Little Shop of Horrors--Hammond

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Permalink Reply by Alana Rusonis on March 24, 2011 at 2:40pm

Have you ever seen a plant that can eat people whole? Well Hammond High School’s rendition of Little Shop of Horrors brings you up close and personal to the terrifying beast, otherwise known as the “Audrey 2.” If you are looking for a show that will “gobble up” your attention, then you might have just found what you were searching for.

                The story follows a struggling plant shop on skid row that is near going out of business. Seymour (Mike Nugent), a clumsy and nerdy employee, presents a plant he bought off a street vendor that might just save the store. He names the plant the “Audrey 2” and it attracts all sorts of attention to Seymour, including the attention of his crush and co-worker, Audrey (Corey Birk) who is going out with an abusive dentist, Orin Scrivello D.D.S. (Andrew Murti). The plot thickens when Seymour discovers that the only way to make the Audrey 2 grow is by feeding it human blood. Things spiral out of control as Seymour attempts to find food for Audrey 2 and attempts to hide the truth of what he’s done from the media, his friends, and himself.

                The show brings in many elements that pull it together. The characters pull in the audience and keep you engaged by being energized. The show is laughable and keeps a light air even though the situation on stage is so dire.

                Mike Nugent played Seymour and he made the character comedic, nerdy, and distraught at times. Mr. Mushnik, the floral store owner, played by Eric Bricker, was a strict boss with a short temper, but was also lovable at times. Audrey, played by Corey Birk, was ditsy, but she brought a liveliness to the stage. Audrey @, voice by Alex Pecas, was energetic and his voice over really made the plant come to life. Additionally, Orin Scrivello D.D.S., Andrew Murti, played a creepy dentist with a maniacal laugh perfectly. The characters voices also blended well together when doing duet or ensemble numbers.

                Of all the supporting characters and ensemble members, the Ronnettes really stole the show. They were energetic and bubbly and all worked wonderfully together. Their voices blended beautifully together and their dancing and costume changes really kept the audience intrigued. Although some of the addition ensemble on stage could be distracting at times, they all participated well in whole company numbers, giving more energy to the show.

                The technical aspects of this show were some of my personal favorites. The way the Audrey 2 came to life and grew over the course of the show was amazing. It could also eat people which gave a realistic impression to the audience. Equally as impressive was the way the puppeteer and the voice of Audrey 2 worked together to make the plant come alive. The band was almost flawless and it was wonderful to see how they were incorporated into the show. They were dressed the same as the hobos and had cardboard boxes to sit on which blended perfectly with the set. The costumes were also good, especially those for the Ronnettes, who attracted the audience’s eye with their apparel. The lighting was good, changing colors with the change in plot or mood on stage. The microphones were muffled at times, but the vocals were still good.

                The characters, ensemble, tech crew, and band all did a great job in pulling all the aspects of this production together. It’s a show that will grab your attention and leave you satisfied, and maybe even a bit horror-struck.

-Alana Rusonis

Permalink Reply by Christina Green on March 25, 2011 at 5:28pm

The cast of Hammond High School’s March 3-5 production of Little Shop of Horrors made only one mistake in its performance: they fed the plant! This dark rock musical, set on Skid Row in the 1960s, is famous for its run on Broadway, which earned it several prestigious awards, and for its 1986 movie adaptation. Composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman’s Little Shop of Horrors has swept the nation, and the world. Now, this legacy has spread to Howard County in Hammond’s successful interpretation, with its message- “Don’t Feed the Plant!”

  Little Shop of Horrors centers around an unfortunate employees at Mushnik’s Flower Shop on Skid Row named Seymour, who enjoys tinkering with botany techniques in his free time. In the course of his experiments, he inadvertently develops a talking plant that feeds only on human blood, and grows larger every time it eats. He names this monstrous plant Audrey II, after his co-worker Audrey, who Seymour is in love with. However, Audrey is dating and being abused by the sadistic dentist Orin Scrivello, D.D.S. A sinister plot ensues when Audrey II continuously convinces Seymour to feed it human blood.

Hammond High School managed to weave comedy and a sweet, naïve romance into the dark plot of Little Shop, which is a credit not only to the leads but to the ensemble, which anchored the show. The best part of the show was the heartbreaking scene between Corey Birk and Mikey Nugent, who played Audrey and Seymour, just before the finale of Act II.

