Review: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at Revolution Stage Company

By now, pretty much everyone knows the musical Little Shop of Horrors was based on a 1960s film by Roger Corman with a “cameo” by Jack Nicholson. The film was a cult hit, and in 1982 Howard Ashman and Alan Menken published the musical of the same name.

Since then it has been performed a gazillion times all over America. With puppetry, romance, catchy tunes, and a dark subplot, this musical is all campy sci-fi fun with something for everyone. 

We know we’re in for a good time when the show opens and the “girl group” Ronette (Imani De Leon), Crystal (Heather Joy) and Chiffon (Zelaya Divina Sanchez) strut onto stage with Little Shop of Horrors in bouncy three-part harmony, with choreography to match. Combined with Musical Director Jaci Davis’s attention to detail, and sound design by Kelly Maguire the blend is grand. In addition, Director James Owens' staging and Robert Garcia’s choreography feel unforced and organic. Terrific opener.

The story takes place in a flower shop owned by Mrs. Mushnik (Rebecca McWilliams). The little shop in “skid row” doesn’t get much action, and Mushnik is considering closing it down when her clerk, Audrey (Candace Coe) and her florist assistant and ward Seymour (Robert Garcia) have an idea. Seymour has cultivated an exotic plant that he has named Audrey II that they think could bring attention to the store. Mushnik balks, but as soon as they bring out the plant, a new customer (Koby Queenen) chances by and steps inside to see it. He orders $100 of red roses. 

Seymour’s joy is dampened when he discovers the dark truth about Audrey II - she requires human blood to grow strong. Influenced by Mushnik’s joy at the prospect of a thriving business, and Audrey’s growing feelings for him, Seymour feeds Audrey II his own blood.

Audrey is in a bad relationship with Orin (also Koby Queenen) a dentist who is a sadist. He’s given her a black eye, and broken her arm, and Mushnik and Seymour want her to leave him. 

That’s as far as I'm willing to go in the storyline because I don’t do spoilers. But things do get absurdly dark while remaining humorous. Underneath all of that lies what people will do for love and fame and money - but that’s all in the final analysis, when you think about it after you’ve had a rip roaring good time. Which I did.

Robert Garcia has imbued Seymour with a wonderful awkwardness that is not only funny but charming. His vocals are filled with tenderness, and he never misses an opportunity to give meaning to every single note. He’s a gifted performer, and shows us with every note and every awkward gesture.

Equally as mesmerizing is Candace Coe’s Audrey. A wonderful dichotomy - Coe is sweet and disarmingly sexy, think Marilyn Monroe as Lorelei in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes but with a Bronx accent. She seems so naive, that is until she mentions handcuffs and her boyfriend in the same sentence. This is the first time I’ve seen Coe play a character like this, and shows what a broad (no pun intended) range she has. And her voice - I don’t even want to breathe when she sings lest I miss one perfect note in Somewhere That’s Green and Suddenly Seymour. 

Rebecca McWilliams is supremely comfortable on stage, and is having so much fun as Mushnik you can’t help but feel joy in her energy. When she’s on stage she completely owns it while not overshadowing. It’s a very generous performance by McWilliams, and hella fun.

Koby Queenan plays Orin (the Dentist) and other assorted characters. Queenan can sing, and does a good job with Orin, a character who is a wildly over-the-top baddie, and he plays it as such. This might be a bit nitpicky but I think this was a missed opportunity for him to show us some range. Queenan has a leading man voice and persona, but what about some fine-tuned character work? All that was needed was more nuance. 

That brings us to Audrey II, with precise puppetry by Carlos Garcia, and sung by powerhouse Alisha Bates. Bates can take you to church or, in this role, eat you for lunch and you're just happy to be there.

Owens once again shows us he knows how to direct a big musical, and this time around he designed and built the sets too, with an assist from JoyAnne Tracy on paint detail. 

Ben Lopez nails the costumes, and Mariah Prior not only gives us some very cool lighting effects, but there is never a moment when the action isn’t well lit. 

Little Shop of Horrors, now playing at Revolution Stage Company through November 23, is a very fun romp, and an equally great night out. This production’s energy is not only infectious, you might find it to be a very *ahem* all consuming show.

Full bar, and concessions. 

Tickets

Website: Www.RevolutionStageCompany.com

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