Shing-a-ling, what a creepy thing to be happening! Shang-a-lang, feel the sturm and drang in the air! Sha-la-la stop right where you are— don’t you move a thing— until you get your tickets to Small Town Stars Theatre’s production of Little Shop of Horrors! Just in time for spooky season— literally in the nick of time as the production has just four performances over Halloween weekend, including a midnight performance going into the spooktacular day itself— Small Town Stars Theatre is bringing the cult-classic Little Shop of Horrors to the Panthers Performing Arts Center on October 29, 30, and 31st 2021. Directed by Miranda Secula-Rosell with Vocal Direction by Arielle Baquol, this campy horror classic, which inspired the 1986 film of the same name, is a good night of powerful voices popping through iconic tunes all night long.
While the inevitable subject matter of domestic abuse (featured heavily in the relationship between the Orin and Audrey character) is no laughing matter (nor can it be swept aside under the proverbial rug of ‘we’ll laugh because it was supposed to be funny when it happened’) the show itself is not without its dark and plucky humors. In addressing the heavy subject matter of domestic abuse, Director Miranda Secula-Rosell uses casting choices to highlight the nature of good and evil in this production. All of the ‘good’ characters (or chaotic neutrals in the case of Mushnik) are played by actors who identify as women. All o the ‘evil’— both Audrey II and Orin— are played by actors who identify as men. It is a solid choice that adds a deep and contemplative layer of context to the overall production.
Secula-Rosell, who wears many hats in the production including that of co-choreographer- plays to the actors’ strengths, finding powerful singing voices throughout the cast. There are times when sections of the dialogue is shouted at racing speed and top volume, making it difficult to hear and understand what’s being said. This is particularly true of the Seymour and Mushnik characters and these moments seem to happen (particularly in Seymour’s case) whenever an extreme wave of emotion— frustration, fury, etc.— overcomes the performer. You definitely get the emotional clarity of the scene but having precise diction and enunciation at a less hurried delivery speed could make these moments even more powerful. Secula-Rosell does find a few moments to really make the production her own— the entire song “Ya Never Know” becomes a hilarious game of cat and mouse with Seymour all but losing control of ‘mid-grade Audrey II’ as it chomps and chomps and attempts to take a bite out of Chiffon, Ronette, and Crystal. And when Audrey is doing “Sominex/Suppertime”, the ballet of vine-coated corpses staring two deadly-departed characters (shh! Spoilers!) is too hilarious for accurate description. They also her Audrey I (the human) on her way to a more intimate exposure of Audrey II (the psychotic space plant.)
Scenic Designer Dakota Secula-Rosell makes a curious choice with the interior of Mushnik’s shop— right from the opening the wallpaper features little Audrey II’s in striped-pattern all over the wall! (Even before Seymour can introduce the strange, alien plant and name it!) It’s not aesthetically unpleasant; it just seems like an odd choice and the symbolism/intention behind such a choice is unclear. But forget about the shop. The crowning jewel on the set if Secula-Rosell’s Audrey II. (Conceptualized, developed, and constructed by Dakota Secula-Rosell, Jennifer Secula, and Court Zeitler.) Falling in-line with the script’s description— and if you haven’t seen the printed script to know that the plant is described as ‘an avocado meets a Venus Flytrap’, Orin says it straight up in one of the scenes— Secula-Rosell, Secula, and Zeitler do an impressive job of fabricating this avocado-flytrap-fiend into existence. (Bonus props to the tilt-table swallow feature, which makes the creature even more frightening for those delicious devouring moments!) The plant, in all of its incarnations, as it starts off small and— you guessed it— grows to stage-consuming proportions, is the centerpiece of the production, right next to the gorgeous voices featured on all of the cast members.
