Film & TV NewsEllen Greene-Led Beatrix Is Invisible Film Sets West Coast Premiere
Alex Farias' film will debut at the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival.
By
Andrew Gans
June 03, 2025
Beatrix Is Invisible poster art and actress Ellen Greene
Ellen Greene, the celebrated singing
actress known for her work on stage and on the silver screen in Little Shop of Horrors, leads the cast of the new short film Beatrix Is Invisible, which will make its premiere later this month.
Written and directed by Alex Farias, the film will debut June 24 at noon PT at the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival. Greene, who stars in the title role, is joined by Rhys Mitchell, Taylor Shurte, Haiden Pino, Justin Livingston, Melina Paez, and L'metrius Long.
In the new film, Beatrix, feeling
disconnected and insignificant, reaches out to the world around her
for meaning. When she is unsuccessful, she is called to step far out of
her comfort zone to sense her place in the world again.
About Beatrix, Greene tells °ëµºÌåÓý, "She used to have a life, an identity. She was a wife and a mother. She was of the world. She had sex. Now her child's full grown, and there's no husband in sight. It doesn't even seem like she has any friends—she has no vocation, and she's not on social media. So who is she now? What's her identity? How does she sit in the world?
"Well, she reads an awful lot of books," Greene continues. "She's an avid reader. She reads about people with disabilities who overcome them, and her disability is loneliness and depression. She's very curious, she's generous, she's just a sweet woman, and she loves art. This [film] is her journey to figure out who she is now and how she fits in the world and what is her significance."
Greene created the role of the lovably good-hearted Audrey in the Off-Broadway, Los Angeles, and London productions of Little Shop of Horrors and was subsequently chosen to reprise the part in the 1986 cult film. She also re-envisioned her Audrey opposite Jake Gyllenhaal at New York City Center in summer 2015. On Broadway Greene was seen inRachael Lily Rosenbloom and Don't You Ever Forget It, The Little Prince and the Aviator, Three Men on a Horse, and Threepenny Opera (for which she was nominated for a Tony). Some of her Off-Broadway credits include The Nature & Purpose of the Universe, Teeth & Smiles, and for The Public Theater, In the Boom Boom Room and The Sorrows of Stephen. Her numerous films include Next Stop, Greenwich Village; The Professional; Talk Radio; One Fine Day; and The Cooler, while her TV credits include Glory! Glory! for HBO (Ace Award nomination), Dinner at Eight, Aunt Vivian in Pushing Daisies, and Sylar's mother in Heroes. She was also a guest star on The Walking Dead and Hannibal. In 2009, she played Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls at the Hollywood Bowl.
The Palm Springs International ShortFest runs June 24-30 and is open to the public. Tickets will go on sale June 5 by clicking .
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Take a Look at the Letters and Memories in Ellen Greene’s Little Shop of Horrors Scrapbook
Take a Look at the Letters and Memories in Ellen Greene’s Little Shop of Horrors Scrapbook
The show began a 2,209-performance run at Off-Broadway’s Orpheum Theatre July 27, 1982.
21 PHOTOS
Me and Lee (Wilkof)...he was my fave on the Orpheum Stage with Howard (Ashman) directing the shoot before opening
This is from when we went to LA to perform at the Westwood (which later was named after David Geffen � ps david came to the first day of shooting of the film to wish us luck). That's my sweet sweet Alan and Howie and that's Marty (Marty Robinson who designed the plant � he was my boyfriend at the time) with our pup Snuffy (after Marty's character in Sesame Street) in the second plant � how young.
This is a close-up of Audrey during a photo shoot in London. Looks like I was just ravaged� and had a good time!
Beginning of the ravage�
Audrey Meets the Queen- I was so scared and had practiced my curtsy� but as we were lined up right before we were to meet, I asked aloud if I should cover up, for I had a little jacket. The dress was the stunt double's dress. John Bright of Cosprops (many Oscars) had found and took in within an inch of my life (we knew Audrey dresses were right when I had trouble breathing� I had a slant board on set)... So Julie Andrews chimed in with, "No, give the prince a thrill." So when the Queen got to me she was so white (like she had lived in a closet� but beautiful and with diamonds� very little make-up), so when she queried, "So I hear you came all the way from America," I was so scared all I could say was a quick yes and a curtsy!
We had the most wonderful 40th birthday for Howard at my loft around a 10-foot table. I cooked and baked for days..and at my wedding upstate at Donn's on June 17th, 1990, when my husband Tibor was saying his I dos....to be honest� I was looking at my Howie in his seersucker suit with Bill by his side, knowing I should relish looking at him for I wouldn't have him much longer....he passed the next year. I loved him so.
Howard was about to leave me in London at the Comedy, and he wrote me this note (p.s. Howie was the first to take me to Paris� first thing he did is make me a bubble bath, pour me Champagne and give me my first taste of caviar� it was dreamy!)
My Connie (Constance Grappo) and Lee (Lee Wilkof) in my dressing room at the Comedy - she assisted-directed with Howard � and, of course, Leeland was my Seymour - they met and fell in love during the rehearsal/run of the show!!!!!!!!
I am waved to by my Dawny (Dawn Hope) at the beginning of "Somewhere That's Green" ... I was scared and asked her to be on stage with me as an urchin. Here we are after "Hey, Mr. Producer" for Cameron Mackintosh at Joe Allen's in the West End.
My Donny (Donn Palladino) and me in my beautiful dressing room at the Comedy.
Terry O'Neil (Faye Dunaway's husband at the time) took this on the set while we were shooting - hot!!! - Christian (Klikovits) and I used this as the poster for our show Torch!
Christian played "Somewhere That's Green" for "Showstoppers" at Lincoln Center. The audience stopped me twice as I began singing� He was so proud that people still loved and remembered Little Shop and my Audrey that he put his head down and wept� such a sweet memory.
On set with Colin Jamison doing the wig in the film. He and his wife Jan were wonderful to me and ... so was Paul Englen (we ended up doing the stage make-up for the film) and Marit Allen, who did the costumes. The wig I am using for City Center was the wig I used for Hey, Mr Producer, and Colin was kind enough to come to the Savoy to recut before that night for the Queen. He came to me after giving Sean Connery a haircut...gosh... I was honored and impressed.
