Little Shop of Horrors
Before and After Audrey II The handsome Brandon Edwards with that incredible voice lurks within the plant.
My thought on Little Shop of Horrors or….good scary times on Skid Row.
Talk about an October Surprise! Repertory Company Theatre’s Little Shop of Horrors is a real treat of a show. This trip to Skid Row is a fabulous evening of entertainment.
Director/Choreographer Michelle Carter Levall and Music Director Devon Harper have crafted a Little Shop that looks and sounds terrific. The stage design by Loree Westbrooks, Mike Carter, and Director Levall is comparable to what you would find in an Off-Broadway production as are the costumes by Director Levall and Debra Carter. And the singing and dancing…well, you just have to go and be amazed.
The amazement begins with Victoria Eggleston, Rikki Sushaun, and Micaela Workman who play Crystal, Ronette, and Chiffon and are collectively known as the Urchins. These Urchins help to narrate the story. They are sassy storytellers and tear the stage up with their dynamite voices and all those carefully coordinated moves and multiple costume changes. They supply much of the wow factor that this Little Shop has in abundance.
Speaking of wow, Heath Bromley as the sadistic dentist Orin Scrivello makes this villainous character into a deadly seductive comic wonder. I’ve seen this show many times, but I Have never seen anyone play Orin with gyrating hips and a libido in overdrive. Bromley manages to make Orin menacing, funny, and off the charts sexy simultaneously. It was a brave choice to play Orin in this manner and does it ever work! His “Be a Dentist” is unforgettable.
I also admire the choice of the wonderfully versatile Jordan Tomenga, to make Mr. Mushnik, the shop owner, so totally ethnic. Tomenga’s flawless lower east side Jewish accent and his delivery of quips and one liners worthy of a Catskills comedian make his Mushnik a classic.
Classic is the word for Ellen Greene’s performance as the original Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors and the challenge for an actor in the role is not to do an Ellen Greene impression. Katie Moyes Williams has no trouble making the abused, hopeless dreamer her own. Williams delivers a lovely “Somewhere That’s Green” and a soaring “Suddenly Seymour.” Her Audrey is both comic and tragic. She’s a downtrodden optimist who’s ultimately resigned to her life on Skid Row. Williams captures all the sweetness, humor, and sorrow that is Audrey.
Jacob Waters is the nerdy, awkward, good-hearted Seymour Krelborn, the central character of the musical. The bespectacled Waters makes Seymour a Skid Row everyman, accepting his lot in life but looking for a way out and to win the heart of Audrey. Unfortunately, his plans are ruined by the man-eating plant he names Audrey II. Waters, an accomplished dancer and vocalist, is nothing short of sensational as the insecure Seymour who finds only brief happiness as Audrey II becomes more bloodthirsty.
Audrey II is brought to life by puppeteer Landon Brecheen and the glorious voice of Brandon Edwards. Edwards makes the killer plant both fun and threatening, imploring Seymour to “feed me all night long.” and reminding him it’s “Suppertime.” Most actors achieve great performances by internalizing a character. Edwards does by being internalized by a character.
There is also a very talented ensemble in Little Shop of Horrors who play Skid Row residents and many different characters in the show. They Include Landon Brecheen, MD Christian, Timothy Crisp, Michael Hammer, and Devon Harper.
You are going to be blown away by RCT’s Little Shop of Horrors (hopefully not into the jaws of Audrey II). This darkly funny musical is the perfect entertainment for spooky season.
