Musical theater fans RAGE on “nepo baby” Maude Apatow is cast in Little Shop Of Horrors

Many musical theater fans have been left furious at the Off-Broadway revival of the classic Little Shop Of Horrors.

Actress Euphoria Maude Apatow, daughter of Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, makes her stage debut as leading lady Audrey.

When the ad appeared on Playbill’s Instagram account, the comments were filled with stinging remarks claiming it was set for nepotism.

An Instagram user announced the start of “Nebo Baby Season” and quoted stage legend Patti LuPone: “Broadway has become Disneyland for the rich.”

“Nebo baby strikes again,” one commenter scoffed, while another quipped: “I had to double-check this wasn’t a meme,” and another wrote: “You’re kidding right.”

Well, I was worried that someone working for the part might get it, said one commenter on social media.

Another quipped: “It’s nice to see new kids thrive when so many of them can’t get a job,” and another remarked: “Throw the stunt and the new kid.”

COMING SOON: Maude, who has already acted in the hit show Euphoria, will make her stage debut in the Off-Broadway revival of the classic Little Shop Of Horrors

“Why is this an option?!?” One commenter on Instagram wondered when a young actress angrily wrote, “Yeah Lemmy just rip up my diploma.”

“Could she even…know what, never mind,” said one social media user in the comments. “I almost forgot you asked.”

Maude had a few advocates, too, including one who argued that casting a TV character was helping “the entire cast and crew” “hold their jobs a little longer. It’s never about just one person.”

Broadway theater has a long history of welcoming showbiz legacies, from the famous Barrymore acting dynasty including John, Ethel and Lionel onwards.

‘Just suck it up’: While a bevy of Instagram commenters slammed the decision to cast ‘nebo baby,’ Maude had a few defenders, too

Carol Burnett became a star in a show called Once Upon a Bed with Music by Mary Rodgers, whose father was Richard Rodgers from Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Oscar Hammerstein himself was the son of a director who opened a chain of opera houses and is now the namesake of New York’s Hammerstein Hall.

Since 1965, the youngest ever Best Actress Tony winner has been Liza Minnelli, daughter of Judy Garland and acclaimed director Vincente Minnelli.

Lisa was just 19 when she came home to Tony for Flora, The Red Menace, the first-ever Broadway show scored by Kander and Ebb of Cabaret and Chicago fame.

Remember when: Ellen Green, who appeared as Audrey off-Broadway in 1982, was cast in the 1986 film adaptation of the classic with Rick Moranis.

In recent years, Ben Platt, who won a Tony Award for the musical Dear Evan Hansen, is the son of film producer Marc Platt.

Jonah Hill’s young sister Beanie Feldstein opened in a revival of Barbra Streisand’s old Vehicle Funny Girl last year, receiving a harsh critical response and being replaced by Glee star Lea Michele, who launched her career on Broadway.

Maude is one of the glut of rising stars with her famous parents, from Johnny Depp’s daughter Lily-Rose Depp to Andie MacDowell’s daughter Margaret Qualley.

Maya Hawke, whose parents are Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, and Kaia Gerber, whose mother is Cindy Crawford, have also become famous in recent years.

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Curtain Calling: Ellen Photographed at Encores! Production of Little Shop Of Horrors alongside Jake Gyllenhaal as leading man Seymour

Also coming are Madonna’s daughter Lord Lyon, Heidi Klum’s daughter Lenny Klum, and Elvis Presley’s granddaughter Riley Keough, among others.

Online chatter about the “new babies” came to a head in December after New York magazine published a viral cover story about the phenomenon.

Dakota Johnson, whose parents are Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith and whose grandmother is Hitchcock blonde Tippi Hedren, was one of the faces on the cover.

Then Jamie Lee Curtis, daughter of psychic actress Janet Leigh and Some Like It Hot, Tony Curtis, entered the discussion.

Showbiz legacy: Judy Garland (right)’s daughter Liza Minnelli (left) appears backstage at Flora’s 1965 musical, Red Menace, which won a Tony

Describing herself as the “OG Nepo Baby,” she complained, “The current conversation around newborns is designed only to try to diminish, distort, and harm.”

Little Shop Of Horrors is an 1980s musical with a book and lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken – the duo who became key players in the Disney renaissance by penning the songs for The Little Mermaid and Beauty And The Beast.

The show follows a mild-mannered florist named Seymour who simultaneously pines after the love of his life, Audrey, while dealing with a giant Venus hunter in his care who survives by eating people.

Before Seymour learns of her vegan eating tendencies, he names her Audrey II because of his feelings for the leading lady.

Pedigree: Lisa, portrayed in Flora, opening night of The Red Menace with her father, acclaimed director Vincent Minnelli, became the youngest actress ever to win a Tony Award.

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Little Shop Of Horrors first opened Off-Broadway and then moved to Off-Broadway for five years beginning in 1982.

Based on a 1960 movie, the musical features a grainy musical score that was heavily influenced by the music of the 1960s, particularly Motown.

Little Shop Of Horrors was a massive hit, becoming the highest-grossing Off-Broadway show, but Howard Ashman resisted the idea of ​​a Broadway transfer because he felt the project was more at home off-Broadway, according to The New York Times.

Links: In recent years, Ben Platt, the Tony Award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen, is the son of film producer Marc Platt

Little Shop Of Horrors achieved new heights of fame when it was made into a 1986 movie directed by Frank Oz, who played Yoda in the Star Wars movies.

Ghostbusters actor Rick Moranis led the cast as Seymour, while Audrey was played by Ellen Greene, who had originated the role off-Broadway.

The musical finally made it to Broadway in 2003, in a revival that featured names like Billy Porter and Joey Fatone over the course of its run.

Audrey was played by actress Alice Ripley, who a few years later won the Tony Award for Best Actress for the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Next To Normal.

FAMILY BUSINESS: Jonah Hill’s little sister Beanie Feldstein opened in a revival of Funny Girl last year (pictured), only to receive an intense critical response and be replaced