Flesh-eating plant sets up shop at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre
Horror and comedy aren’t usually two genres that go hand in hand, as seen from countless failed movie attempts at blending the two. However, if said movies are all you’ve seen of horror and comedy, then be prepared to change your mind with the Chattanooga Theatre Centre’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors”, which opens Friday night at 8 p.m.
“Little Shop of Horrors”, written by Howard Ashman with music by Alan Menken, is a 1982 Off-Broadway musical, set in New York City’s Skid Row, that tells the tale of flower shop worker Seymour, his coworker crush, Audrey, and a man-eating Venus flytrap-like plant whose goal is world domination. The Theatre Centre’s production is directed by Maggie Cabrera Hudgins and features a cast of 14.
“It’s a fun, offbeat musical, and it harkens to the old ‘60s horror films and sci-fi films, so it’s a little bit of satire and a little bit of parody. It has a really nice doo-wop sound to it. The characters are a lot of fun,” explained Hudgins.
“It’s about them kind of struggling; Seymour and Audrey are struggling to try to get ahead, which is basically what everybody does. They struggle a lot, and of course they get stopped by a giant man-eating plant. It’s been really fun to stage and work through and get all those elements together as well as leave everybody toe-tapping.”
The cast began rehearsals near the end of May, and Hudgins said they’ve all been incredibly dedicated to their roles while also being a lot of fun to work with. An interesting aspect of the show is the way in which the man-eating plant, named Audrey II after Seymour’s crush, changes shape.
When the show begins, Audrey II is what appears to be a mostly harmless plant in a normal-sized pot. However, Audrey II’s taste for flesh and blood causes the plant to become life size, making it all the more terrifying.
“So being Audrey II, it’s a trip. It’s definitely one of those roles that you never really see yourself being in, as a man-eating plant that takes over the world. It’s one of those things that I have to basically take myself out of, and it’s one of those things where it’s now deliciously evil. Having to really bring that character to life is so much fun and extremely wild,” explained Donel Solomon, who is the backstage voice for Audrey II throughout the show.
Because Audrey II has to grow to become life size, puppetry is an important aspect of this production. Hudgins explained that Audrey II starts out as a hand puppet but eventually becomes a human-sized costumed puppet. However, the voice, which is Solomon, remains backstage throughout the show, so while he can see the puppet, the actress operating the puppet can’t see him.
The music of the show is another interesting aspect of “Little Shop of Horrors”. Hudgins explained that the Motown, 1960s doo-wop beats are pretty upbeat, although the nature of the show isn’t quite so. There are also doo-wop girls, who are essentially the Greek chorus of the show. Sometimes they narrate, sometimes they’re part of the scene, and sometimes they’re helping out the protagonists while also supporting the villains.
“It’s a man-eating plant, and they’re singing and snapping and doing this really fun choreography. I think that’s really part of the fun of the show; I love working with all the paradoxes. There’s so many,” Hudgins explained.
“To make them fit together but to also make them stand out; what the message is, really, is that we’re all kind of struggling, and society is coming down on us. It’s this already broken society when they start, and Seymour and Audrey, who are the true innocents, meet a lot of horrible people along the way.”
For many people, “Little Shop of Horrors” is essentially a cult classic; a lot of people are familiar with and love the show. Solomon explained that seeing “Little Shop of Horrors” as a child was what got him interested in pursuing musical theater. Even if you aren’t familiar with the show, there’s definitely something for everyone in this production.
“I honestly think this show is going to be a breath of fresh air. This is definitely a show that is a lot of firsts for a lot of people, in the sense that it was the first time musical theater was ever introduced to them. It’s definitely something that a lot of people are going to be able to relate to ultimately and really just come out and jam out with a lot of fan-favorite songs,” said Solomon.
The Chattanooga Theatre Centre’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors” opens Friday at 8 p.m. and will be performed Thursday–Saturday evenings, with 2:30 p.m. Sunday matinees, through August 4. Tickets are available online, over the phone, or in person at the Theatre Centre Box Office.
If you’ve ever wanted a chance to experience this awesome mix of comedy and horror on stage, then you definitely don’t want to miss the attempted world takeover by Audrey II in the CTC’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors”.