the golden, glistening Teen Angel.

Wilkes was featured in “Grease” as well, playing the role of Marty, the flirtiest girl in the group who dreamt of boys more than graduation.

Davis and Zieman both return after a year off from SummerTide, having last been seen by audiences as in the 2005 production of “Anything Goes”.

New to SummerTide are cast members David Alexander Cordell as Orin Scrivello (Audrey’s unconventional dentist boyfriend), DaWoyne Hill as the voice of Audrey II, as well as Stephanie Marie Mosley and Kelley Brown rounding out the doo-wopping girl group, “The Ronettes.”

SummerTide is made possible by the Herbert Clark West Endowed Support Fund at The University of Alabama with additional support from the George Meyer Foundation of Gulf Shores, The University of Alabama National Alumni Association, the Alabama Credit Union, and Capstone Village Inc.

Additional support is provided by the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau and South Baldwin Community Theatre.

The UA Department of Theatre and Dance is part of the College of Arts and Sciences, UA’s largest division with 6,600 students and 360 faculty. It is the largest liberal arts college in Alabama.

“Little Shop of Horrors” tickets can be purchased from the George C. Meyer Theatre Arts Center Box Office by calling 968-6721.

Performances will run Monday through Saturday, nightly at 8 p.m.

Tickets prices are $15 for adults, $8 for children 12 and under. Families are welcome, but parents are advised that the show does contain some moments in which parental guidance is suggested.

The theater is located at 2022 W. Second Street (corner of West 19th Avenue and West Second Street) in Gulf Shores.

Information is also available online at www.SummerTide.org.