BWW Reviews: Stage Door Inc.'s Campy LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is Endearing and Amusing

Pasadena's Stage Door Inc. continues their 2013 season of murder, madness, and mayhem with a fun and campy production of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman's LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, which was inspired by Roger Corman's cult 1960 film The Little Shop of Horrors. The musical is set in the late 1950s/early 1960s, and features music written to emulate the sounds of early 1960s rock and roll, doo-wop, and early Motown. It's also a Faustian tale, where a down-oh-his-luck guy finds fortune, fame, and love because of his strange and exotic plant. The only down side is that to keep the money and adoration rolling in, he has to find people to feed to the plant that only thrives from consuming human blood.

The direction by Marc Anthony Glover takes the bar of campiness set by the lyrics, book, and film adaptation and raises it even further. He has added sight gags and other little tidbits throughout the show, increasing the camp value and the laughs. Similarly, Marc Anthony Glover has directed his cast to be captivatingly energetic, which pushes the plot along at a comfortable and entertaining pace. A few blackouts following the second act plant feedings seem unnecessary, but don't distract from the production.

Choreography by Gretchen Odum and Michael Houghton is cute and imbued with the popular dance styles that accompanied the music the score references. Kyle Jones is given the flashiest and most athletic choreography of the show, fancifully leaping around the stage in a notorious oxide induced haze during "Now (It's Just the Gas)."

Music Direction by Carrie Doss is solid. The entire cast sings the score well and showcases their skill and talent by lining up their phrases and spoken dialogue with the canned music with proficiency. At the production I saw, "Call Back in the Morning" got a little off, but the cast, at the first tempo change, recovered the song.

Starring as Seymour, Justin Nicholson captures the almost dopey quality that audiences come to expect from the character. He is easily persuaded to do the awful things needed to keep the plant alive because he finally gets positive attention from his boss and the girl of his dreams as the Audrey II thrives. His singing voice is not utilized to the best of its ability in this production, as he decides to be consistently and constantly nasal. However, this choice works for the character, adding another ostentatious layer to the show.

Gretchen Odum plays Audrey, the girl of Seymour's dreams, with great zeal. As she flits around and slowly begins to fall for Seymour, her character grows a little. Never confident that she doesn't deserve a terrible guy because of her own history, she is charmed by the promise of a better life. Moreover, she sings the score with strength and passion for the music that is tangible.

Kyle Jones' sadistic dentist, Orin, is hilarious and in perfect voice. He flawlessly steps into the role and creates a creep that the audience loves to hate. Moreover, Kyle Jones' vocals are the strongest in the production. He hits each and every pitch solidly and squarely, and uses differing levels to keep the audience magnetized to his performance and entirely entertained.

As Mr.Mushnik, Michael Houghton goes for broke with the babbling old Jewish man shtick. He putts around the stage with steps that seemingly move him just an inch or two at a time. He also carries himself in such a decrepit way that suggests his Mushnik may need a cane. His doddering old man act is fun and provides an interesting interpretation on the character, especially when Seymour jumps on his back during "Mushnik and Son." Furthermore, his vocals are strong and convincing. Unfortunately, the trio of street urchins overpowers him during "Ya Never Know," and the audience loses his lyrics.

Providing the voice of Audrey II, Colton Wright earns many laughs with his burps and witty one-liners. His singing voice is crisp and clear, but his character work seems to be relying on imitation of portrayals by Levi Stubbs (Audrey II in the film) and Michael-Leon Wooley (Audrey II in the 2003 Broadway production). As a fan of the musical, I can certainly appreciate his enthusiasm to emulate those who have notably done the role well; yet, I feel he and the audience would enjoy his Audrey II even more if he provided his own completely original take on the character.

Felicia Herrera, Monica Marcha, and Angela Case play the Greek chorus of street urchins, Crystal, Chiffon, and Ronnette. The trio has a lot of fun with their characters and get into the spirit of the roles, providing quality doo-wop background vocals and spirited personalities that are comically cantankerous and ornery. The three women are in strong voice for the entire production and at times overpower when they shouldn't and sometimes forgot to blend/match pitch with each other.

The chorus comprised of Robert Pimentel, Joseph Cocha, Lauren Hoehn, and Vanessa Pearson, give earnest performances, alternating between Winos, the homeless, and working people of the city. They add light comedic sight gas and touches throughout the show, for example the passing of the roses at the top of the first act. Vocally, they add depth to the show. Like the urchins, some members occasionally forget to blend.

Each of the four puppets used are well crafted, well constructed, and well decorated. They are brightly colorful, mixing in pinks, purples, and glitter details to make them dazzle and sparkle. The consistency of the design as Audrey II gets larger and larger is appreciated and aids in the believability of the plant's growth.

Marc Anthony Glover's set design uses the performance space at the venue to great affect. He skillfully creates an urban landscape that allows the show to take place in the street, the flower store, on Audrey's fire-escape balcony, and Orin's dental shop with little to no set changes. With his design, he is able to expand the locations well beyond the walls of Mushnik's floral shop, which is where most productions keep a majority of the show's action.

Light Design by Marc Anthony Glover uses color washes to heighten the emotions of the scenes and numbers and create telling ambience for the dark comedy.

Stage Door Inc.'s production of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS expertly captures the camp nature of the show, ensuring that audiences will laugh their way through the production and have a good time. Their production is endearing and amusing from beginning to end.

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS only runs for one more weekend at Stage Door Inc. The show must close on Sunday, April 21, 2013. For more information and tickets, please visit http://www.stagedoorinc.com or call (832) 582 - 7606.

Photo courtesy of Stage Door Inc.

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