Birk and Nugent’s voices blended together beautifully, and they had very realistic on-stage chemistry. The audience rooted for Birk as she dreamed, with a sympathetic and sweet voice, of “Somewhere That’s Green.” In “Grow for Me,” Nugent successfully established the parasitic relationship between his character and Audrey II. Another success of the show was that Alex Peças, the voice of Audrey II, overcame the difficulty of being offstage while interacting with other characters and picking up cues. Kevin Walker was actually onstage as the Puppeteer of Audrey II. Eric Bricker, who played Mr. Mushnik, was compelling to watch because of his great energy and dynamic voice reminiscent of Nathan Lane. However, he managed to maintain his exciting mannerisms while also keeping this portrayal of the flower shop owner realistic. Andrew Murti played the over-the-top, sadistic dentist Orin Scrivello, D.D.S. He was completely committed to his role, and kept up his energy, maniacal laugh and crazed screams to the end.

The leaders of the ensemble were Katy Patchan, Valerie Kamen, Nailah Turner, Amber Richards, Audrey Zahlis, and Tracy Kamen, who played the Ronnettes, which served as a sort of modernized Greek chorus in the show. Their attitude, fun energy and powerful voices added comic relief and soul to the play. The entire ensemble, including the Ronnettes, featured diverse characters. The ensemble actors always had a purpose, and were never standing idly stagnant on-stage.

The attention to detail in regards to the tech elements of the production was very impressive, including a ticking clock that changes times according to the plot, and the trash and debris that scattered Skid Row. The band was also involved in the show, and had props of their own, while also occasionally reacting to what was going on. The entire cast wore authentic period costumes and hairstyles. Also, the background lighting was consistent with the mood of the show, turning red when Audrey II was eating, or turning green and then into sunset colors during “Somewhere That’s Green,” corresponding to the lyrics of the song.

Hammond High School’s Little Shop of Horrors was entertaining through the end, and will certainly make the audience think twice in the future about feeding man-eating plants- at least not without a good dose of laughing gas first.

Permalink Reply by Rachel Hanon on April 5, 2011 at 11:36pm

Hammond High School’s Little Shop of Horrors

by Rachel Hanon

 

We see many people enter the infamous flower shop on Skid Row, but only some get to leave. Set to a 1960s doo-wop soundtrack, this eerie rock-musical doesn’t disappoint. Little Shop  has become a modern classic; it’s a dark comedy that revolves around a grungy flower shop on Skid Row with a secret. We watch Seymour struggle to keep the “strange and unusual” Audrey II content...at least until it’s supper time!

Seymour was an orphan until he met Mr. Mushnik, the proprietor of Skid Row’s infamous flower shop. He took Seymour in and became a father-figure to the boy. One day when Seymour was shopping in the flower-district, there was a total eclipse of the sun and out of nowhere, an odd plant showed up. The flower salesmen sold it to Seymour, but little did he know that this plant would have very specific dietary needs. Seymour learns that the only thing Audrey II craves is human blood! It “must be blood...must be fresh!” and Seymour has to find a way to feed this picky plant. Audrey II brings him fame and fortune, and before too long, a girl. Audrey is a peppy girl who has a shameful past, and an abusive boyfriend addicted to inflicting pain and pulling teeth, Orin Scrivello, D.D.S. We watch as each person battles fate and eventually ends up somewhere that’s green. They should have followed their own advice, “Don’t feed the plants!”

The leads did a wonderful job of fleshing out their characters, as well as maintaining  their “New Yoik” accents. Mikey Nugent, Seymour, did a great job portraying the awkward, yet lovable Seymour. The audience couldn’t resist rooting for him! Corey Birk, Audrey, was as cute as a button! She was ditzy, yet sentimental, and our hearts were at her mercy as she sang the “Somewhere That’s Green” reprise. Eric Bricker, Mr. Musnik, knew how to make the audience laugh. His side commentary was perfectly timed and really got the audience waiting for more. Overall, the leads were a strong group of actor taking on vocally and dramatically challenging roles.

