Review: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at Lewisville Playhouse

Broadway World loves chasing around our favorite stars, even when they move to different states. Our beloved Janette Robinson, who was a staple in the Little Rock theatre scene for many years, made the big move to Dallas, Texas, and joined the cast of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at the Lewisville Playhouse which ran from June 14 through July 7.

“This is our final production of our 40th season,” Artistic Director Zachary Cantrell said. “So, I'm glad you could make it here for it. I was not here for all of those 40 years, obviously, but nonetheless, I love this theater.” 

Built in 1885, Lewisville Playhouse, which seats 93 people, is in the oldest building in Lewisville, a Dallas/Fort Worth suburb. There were several different businesses in the location before the Greater Lewisville Community Theatre organized as a nonprofit in 1983 and was able to purchase the building in 1997, becoming the first permanent cultural arts organization in the vicinity.  

“We have a really committed board and lots of volunteers who generally help out with us, Cantrell said. “It's a lean, but really nice operation.” 

I loved this charming theatre and was thrilled to see this musical horror classic full of talent that is new to me, and for those that missed the production, here is a brief synopsis. Seymour (Joshua Hawkins) lives Downtown (Skid Row) and works with the lovely Audrey (Lori Woods) in a flower show run by Mr. Mushnik (Charles E. Beachley III), During a total eclipse of the sun, Seymour finds a strange and unusual plant that he tells to Grow for Me, because he could never figure out what was wrong with the plant until he opened a vein. So, the plant, that he names Audrey II (Christion Dior Draper) after his crush, grows and, surprise, can talk. The plant wants to be fed more and thinks that Audrey’s abusive boyfriend Orin (Sienna Riehle) DDS looks like plant food to him. So what happens? Really only Crystal (Janette Robinson), Ronnette (Kelsi Peterson) and Chiffon (Arianna Reed) knows.  

Directed and Choreographed by Keith J. Warren, this musical never ceases to entertain me. Because this is my third time to review it, I wasn’t surprised with the differences between the movie and musical, however, when I first saw it, I couldn’t believe that nearly everyone was eaten.  

The cast was everything I thought a cast near Dallas would be. They were dynamic, the music was executed well, and the storytelling flowed from beginning to end.  Hawkins and Woods flirtatious chemistry was infectious and made everyone smile. However, Hawkins's relationship with Audrey II was equally entertaining, and I loved Draper’s deep, sexy voice. Beachley brought out a more gentler Mushnik that was more fatherly to both of his employees, and the Da-Doo trio kept the story moving along like soulful angels guiding their doomed friends. Riehle kept the laughs going. Not only did they play the horrible dentist character well, but they had several other characters that made the audience giggle every time they were someone new. I loved this whole cast. 

Now, you will never be able to change my opinion when I say that musicals are better with live musicians. They just are. I get excited when I start to hear the band warm up. To accompany this wonderful group of performers in the LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS Orchestra was M. Shane Hurst-Conductor/Keyboard I, Scott Lee Clayton-Keyboard II, Tyler Tashdjian-Winds, Maristella Feustle-Guitar, Joe Feldstein-Bass, and Randy Linberg-Drums. 

This type of show demands that the atmosphere and props be amazing, so I don’t want to leave out that incredible set and puppets. Creative team members Sabrina Vrla, Mike Sabourin and Zachary Cantrell really pulled together and transformed the stage into a horror musical wonderland. The set had so much detail to it, and that plant was monstrous. We spoke with Cantrell about the puppets before the show.  

BWW: So tell me about Audrey II. 

Cantrell: We were super excited about the puppets we got.  

BWW: Did you make them? 

Zach: No, those puppets are older than I am. They came from a workshop out in Combine, TX that I had never heard of. It was a suggestion from our music director, so we went out with our U-Haul truck and loaded them in and brought them back here. Those puppets, I think, were made either in the late 70s or early 80s. So, they're about 40 years old.  

BWW: That's cool.  

Zach: Yeah, it's really cool. It's like we have a piece of history here on this stage. 

So what’s coming up in Season 41? Opening in October is Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic. It’s a Harry Potter parody and will make you laugh so hard even if you are a fan or not. To find out more about the rest of the season, visit their website at https://www.lewisvilleplayhouse.org.  

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