SAINT GEORGE — Settling into a seat at St. George Musical Theater in the Opera House in St. George, it seems like it’s going to be a regular night of entertainment. Then, “Suddenly Seymour is standing beside you,” with the talented cast of Little Shop of Horrors and some extra talented props, and the evening turns into one that is more engaging, thought-provoking, and diverting than you hoped.
With the Broadway version written by Howard Ashman with music by Alan Menken, Little Shop of Horrors has maintained a cult-classic following since its earliest inception — a low-budget movie from 1960 that later inspired the more familiar film version from 1986 with Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, and Ellen Greene.
The stage production, directed at St. George Musical Theater by Brooke Bang, follows the same basic plot as the film, infused with the kind of energy one can only get from seeing the surprisingly dark, yet somehow lovable story, unfold live on stage.
Seymour Krelborn is a shy, somewhat awkward employee at Mushnik’s Flower Shop on Skid Row. A boy who came up from nothing, he longs for something better for himself, and for his co-worker crush, Audrey, who is in an abusive relationship with an area dentist. The flower shop, and Seymour’s life, seem to be heading nowhere, until a unique and interesting plant begins to catch the eye of customers. The plant, which Seymour names Audrey II in honor of his love-interest, grows at a rapid rate, but only Seymour knows the price that must be paid to keep Audrey II flourishing, and quiet.
Under Bang’s careful direction, the rather sinister plot is remarkably balanced out by the campy humor and toe-tapping Motown infused music, creating a rare blend that is both a dark, cautionary tale, and light-hearted romp.
At the center of the spotlight in a cast that is already strong overall, sits the strange and unusual plant, otherwise known as Audrey II. Seldom does such a talented cast of actors, singers, and dancers get upstaged by an inanimate object, but this prop is anything but inanimate.
Knowing the plant itself needed to be a focal point of the show, SGMT President Bruce Bennett went on a hunt to see if any theaters in the region could rent out this very specific prop from one of their past productions. Finding nothing regionally, and troubled by the cost of renting one from New York, it was decided that SGMT would make its own. Enter Logan Long and Laura Papp, the artists and technicians behind the four different versions of this special plant — each one more impressive than the last.
From the curious, but dainty and unassuming initial Audrey II, to the larger puppet-style version Seymour carries across the stage, and the two ultimately man-eating size contraptions, the artistry and technicality on each of these monsters is praiseworthy to say the least, and must be seen in person in order to fully digest its magnitude.
In addition to the creation of this plant, it has to be controlled, a job divided between Max Petralia as the puppeteer, and Trey Paterson as the voice behind the scenes. While each stayed out of sight of the audience, their impact was definitely felt, with Petralia’s puppet actions adding to the theater magic, and Paterson’s voice providing disturbingly compelling instructions to “Feed me, Seymour!” The only challenge of the vocals for the plant was the fact that some of the lines, particularly during songs like “Git It”, were difficult to understand. There are a lot of hurdles to getting those lines into the audience’s ears, not the least of which is the fact that Paterson was tucked away backstage. Still, further enunciation would help so the audience can catch all the humor Audrey II injects into the scenes.
Holding his own against the likes of this majestic monstrosity, Seymour Krelborn, played by Reed Laudie, was instantly easy to love. His gentle, unassuming manner is utterly endearing and makes for the perfect contrast to the powerful vocal chops on display every time he opens his mouth to sing. Beginning with his rendition of “Grow For Me” and continuing through one of the show’s highlights, “Suddenly Seymour,” Laudie proves himself a powerhouse.
Filling the role of Seymour’s love interest, Audrey, is the beautiful and talented, Bethany Ure. Characterized by her intentionally nasally vocal style and her timid interactions with the world, Ure walked the line as a woman for whom the audience feels pity and one for which they are cheering on her dreams. Her strong acting made her interactions with abusive boyfriend Orin Scrivello, DDS (played by Greg Belnap) difficult to witness, but those frightening scenes served as an excellent contrast when she momentarily shed her insecurities and showcased her inner strength on “Somewhere That’s Green,” “Call Back in the Morning” and “Suddenly Seymour.”
Serving as the fatherly figure witnessing Seymour and Audrey’s budding relationship, while managing a floundering floral business, Dean K.M. Jones did an excellent job in the role of beleaguered shop owner, Mr. Mushnik. His voice was powerful, making songs like “Mushnik and Son” and “You Never Know” especially enjoyable. His quality acting allowed the audience to grapple with the question as to whether his motives for adopting Seymour in order to keep control of the famous plant were pure enough to mourn his untimely death, or malicious enough to justify the end.
One character in which the question to mourn his death or not is easily answered is Orin Scrivello, DDS. There is nothing redeeming about the way this sadistic dentist interacts with the world, making it easy to justify his ultimate demise. Yet somehow, Belnap’s portrayal gives the audience plenty of reasons to laugh. His brash, over-the-top personality is perfectly executed on “Be A Dentist”, while his ability to act and sing in the confines of the laughing gas mask on “Now (It’s the Gas)” deserves high praise for Belnap as an actor, as well as Emili Whitney, props master, and Staci Martin, costume design.
The entire story is weaved together with help from a strong ensemble, and the musical stylings of Madison Hudson/Callie Rubio, Lauren Andrus/Emilee Oldroyd and Kayla Marsh/Alyssa Zerkle Reid who are double cast as the Motown trio.
From the opening “Little Shop of Horrors” number to the surprisingly chipper zombie-esque finale, St. George Musical Theater’s Little Shop of Horrors is a treat to behold.