If a show is only as good as the weakest member of the ensemble, then this cast has nothing to worry about! More than anything, the committed ensemble anchored the show; not one person up on that stage was giving less than 200%. Whether it was the pregnant homeless woman, or the clumsy old lady constantly losing her glasses, each ensemble member was telling a story, and that is what made the world of Skid Row real to the audience. One tiny bit of perfection that was noticed was during one of the songs, the six girls, Ronnette, Chiffon, Crystal, Sapphire, Satin, and Topaz, were doing the See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil poses. That really stood out because it was a genius idea! It was ideal for the moment at hand, and it effectively communicated what the song was trying to get across. All in all, the ensemble was fabulous, and it really tied the show together.

Despite some minor technical difficulties in the beginning of the show with microphones, the cast and crew had a tight show. The band was incorporated on the stage, which added to the overall effect of the set. Also, the use of the pit gave the stage new levels that added depth and a very aesthetically pleasing set. Another detail that was noticed was the passing of time with a steady beat on a wood block and the clock hands turning. That was a simple, yet very effective way to show the passing of time. 

Overall Little Shop of Horrors was a thrilling musical filled to the brim with hard work and complete commitment. Hammond High School’s production of Little Shop of Horrors was to die for!

Permalink Reply by Aubrey Dunn on April 26, 2011 at 3:36pm

It’s alive! Audrey II, that is, a giant man-eating plant who was brought to life this week on the stage of Hammond High School’s production of Little Shop of Horrors. The show, originally a black comedy film from the 60’s, was later converted into a musical, and was recreated from March 3 to March 5 on the Hammond stage. Director Lauren Tobiason, as well as the talented cast and crew, have made Audrey II one completely hilarious and horrifying plant that will not be forgotten. 

The musical follows Seymour, played by Mikey Nugent, a young man who attempts to save his adoptive father’s flower shop by raising a plant that survives on human blood. The plan succeeds at first; business booms with only a few cuts and scrapes on Seymour to show for the plant’s picky diet. But as the plant, and his appetite, grows, entire characters are consumed, turning Seymour from an insecure boy striving for attention to a criminal fearing detection. On top of this, Seymour must balance stealing the girl he loves, Audrey, played by Corey Birk, from her abusive boyfriend, one Orin Scrivello, D.D.S, who was brought to life by Andrew Murti. 

The show was brought together by the character’s desires to be loved and accepted by others, a feeling most relatable to the audience. Seymour strives to gain the approval of his father, Mr. Mushnik, played by Eric Bricker, and the love of Audrey. Audrey, on the other hand, filled with insecurities, seeks attention from her insolent boyfriend instead of from Seymour, who will love her, but who she feels she doesn’t deserve. Little Shop shows just how far we will go to gain approval, and how this very voracity can lead to our own downfall.

Despite her loyalty to a crazy boyfriend, then to a crazy florist, the audience came to endear Birk’s portrayal of Audrey. Her consistent accent and sweet, high-pitched voice painted her in every way the damsel in distress. Birk’s interactions with the other characters and her simple quest for love made her a very relatable character.

An undoubtable standout character was found in Andrew Murti’s Orin Scrivello, D.D.S. He’s the kind of jerk everyone knows (and hates) in high school, who went on to become a dentist so he could continue his sadistic tendencies. Murti was a ball of energy, and very believable when it came to his raw desire to hurt everyone. Although his “giggle gas” mask sometimes impeded in his vocals, Murti’s drugged laugh and over-the-top antics made him a memorable character you couldn’t help but like. 

The ensemble shone through the collaborative efforts of a six-girl pack that was part city-rat part 50’s girl group, whose impeccable harmonies brought a bright spot to each group number.

A live rock band replaced the usual pit-band, bringing a refreshingly new sound to the distinct rock feel of the show. The use of dramatic lighting changes based on the character’s outlooks was an interesting touch that also added to the overall mood of the musical.

So next time you’re at the florist contemplating whether to buy a carnivorous plant, just remember Little Shop of Horrors, and that if you forget to feed your plant, it just might come back to bite you in the butt. 

