Little Shop of Horrors, now performing at Near West Theatre, is a hysterical evening of what-did-he-do and FEEEEEEEDING!
Disclaimer: This piece will be full of bias and 'team spirit'. I'm not really a reviewer, I just love seeing artists thrive in their creative space. I'm here sharing the good wealth of art.
I am in the minority of a lot of theatre fans, meaning, I am not super familiar with a lot of musicals. I know! Bad theatre person! I was aware of Little Shop's existence, and saw the film AGES ago, but I had never seen a staged version, so this was a real treat for me!
So what's it about?
Many reading this are familiar with this story, so I'll keep it brief. For those not familiar, spoilers ahead! Guy (Seymour) works at failing floral shop on the wrong side of town and secretly loves girl (Audrey). During a total eclipse, a mysterious plant lands on Earth and Seymour is the one who finds it. He names it after Audrey, loves it, and grows it, until he discovers it's a blood loving monster that needs fresh meat to live. After murder, mayhem, love, and lies, Seymour and Audrey fall in love in a crescendo of show recap.
So who's in it?
Seymour Krelborn is played by Pat Miller, who does a fantastic job of making us feel for Seymour and making us laugh along the way. We get to to experience his anguish while enjoying his melodic voice. Audrey is played by Sydney Noelle Warren - she hits the high notes and your feels, making you dislike her boyfriend just as much as Seymour and Mushnik. Mushnik, played by Chris Sgarlata, has a power on stage that keeps the family feeling created in the floral shop alive. When he (SPOILERS!) is eaten, the audience felt it and he was missed. Audrey II, the larger than life plant-person-people-eater of ALL the people, was played by Stephanie Samuels, and she blew the roof off of NWT! Amazing vocals, and fantastic maneuvering of the plant. Now the Dentist... Mr. Orin Scrivello... was played by Danny Simpson. He completely shined on stage and was an absolute scene stealer. His (SPOILERS!) death was the most melodramatic, hylerical (iykyk) death I've seen in a long time. His cameo's later in the show were fantastic as well. The trio of Chiffon, Crystal, and Ronnette, were played by Sara Danielle Chapman, Paris Bunch, and Sarah Green respectively. Not only did they open the show with a bang, they closed the show with a belt, and carried the show with humor, amazing vocals, and fantastic moves. The remaining ensemble of Jasmine Banes, Kyla Burks, Mike Mahoney, Katie Mounts, Ricky Ortega, and Camila Pinero all added depth to the spaces created on stage, hilarious moments, and beautiful stage pictures. Job well done to all.
So what's it look like?
The set design, by Perren Hedderson, was amazing! I audibly said "wow!" as the first major set transition happened. It opens up, twists, turns, and swivels and even after getting an up close and personal look at it post show, I still don't totally understand how it works. And that is amazing! The lighting design, by Robert Wachala, was electric... no pun intended. All the sweet moments were sweeter, the fast upbeat songs were like pop concerts, and the color pallet was beautiful against the amazing set. It was truly a spectacle. The sound production team of James Romeo and Joshua Caraballo was outstanding. Never missed a single thing we were supposed to hear and the enhancement of the actors and band (and cues!) was excellent. Costumes, by David Glowe, fit perfectly with each characters individual flare, and looked great. Transitioning over to the Audrey II puppet by Annie Krol.... wow! There were so many pieces and parts and what a team effort working it! It was a sight to be seen (see photo above!). Additional shout outs to Whitney Miller, Bradley Wyner, Kirk Lydell, Venchise Glenn, Emily Hehnen, Michael Stein, Jen Hitmar-Shankland, Emily Brady, Dana and Emma Sumpter. All of these individuals hard work was seen and appreciated. Keep creating art! Additional shout outs to the LIVE pit band of Bradley Wyner, Rchel Woods, Nikki Grimes, Jesse Hodgson, and Jaiden Willis. The show sounded AWESOME! Big shouts outs to the often unmentioned stage crew (in reviews, anyway) - Madelyn Hayes, Traci Wilson, Redd Boose, Sam Johnson, Alex Marcum, Mickey King, Alex Lappin, Russ Miller, Dallas Stark, and Noah Hrbek. Overall, this was a fantastically called show by Guest Stage Manager Julie Billinghurst, and was lead under the highly crisp and quality direction of Trinidad Snyder.
So what's the hot take?
Go see this show! Bring you friends, and definitely book tickets in advance. It was an amazing time seeing old and new faces, and I had so much fun seeing this super fun story live and in person. The fun that each person involved was having was very evident, and folks, we love to see it.
Whether it's professional, community, college, high school, or your best friends basement - you should do and see live theatre! It is in intricate art form that people dedicate so much time and energy to, often for free. Whether you're a patron or a fellow artist, take a few hours and go see a show to help support the thriving art scene in Cleveland.
Little Shop of Horror is running at Near West Theatre now through February 16th. Get tickets here.
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