Review: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at Paramount Theatre Aurora, IL

What would you do?

The current production at the Paramount Theatre is the Howard Ashman and Alan Menken comedic/creepy rock musical Little Shop of Horrors. After the prelude narrated by Chicago’s late, great Hollis Resnik, three street urchins (Marta Bady, Lydia Burke and Tickwanya Jones) begin to tell the story. Given the chance for fame and fortune, our strange hero Seymour (Jack Ball in his Paramount debut – please stay), suddenly has the chance to become famous and rich because of a plant he found after a sudden eclipse of the sun. He has named the plant Audrey II (Je’Shaun Jackson doing voice and Adam Fane puppeteer) after his co-worker Audrey (Teressa LaGamba with her powerhouse voice).

The plant does not thrive in its new environment. Seymour pricks his finger on a rose thorn and the plant opens its mouth immediately. As the plant grows, it attracts customers to Mr. Mushnik’s (Gene Weygandt) shop. Audrey’s abusive boyfriend Orin (horrifyingly well-played by Russell Mernagh) tries to get Seymour to take the plant and leave the Skid Row shop. Mr. Mushnik, realizing his store’s popularity is due to the plant, offers to adopt Seymour as his son. As Seymour runs out of blood and is unable to feed the plant, it tells Seymour if he gets more blood, it will make sure Seymour’s dreams come true.

Now is when Seymour begins to change for his own gain. He decides to murder Orin and feed him to the plant. Audrey will then be free of him and Seymour can tell her how he feels. He goes to Orin’s office only to discover him getting high on nitrous oxide through a mask. The mask gets stuck and Orin dies of suffocation. Seymour is able to feed him to the plant. Audrey II really thrives! As Audrey struggles with her guilty feelings about not having Orin around, Seymour tells her he will always protect and care for her. Mushnik confronts Seymour about Orin’s death. He wants Seymour to talk to the police. The plant tells Seymour he must be rid of Mushnik or he will lose everything, including Audrey.  Seymour gets Mushnik to crawl into the plant’s mouth and he is devoured. Seymour now runs the shop.  The fame and fortune are now pouring in. Audrey tells him she would love him no matter what. Seymour decides the plant must die.

Audrey is confused about Seymour’s strange behavior and returns to the shop in the middle of night. The plant persuades Audrey to water him. A vine grabs her and pulls her into its mouth. Seymour arrives and tries to rescue her but it is too late and she dies in his arms.  He reluctantly honors her wish to be fed to the plant so she will always be near Seymour. The next day an agent from a botanical company arrives to sell Audrey II leaf cuttings all across America. Seymour realizes Audrey II’s plan was world conquest. He tries to machete the plant to death but is quickly eaten. Seymour cannot be found so the Urchins and the agent take the cuttings. Across the world, other plants appear and trick people into feeding them blood in exchange for fame and fortune…..

Director Landree Fleming has staged a production both vocally and visually stunning. Award-winning (no wonder) scenic designer Jeffrey K. Kmiec’s set is a masterpiece. It’s the first thing patrons see when entering the theatre. No stage curtain. Jose Santiago’s lighting gives the right amount of downtrodden and creep needed to tell the story.  Audrey II was designed by Jesse Gaffney – a very colorful and menacing creation. Alan Menken’s original rock score was played to the hilt by the wonderful Paramount Band under the direction of Kory Danielson.  The fame and fortune question is one that will never go away no matter how much we think we are above it. Paramount’s production presents the issue full on and should be seen to see how it could spiral out of control.  Do you really want that?? Don’t feed the plant……

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