BWW Reviews: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at Music Theatre Of Connecticut

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at MTC
By Melinda Zupaniotis

I have been a fan of Music Theatre of Connecticut for a while now, so when I entered their Melissa & Doug theater on opening night of Little Shop of Horrors, I was looking forward to a wonderful evening with this classic piece of musical theatre.

As always, the box office staff was very helpful and Kevin Connors and Jim Schilling were the ultimate hosts of the company's new space - the first season there in their 27 year history. I would be lying, however, if I said I wasn't a tad disappointed by the set that lay in front of me as I took my seat. Granted, it was the pre-show set with pre-show lighting. And yes, there were audience members inexplicably milling around the actual playing space until the show started. But the set itself contained a wrinkled "curtain" that was unmistakably reminiscent of a middle school play. This curtain depicted a rundown city building, a construction barrier with a "Post No Bills" warning and a supposedly seedy hotel, all presumably meant to set the scene in Skid Row. Adjacent to the curtain, was a wooden wall containing the sad, Connecticut interpretation of hard-core, Skid Row graffiti all over it. Even though I was used to high quality production values from MTC, I can't say I wasn't was worried about what was to come, given this less-than impressive initial presentation.

I am happy to report however that my fears were soon put to rest. The band came out into its tiny, elevated pit above the wooden wall and at 8:08pm, they started in with the iconic score by Alan Menken. For an orchestra of just 3 pieces, they sounded magnificent. At that time, I chose to reinterpret the intention of that "curtain"; instead of being remedial scenic art, I decided it was laying the groundwork for a comic book/graphic novel re-telling of this popular and familiar science fiction story. I sat back and got ready to enjoy what I could tell would be a great show.

LSOH is directed by Kevin Connors, and in his typical fashion, he made the most of minimal space, and also managed to send the cast through the audience for entrances and exits in a non-intrusive way. The 3/4 thrust stage might have posed some sight-line issues for audience members seated on the periphery, but in my experience, I've never had a bad seat in this new location.

Expanding further on the idea that this was meant to be presented with a graphic novel concept, the muted colors of both the sets and the costumes truly highlighted the pop of colors that emerged as the story unfolded - the red of the blood, the red of Seymour's hat, the emergence of colors that overtook the flower shop as its success grew. Additionally, the subdued tones in the set allowed the characters to pop - Audrey's hair and her purple leopard jacket contrasted against the bland colors, making her stand out. The characters themselves were over the top, both staying true to the iconic stereotypes, and creating newness within those stereotypes. Accent choices separated the characters, and while some actors at times fell back on common, expected devices, as a whole, things worked pretty well.

Elissa DeMaria and Anthony DiCostanzo as Audrey and Seymour, respectively, were magnificent revelations. Ms. DeMaria, sometimes reminding me of Brittany Murphy, was 100% engaged in her character, making her both lovable and tragic. Her performance of "Somewhere That's Green" actually left me misty-eyed. I have heard this song a million times, in which Audrey talks about her simple desires peppered with her ridiculous idealism, but this rendition became a sad monologue with more layers than an onion, truly revealing more character development than most would ever give to Audrey. Mr. DiCostanzo's voice was flawless and youthful, blending superbly with Audrey's in "Suddenly Seymour", where he found a confidence that I had not seen before in the song. While I thought his rendition of "Grow for Me" should have been directed more towards the plant then it was, I still walked away thinking that he is a superb talent and one to look for.

Lou Ursone as Mr. Mushnik had the perfect mix of familiar characterization with a fabulously dark focus on his self-serving opportunism, another trait that often gets downplayed about Mr. Mushnik.

Tony Lawson was given the daunting task of not only playing the Dentist but a plethora of other characters in Act 2. From the comic book standpoint, I could see his Dentist character likened to that of a supervillain; he takes off his leather jacket revealing his true identity, that of an evil doctor complete with an ominous logo on the back of his lab coat. However, I felt as though Mr. Lawson had had one too many viewings of Steve Martin's rendition of the Dentist in the 1986 film, and didn't quite delve deeper than mimicking that. Additionally, the characters he played in the second act left me feeling uncomfortable based on their over-the-top, identical delivery for each one.

Similarly, I was also disappointed by the Urchins, usually my favorite part of this show. Played by Gabrielle Lee, Inuka Ivaska and Kristian Espiritu, these three characters have a few responsibilities - to act as the Greek chorus, to be narrators, and to be interactive members of the story. These challenging roles require triple threats - singers, dancers, and actors able to adapt quickly and keep the story moving. Unfortunately, I felt that they all fell a little flat, though of the three, I would have to say Ms. Espiritu was perhaps the most skillful. The choreography was challenging but as a trio they were inconsistent in their abilities, and while I normally revel in the amazing harmonies written for this group, I instead focused on the over-singing, lack of diction and forgotten choreography.

Finally, Peter McClung killed the role of Audrey II, pun absolutely intended. Funny enough, in the opening number he appeared on stage briefly as one of the drunk bums, and during this scene I made a note that he was spectacular without knowing who he was or what was to come. Granted, he did not have much to do in this song but he was committed with a deft bass voice, excellent characterization, and he really stole the scene. I was pleased to find out later that it was he who had been voicing Audrey II with that luscious voice, both speaking and singing. He was horrifying, delicious, and the simply put, perfect.

All in all, I think this production is worthwhile for a fun night out. Not only did I walk away feeling satisfied but so did my companion, who is not a musical theater fan at all. That said, the show also holds a lesson therein. "Don't Feed the Plants" served to be a Sweeney Todd-esque epilogue about the corruption and opportunistic qualities of the human race, but that there is no need to fear - Karma will set in and the good ones will finally find "Somewhere That's Green."

Little Shop of Horrors runs through May 3rd so don't miss your chance to catch this piece of musical theatre history. www.musictheatreofct.com

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