Lee Street theatre’s ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ continues through July 23
Published 12:00 am Saturday, July 9, 2022
1 of 5
By Mike Cline
SALISBURY — Don’t feed the plants! Don’t feed the plants!
“I swear on all my spores when he’s gone the world will be yours.”
It’s the decree of Audrey II, the centerpiece of the current Lee Street theatre musical production of “Little Shop of Horrors.”
It’s like this…not so long ago, creatures from outer space invaded our planet intent on world domination. Some of them took the form of plants. A somewhat nerdish kid named Seymour Krelborn (played by Kevin Leichman) purchased one of these plants and brought it to Mushnik (Chris Barcroft) Florist Shop on Skid Row where he’s employed. He tended the plant lovingly naming it Audrey II after his fellow assistant, Audrey (Kiera Whittemore). You see, Seymour has the “hots” for Audrey, the girl not the plant. But Audrey has a sadistic boyfriend, a dentist Orin (Matthew Donahue), who regularly appeases his sadistic desires on Audrey.
Seymour soon realizes that Audrey II requires blood to survive and allows the plant to suckle from his finger. As Audrey II grows, it becomes a big attraction and starts generating brisk business for the store.
A trio of 1960s street urchins named Crystal (Allison Proba), Ronette (Alexandra Hinson), and Chiffon (Abigail Skibsted) set the scene and comment on the action throughout the show, which gets more bizarre as it goes along.
Goings on surrounding Audrey II’s demand for more, more, more are accompanied by witty parodies of 1960s music. Between feedings of human flesh and blood, Audrey II (voiced by Iris DeWitt) sings rhythm and blues a la Otis Redding and James Brown.
With songs like “Be A Dentist,” “Somewhere That’s Green,” “Git It (Feed Me), the horror-comedy rock musical “Little Shop of Horrors” is a summer evening of fun, fun, fun.
Music by Alan Menken and lyrics/book by Howard Ashman. Rod Oden directs the LST production. Drina Keen, music director; Simmon Moray, choreographer; Kelly Sandoval, lighting designer; Mollie Wasserman, stage manager; Amanda Feliciano, costume designer; Tori Carpenter, puppeteer; lighting operation by Elizabeth Jones; stage crew includes Julia Howard, Garrett Jennings, and Colleen Welday.
Lee Street theatre’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors” runs Fridays and Saturdays through July 23, at 7:30 pm. Tickets can be obtained at leestreet.org.