Little Shop of Horrors plays to sold-out audiences

Posted Oct. 1, 2021

By Natalie Hebert

Staff Reporter

The Performing Arts Department, including theatre and pit orchestra, have opened this year’s musical production, Little Shop of Horrors, to sold out audiences.

Little Shop of Horrors will run for two weekends, Nov 13-14 and Nov. 20-21. Tickets are on sale for this award-winning musical at the DDHS Box Office.

The story begins with a three-girl chorus, Crystal, Ronette, and Chiffon, introducing the narrative in song, warning the audience of the horrors about to come. The main character, Seymour Krelborn, and his female colleague, Audrey, work at Mr. Mushnik’s flower shop. Because the shop is in a rough New York City neighborhood, it’s rundown and doesn’t have many customers. So, Mushnik is forced to shut down the shop, but Audry suggests displaying Seymour’s unusual plant to gain income. The plant, Audrey II, immediately attracts eyes to the shop but starts to wither soon after being displayed. Seymour discovers that for his plant to flourish it needs something—very unusual. The original 1960 version of Little Shop of Horrors was a film directed by Roger Corman about a florist shop worker who finds out his plant has a usual appetite. According to Corman, the film only cost $30,000 to produce. The second adaptation was an off-Broadway musical comedy made in 1982 by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman. That show was made into an American horror-comedy musical film in 1986, directed by Frank Oz and starring Rick Moranis (from Honey, I Shrunk the Kids), with a soaring budget of $25 million. Like most previous stage versions, the DDHS production will feature four puppets, including a 10 foot tall, giant venus flytrap. To transport the puppet, theater teacher and director Michael Givler had to borrow theater teacher David Rosenbaum’s truck, drive it on the freeway, then through Portland, before arriving at the PAC.

“[It’s] such a fun opportunity to do this show,” said Givler.

Due to COVID regulations, the audience will be asked to wear masks and remain three feet apart. All 14 members of the cast and the technical crew, will also be wearing masks, the cast wearing clear masks. The cast will also be wearing mics for better audio. The auditorium will also be limited to half capacity, so instead of the usual 400 member audience, 200 seats will be available. To be FDA and DDSD approved, a smaller cast had to be utilized.

Givler has been a DDHS theatre teacher for 18 years and has been involved in theatre for 37 years.

“My favorite part of the show is the Do-Wop girls who function as the chorus and respond to events in the show,” he said.

Givler chose this musical for a particular reason.

“An evil plant taking over the world is engaging,” he said.