Permalink Reply by Claire Fremuth on April 26, 2011 at 9:58pm

“I guess a few drops are alright as long as you don’t make a habit of it!” said Seymour (Mikey Nugent). This is rather disturbing (and ironic) because Seymour is talking about blood. Yes, BLOOD!!! “The Little Shop of Horrors”, composed by Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman, is a tale about how people’s lives change all due to the appearance of a carnivorous, man-eating plant named Audrey II (voice by Alex Peças) who throughout the play requires more and more and MORE sustenance. Yes, he does indeed make a habit of craving BLOOD!!! So much, in fact, that poor Seymour is reduced to feeding it in order to keep it alive and keep himself famous. He does so in order to impress Audrey, played by Corey Birk, after whom the plant is named.

                Hammond High School, in their production of “Little Shop”, uses a puppet as the man-eating plant that grows and grows and GROWS until a whole person can fit inside of its enormous jaws! The mastermind behind the movements of the plant, becoming increasingly more inmpressive as the plant itself becomes more so, is Kevin Walker, moving the plants mouth whenever it chooses to speak, or to sing. It TALKS??? Yup. It SINGS??? Yup. AND it eats people??? Horrifying isn’t it?

The plant sings with a phenomenal base tone, provided by Pecas. This increases the irony that the plant has a girl’s name, but also intensifies the eeriness of the human-like qualities of the plant, which makes it more persuasive when asking for human flesh. In the song where the plant consistently requests to be fed, Pecas and Nugent carry melodic harmonies that, when one remembers that the plant is asking for blood, become quite chilling!

Another horror of the animated production is Andrew Murti, playing the dentist by name of Orin Scrivello, D.D.S. Orin is a semi-satist that became a dentist because he “gets off on your pain”. In addition to abusing his poor clients, Orin abuses his sweet and meek girlfriend, Audrey (Birk). During the show Murti and Birk have a realistic relationship of abuse, which makes the audience very sympathetic to Birk’s timid character.

Despite his insanely intimidating character, Murti is a constant delight and fright to have on the stage! Always abound with energy (most likely due to the nitrogen monoxide the dentist takes) along with a vicious laugh that he keeps equally creepy no matter how often he uses it, Murti was very professional and capable of keeping his role believable on the stage.

The six girls who acted as back-up vocals for the show were also a marvelous asset to the plot. Katy Patchan, Valerie Kamen, Nailah Turner, Amber Richards, Audrey Zahlis, and Tracy Kamen all has wonderful energy and were never out of character on stage. Nailah Turner and Amber Richards particularly were full of energy and sass! They both also had incredible voices when singing solo parts!

The entire ensemble had a wonderful tone and balance of harmonies. It was also impressive to be able to hear their hard consonants which allowed for the audience to understand the lyrics. They also had fantastic exuberance and stayed on stage; meaning that although they didn’t have a named character, they never acted as if they were anywhere but on Skid Row! Altogether a very impressive and refreshing ensemble throughout the show!

A show is only as good as its ensemble, and this show pulled off an incredible take of “Little Shop of Horrors” with leads and its ensemble. It was so good one wonders if they’re dreaming it? “No, and you ain’t in Kansas neither!”

Permalink Reply by Alex Giosa on May 14, 2011 at 7:25pm

A small, shabby flower shop on the seedy underside of town, otherwise known as Skid Row, is the setting of Hammond High School’s Little Shop of Horrors where the meek have not only inherited the stage but stolen the show and the hearts of the audience.
Alan Menken, who is famous for composing the music for many Disney classics such as Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and most recently Tangled, also wrote the music for this rock musical Little Shop of Horrors.
Little Shop of Horrors, set in the 1960s, follows the life of clumsy and hapless florist Seymour Krelborn who finds a strange new plant that he raises and grows. When the plant suddenly garners him instant fame, it winds up controlling Seymour’s life and sending everything spiraling out of control. The plant represents the timeless temptation of greed and the need to make something of life as the show explores how to best confront such hard decisions in life.

Seymour Krelborn (Mikey Nugent) works in Mr. Mushnik’s (Eric Bricker) flower shop, where he also hides a crush for fellow shop employee Audrey (Corey Birk), who already has an abusive dentist boyfriend, Orin Scrivello, D.D.S (Andrew Murti). Nugent displays effectively the awkward mannerisms and nervousness associated with Seymour and his character, who is generally perceived as a nerd. Nugent’s voice was strong and melodic and in his first solo performance “Grow for Me” he sounded exceptional.

