Through June 28, 2009
Reviewed by Philip Hitchcock
Seeing Little Shop of Horrors at Stages was like visiting old friends, for a couple of reasons. One, I love this musical and have seen it a number of times including the L.A. premiere some 25 years ago at the Geffen Playhouse. And two, going to Stages never disappoints. You can always count on their talented team of artists to deliver high quality, polished entertainment and this production of Little Shop of Horrors is no exception.
Though they went on to write The Little Mermaid and The Lion King, it was the award-winning Motown / Doo wop flavored Little Shop of Horrors that launched the careers of musical team Howard Ashman and Alan Menken. Based on the campy Roger Corman 50's flick, Little Shop tells the story of an overgrown Venus Fly Trap bent on world domination and a lovesick schlemeil named Seymour who unwittingly makes it all possible.
Consummate song and dance man Ben Nordstrom as Seymour and bombshell Maria Couch as Audrey are a dynamo combination as skid row's Romeo and Juliet. St. Louis theatre goers already familiar with Nordstrom's many talents will now see that he can add the flying splits to his resume. His boundless energy propels the show forward and he creates a loveable and convincing Seymour even though at times he seems a little too smart for the role. Couch as the squeaky blond Audrey is prepossessing and combines just the right amount of ditzy character quirks into her soaring vocals.
Scene stealers Valisha Lekae, Rashidra Scott, and Lisa M. Ramey as the trio of singing and dancing "Dreamgirls" are in perfect sync with their dance steps and harmony. Darin De Paul is delightfully mashugana as Mushnik the florist and Todd Dubail blends bravado and solid vocals into his role as Orin, the sadistic dentist. (He is completely outrageous in a dress, later as Mrs. Luce.) The puppetry skills of Marc A. Petrosino and stellar bass singing of Geno Segers combine seamlessly to create Audrey II, the avocado shaped plant who eventually takes over the world... starting with the theatre. The finale is full of surprises.
Those more familiar with the musical movie version of Little Shop of Horrors might be surprised by the darker ending of the stage version, which is much less "happily ever after" Hollywood, and much more "everybody dies" Shakespearean. But the message of the film and stage versions is still the same: "Don't feed the plants!"
Stages production of Little Shop of Horrors continues at the Robert Reim Theatre through June 28. For more information call 314-821-2407.
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