It’s a little messy, it’s a little chaotic, it’s a little daring . . . It’s a Little Shop of Horrors production now on stage through August 16 at Cambria Center for the Arts Theatre.
It’s also a little amazing that a show with this many moving parts came together on such a small stage on such a short timeline after the theatre’s previously-announced production of Damn Yankees fell through.
Admittedly there were a few squeaky wheels on its moving parts during the show’s opening weekend Sunday afternoon performance, but the enthusiasm of the cast, the crew, and in particular the audience provided the right amount of grease to keep the production on track.
Despite a late start and a couple of major cast substitutions, the show went on to provide us some memorable moments and a real appreciation for the Cambria Center’s artistic team and volunteers.
First, those memorable moments. Director Dakota W. Simpson, who also serves as music director, stepped into the role of Orin (the sadistic dentist) for the day. I don’t think I’ll ever see another production of Little Shop (or hear a dentist’s drill!) without thinking of Simpson’s interpretation. The sadistic twinkle in his eye combined with his comedic timing made for some of the biggest laughs in the show.
Getting laughs but also our sympathy is a perfectly-cast Angus McNellie as Seymour, our “hero.” We hear McNellie’s clear voice in Act One’s “Grow for Me” as he cements his deadly relationship with the strange plant he has discovered, and we see him physically unfold as his relationship with Audrey unfolds during Act Two’s “Suddenly Seymour” number. McNellie is going places.
For this performance only, Audrey was played by Edie Irving with a whole-hearted voice and unexpectedly feisty temperament. When first we meet Audrey she slams the lid on a garbage can with a ferocity that belies the passivity she later displays in the company of boyfriend Orin.
Audrey II, the carnivorous plant, is given a hearty voice by Sarah Ruth Smith, who also provides an actual human presence—which contributes a bit to the chaos that develops as the plant grows big enough to consume its surroundings (operated by puppeteers Melody Reed and Paul Tungol). Yes, people get eaten (Jonathan Haile as Mr. Mushnik is missed in the second half of the show), and Skid Row’s version of a Greek chorus (Bellakai Pena, Araceli Peralta Leyva and Josephine Davis) continues to provide cheeky commentary.
Kudos to Bryce Prunty and Dakota W. Simpson, the theatre’s artistic director and music director respectively, and all the volunteers who got this show up and running. Prunty acknowledged them in his show notes: “Putting together a musical of this caliber on such a compressed timeline is no small feat.” It is a testament to the talent, dedication, and collaborative spirit of a remarkable community.