Bricker portrayed Mr. Mushnik especially well and his character’s anger felt realistic. Birk had one of the best voices consistently during the show and sang songs such as “Somewhere that’s Green” to near perfection. Birk and Bricker also both kept their accents throughout their performances and made them more solidified and believable in their roles. Murti played Orin, who is addicted to Nitrous Oxide, splendidly and his laugh was borderline crazy, which was perfect for the character.

The plant, known as Audrey II, was portrayed by freshman Alex Peças, whose incredibly deep voice fit the character perfectly. Peças shined in “Feed Me (Git it!)” where he was able to really bring out his voice, particularly on the low notes so the audience could hear the gravel in his voice.

The Ronnettes, who served as narrators of the show, performed well but at times were not as strong vocally as they could have been but portrayed the attitude of their characters well, while all six of them each had their own individual personality. The costume changes of the Ronnettes were interesting and symbolized Seymour’s growing fame. The Ensemble also enhanced the show, having a strong presence and the actors were always playing an important part on stage.

The set of the show was very static and only showed the flower shop and its immediate surroundings, never changing. However, the flower shop was very nicely done. The lighting helped to enhance the show so that when Audrey II was highlighted in a scene the background would be green and at tense or suspenseful moments the background was red. However, the most important technical aspect of the show was the Audrey II puppet. As the plant grew, the puppets became more complex, with an actor devoted completely to controlling the movements of the puppet.
Overall, the performance was amazing and very enjoyable, with very strong and believable cast members who have clearly grown into their parts. The show represents the difficulties faced with living on Skid Row and trying to stay hopeful and get to a better place in life. Little Shop of Horrors is definitely a show to see “Now, so go git it!”

Permalink Reply by Darby Dicks on May 26, 2011 at 2:57pm

Little Shop of Horrors

            “Feed me, Seymour!” bellows the plant on stage to a nervous looking young man.  These two are the unlikely pair around which the movie-inspired play Little Shop of Horrors centers, produced by Hammond High School.

            Our story begins with a clumsy man named Seymour, a young woman by the name of Audrey, and a strange little plant, Audrey II, that has a strange – and growing – appetite.  This is the curious carnivorous plant that captures the attention of people from all over and skyrockets Seymour to his fame.  But there's a dark secret the two are hiding which could threaten everyone in the world!  The play has previously been made into two movies, and has become a beloved on and off-Broadway play.

            Hammond's production of the play was very entertaining, with memorable singing and even more memorable characters.  The characters of Seymour, Audrey, and Audrey II anchor this show, providing the mystery, the excitement, and the romance in this musical.

            Seymour is the hero of this story: cheered for and sympathized with, he was played with appropriate timidity and underlying true courage by Mikey Nugent.  His singing also is bold, transforming him from simple city boy to a deep character who is more than just a clumsy shop worker.  Corey Birk plays his leading lady, Audrey, her voice enchanting the audience during such songs as “Somewhere That's Green” and sporting a very consistent New York accent.  Right beside them is the impressive Audrey II, Alex Peças bellowing out lines and songs with confidence despite being off stage as the corresponding puppets were controlled with precision by Kevin Walker.

            The two strongest supporting characters were Mr. Mushnik (Eric Bricker) and Orin Scrivello, D.D.S. (Andrew Murti).  Both are portrayed unflinchingly, Mushnik shouting out lines and Orin laughing maniacally, bringing believable character to the stage.  The ensemble characters also brought life to the play, dancing and singing well and audibly, but occasionally were slightly lacking enthusiasm.  The Ronettes also were crucial support to the play, narrating the unfolding events onstage as well as providing backup singing and even some humor as they profit off introducing publicists to Seymour and Audrey II.

            Lighting in this show was simple and well done, with lights in the background changing colors with the mood of the play.  The costumes also were notable, unique to each character while still pertaining to the 1960's time period.  Most of this play takes place in Mr. Mushnik's flower shop, which was a quaint and workable setup, changing subtly to match events as the play progressed. 

             Little Shop of Horrors, produced by Hammond High School, is a delightful rock musical, entertaining and witty, and a real treat for the audience.  Just be sure to remember the unforgettable lesson of the play: “Don't feed the plants!”