Jennifer Secula, in addition to lending hands (and eyes, ears, a foot perhaps?) to the construction of Audrey II, serves as the show’s costume designer and finds outfits that flatter both performer and the time period. Praises and cheers for the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel-inspired dresses seen on the ‘Skid Row Bebop Gals’ (Chiffon, Crystal, Ronette) for the opening number. And the outfits Secula finds for Audrey are sensational— several in scintillating shades of green. There’s even a moment at the top of Act II where Audrey is wearing lovely lime and Seymour is in electric-cream avocado, creating the perfect aesthetic compliment to Audrey II (the enormous plant plopped center stage.)
The most incredible component of this production is the exquisite harmonies that dominate most of the group and ensemble songs. Vocal Director Arielle Baquol has brought the ensemble of ten together to achieve some stunning vocal successes, particularly in the ‘Skid Row Bebop Gals’. Chiffon (Hannah Worley), Ronette (Bella Carstea), and Crystal (Sky Betz) tackle everything from the “Prologue” through to finale, “Don’t Feed The Plants”, with bright, well-blended sounds that bring the striking cords of their harmonizing capabilities to the forefront of the performance. Worley, Carstea, and Betz bring some modernized vocal options into their solo segments of various songs, like “Ya Never Know” and “The Meek Shall Inherit.” The trio of talent also does a fine job of incorporating Abigail Weinel and Miranda Secula-Rosell’s choreography into these numbers; there are a lot of ‘forward-tilt-shimmy’ and ‘Peanuts’ moves that get worked effortlessly into these routines. Shae Betances, playing the role of Mr. Mushnik, also showcases the fun and fancy footwork of the show’s co-choreographers during “Mushnik & Son”, a duet sung and danced with Seymour, ending in a hilarious tango of sorts.
It feels a little unusual to hear the songs sung by Seymour, lilting lightly through the air an octave and then some higher than they’re generally written, but such is the case with Kayla Marks in the role of Seymour. It doesn’t detract from the overall experience (Marks has a beautiful voice) and after a while, the ear adjusts and might come to expect all future renditions of “Grow For Me” to be delivered in that syrupy upper range. Marks does a great job of delivering heightened emotions, particularly in the second act of the show. There’s never a moment where you can’t tell what her Seymour is feeling. Marks shares a great many moments in duet with Liz Vinson, playing the human girl Audrey (not to be confused with ‘Audrey II’, a ravenous, human-eating, space-plant…voiced delectably by Court Zeitler, who really brings a vocal appetite to “Feed Me (Git It)” and “Suppertime”) and the vocal harmonies shared between Marks and Vinson are sublime, particularly during “Suddenly Seymour.”
Liz Vinson has the notion of playing Audrey refined to a science. There’s an accent, an emotional affectation that lends itself both to the severity of the subject matter and the heightened level of campiness that is intrinsic to the performance. Plus Vinson has pipes. When singing “Somewhere That’s Green” you really get a feel for her vocal prowess. There is a real character being portrayed in Vinson’s Audrey; she has found a physicality, vocality, and overall presence that displays this individual with a divine blend of caricature and gravity. It is rare to see an Audrey portrayed in such balance and it is a beautiful achievement on Vinson’s part.
What good is a cult musical without a nefarious, horrific villain? Kyle Secula, whose primary role is that of Orin (the sadist-dentist, stuff of nightmares) is a show-stealing spectacle. With a buttery voice that rolls easily into the villainous number, “Dentist!” it’s easy to see how one could become enamored with the charisma that oozes from such a sensual sound. Secula plays the role vigorously, giving the audience very little reason (other than his impeccable comic timing and delicious voice) to like the character. And when he starts playing all the other ‘walk-in’ characters in the second act, it’s a true delight to see how his vocal affectations and physical presentations shift through them all in rapid succession. Props to Secula’s performance of “Now (It’s Just The Gas)” and a special shoutout to the props team for the unique ‘mask’ they’ve created for this number.
Whatever you do— besides get your tickets for one of these four performances— don’t fee the plants!
Running Time: 2 hours with one intermission
Little Shop of Horrors plays through October 31, 2021 with Small Town Stars Theatre in the main auditorium of the new Panthers Performing Arts Center— 1400 Panther Drive in Hampstead, MD. Tickets are available at the door or in advance online.
