BWW Previews: LITTLE SHOP OF HORROR, CAMPY DARK MUSICAL BLOOMS at Straz Center

Little Shop of Horrors, a campy horror love story, comes to Straz Center's Jaeb Theatre from April 6 - May 1. Combine Seymour, a nerdy love-struck flower shop clerk, Audrey, his abused co-worker, with Orin, her sadistic singing dentist boyfriend. Add in Audrey II, a bloodthirsty always-hungry, ever-growing plant named after the woman Seymour is pining for, which brings tremendous business to the floundering shop. You have a recipe for disaster.

Once the meek Seymour, Jonathan Harrison revisits the dark campy musical at the same theatre as the psycho dentist twenty years later.

"What comes around goes around, I guess," he said. "He's a really bad dude. It's fun to play a bad dude. It's been fun to be part of the show again, twenty years later, and watch the energy these young people are bringing. They are so excited about it. I just sit back and enjoy watching their work. I love being part of this solid ensemble. I want people to say that cast was amazing, come away loving every single character in the show."

Jonathan Harrison spent seven years at the Straz in the Jaeb as a Center Theater Company Member, then as a member of Jobsite Theater. He is currently with FreeFall Theatre.

The cast auditioned for the show over two and half years ago, but due to the pandemic, the musical was postponed. Jonathan said that he was happy to be back with the theatre people he loves.

"We are pleased as punch to do this show finally and retain all the people cast originally in the show."

Though Little Shop of Horrors offers an array of sing-a-long-favorite hits such as "Skid Row," "Feed Me," "Mean Green Mother From Outer Space," and "Be A Dentist," it's the fan-favorite that is also Jonathan's.

"My favorite song is probably the most iconic song, 'Suddenly, Seymour,' where Seymour and Audrey realize there's some connection there," he said. "As Orin, it's the dentist's song. There are great songs all the way through this. This is nothing but the greatest hits of musicals, I think."

Jonathan said that Little Shop of Horrors is both a tragedy and a comedy.

"It's usual. It's so dark in its nature, but with a sci-fi and cartoony feel. You fall for the characters if done right. We're not playing it for laughs. It's a real story with serious things happening, but a the same time, fun stuff is happening too with the puppets and the big, giant plant. You have the urchins - like a Greek chorus - coming in and out of nearly every scene. It's a lot of fun and a cool musical."

When asked what the message was, Jonathan responded simply, "Don't feed the plant."

Little Shop of Horrors runs April 6-May 1 in Straz Center's Jaeb Theatre. Tickets are available at https://www.strazcenter.org/Events/Straz/Shows/2122_Theater/Little-Shop-of-Horrors.

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