Don’t Feed the Plant!

Little Shop of Horrors

I naively thought that there wasn’t anyone, certainly any theatergoer in the area, who hadn’t seen this unusual, uniquely enjoyable play. However, as I listened to comments from my fellow audience members around me, I found I was wrong. Having seen this curious comic rock horror musical so many times that I know all the lines and lyrics, I found myself envying those who were experiencing this weirdly wonderful show for the first time, here at the Paramount Theatre.

“Little Shop of Horrors,” with music by Alan Menken and book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, opened Off-Broadway in 1982. The show is a darkly comic sci-fi horror story, set in the 60’s and generously peppered with a Motown, rock & roll and doo-wop score. Since the rights became available, it’s been enjoyed over the years in outstanding productions at almost every major professional Chicagoland venue. This includes wonderful performances in national tours, high schools, colleges and community theatre productions, as well. There’s even a 1986 feature film on DVD and, of course, there’s still the original, low-budget 1960 black comedy movie that inspired all the outstanding Off-Broadway, Broadway and West End musical productions. 

But Paramount Theatre has reinvented this popular musical and taken it to a whole new level, thanks to an army of creative theatre artists. First of all, bravo to Jim Corti for opening the popular theatre’s 12th Broadway Series with what is undoubtedly another crowdpleaser. Not only is “Little Shop…” a favorite among those who already know the show, it’s a guaranteed hit with patrons experiencing it for the first time. But taking an intimate show that only calls for seven actors, plus a puppeteer to operate a monstrous plant, and another actor to supply the plant’s voice, and adapting it for the large Paramount’s stage, takes guts and a lot of planning.

Landree Fleming, who’s charmed audiences as a talented actor in hit musicals like “Hairspray,” “Xanadu” and “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” has recently become one of Chicagoland’s finest directors. Here, she returns to Aurora to brilliantly guide another talented cast of actor/singer/dancers. And puppeteers, of course. And because the Paramount Theatre is a large playhouse, Mr. Corti and Ms. Landree realized they needed to fill the space, not just with scenery (which they’ve accomplished through Jeffrey D. Kmiec’s extraordinary, multilevel scenic design), but by expanding the cast from seven to eighteen. This “Little Shop of Horrors” has the same lovable leading characters, but it also has an ensemble. These singers and dancers not only provide backup vocals and kitschy dance moves, they also play of the some smaller roles, typically played by the actor who portrays Orin, the dentist. In addition, these hardworking chorus members also work as stagehands, moving the huge sets into place.

Initially I resented the idea of tampering with a script that already works well with just seven actors. It’s a fun and challenging musical for smaller venues. But I quickly changed my opinion. By adding more voices and bodies to fill the vast Paramount stage and populate the show’s Skid Row locale, I imagined how educational institutions could take this idea and produce a show that’d give more students an opportunity to be part of this wonderful musical.

The production opens in the dark with foreboding narration from “A Voice Not Unlike God,” played by the late, great Hollis Resnik. The cast is then led by an excellent newcomer, not only to the Paramount Theatre, but to Chicagoland. Jack Ball, a graduate of the Theatre School at DePaul, is a trained singer overflowing with charisma and possessing a dynamic singing voice. He was recently seen on Broadway as Elder Cunningham in “The Book of Mormon.” Here he’s an absolute delight in the role of nerdy plant enthusiast, Seymour Krelborn. Without overplaying his hand, Mr. Ball subtly conveys the young orphan’s loneliness and desperation for love. Fortunately he was taken in, provided a bed and given a job by Mr. Mushnik, the miserable owner of a shoddy Skid Row flower shop. Mushnik is sensitively, yet comically, played by Chicago favorite, Gene Weygandt.

 At the florist shop, the accident prone Seymour confesses he’s been nurturing a rare and exotic new plant that he’s named 

Audrey II. Seymour works side-by-side with a lovely young woman named Audrey. She’s played here against type by the zaftig, and incredibly talented actress/vocalist, Teressa LaGamba. Whether performing solo (Audrey’s beautifully moving “Somewhere That’s Green,” or Seymour’s plaintive, “Grow For Me”), or together (the tongue-twisting “Call Back in the Morning,” and the show-stopping “Suddenly Seymour”), this pair of gifted, star-crossed lovers continually bring the audience to their feet.

Recently seen at the Broadway Playhouse in the hilarious “The Play That Goes Wrong,” Russell Mernagh skillfully portrays Audrey’s smarmy, sadistic boyfriend, Orin Scrivello, DDS. His initial number, simply entitled “Dentist,” explains just how he came into this profession. And later, with Seymour, Mr. Mernagh entertains with his humorously tragic swan song, “Now (It’s Just the Gas).”  

This clever musical also provides a kind of Greek Chorus consisting of three young female Street Urchins. Named for the singing groups of the 1960’s, Crystal, Ronnette and Chiffon set the scene and provide continual commentary on the plot and characters. Marta Bady, Tickwanya Jones and Lydia Burke dazzle throughout the show with their belting vocals. Sometimes just the talented trio, and at other times joining the lead characters and/or the gifted ensemble, they entertain the audience with songs like “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Skid Row,” “Da-Doo,” “Ya Never Know,” “The Meek Shall Inherit” and the cautionary, “Don’t Feed the Plants.”

But, of course, the real star of this show is Audrey II. The colorful, animated, man-eating plant is the creation of Skylight Music Theatre, designed by Jesse Gaffney, with consultation provided by Simone Tegge and Mike Oleon. This “anthropomorphic cross between a Venus flytrap and an avocado” features a collection of moving roots and vines and a large, frightening, pod-like appendage that’s green and colorfully pock-marked. This tooth-filled face is the carnivorous vegetable’s dangerous mouth. Oh, and did I mention? The plant thrives on human blood. Audrey II is voiced by Je’Shaun Jackson and is skillfully operated by Adam Fane.

Paramount has done it again. Kory Danielson’s expert musical direction and offstage band pairs well with the lively choreography by Michael George and Mariah Morris. With colorful period costumes by Yvonne Miranda and wig, hair and makeup designs by Katie Cordts, this production also features some terrific lighting by Jose Santiago and sound effects by Adam Rosenthal. 

“Little Shop of Horrors” provides an electrifying season opener for this highly-respected, much-loved theatre. Also, with Halloween just around the corner, it certainly puts trick-or-treaters in the right mood. This musical is guaranteed to enchant and entertain both the newcomer to the Alan Menken/Howard Ashman classic, as well as those theatergoers who’ve seen this tuneful, toe-tapping wickedly wonderful comedy many times before. You’ll laugh, you’ll be horrified and you’ll find yourself cheering for Audrey and Seymour. But just one word of warning when you leave the theatre: Don’t Feed the Plant!    

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented August 30-October 15 by by Paramount Theatre, 23 East Galena Blvd., Aurora, IL.

Tickets are available in person at the box office, by calling 630-896-6666 or by visiting www.paramountaurora.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.