"Little Shop of Horrors" runs through March 7 at Civic Theatre of Allentown.
Photo courtesy of Civic Theatre of Allentown
By STEVE SIEGEL
Special to Lehigh Valley Source
Allentown, PA -- Take one part cheesy science fiction flick, two parts Broadway musical, graft them together with a blood-thirsty plant from another planet, and you've got one of drama's all-time hits. The Civic Theatre of Allentown's production of "Little Shop of Horrors," the campy 1983 hit musical based on the 1960 Roger Corman film, is deliriously delightful.
The story is one to which you just can't help relate. Nebbishy Seymour, played by Michael Hull, works in Mushnik's failing flower shop on skid row. He nurses a yearning desire for his attractive co-worker, Audrey, played by Cheryl Moritz, who's stuck in a violent relationship with Orin Scrivello, DDS, a sadistic dentist played by Tom Onuschco. When Seymour discovers a strange, flytrap-esque plant and displays it in the store window, business starts to boom. But the plant--which Seymour names Audrey II--needs something significantly more gruesome than plant food to thrive, and that's when the real thrills begin.
Expertly directed by William Sanders, the production flourishes with its cast of just nine performers, five-piece orchestra, and simple yet convincing sets--one even includes some fear-invoking, period-correct dental equipment. The curtain opens on an appropriately shabby, graffiti-ridden street scene which introduces the hit opening number "Skid Row." We are also introduced to the endearing do-wop girl trio Ronnette (Melissa Egan), Crystal (Lizabeth Malloy), and Chiffon (Nichi McFarlane), who appear throughout the show, acting as sort of a skid row Greek Chorus.
Hull and Moritz are both simply superb, and play their roles with plaintive charm. Hull's Seymour is equally sweet and nerdy, played with lots of heart and sung with a powerful voice. Moritz, with her affected lower-class New York accent, her diffident laugh, and tender vulnerability, could be a stand-in for Ellen Greene, who played the role in the 1986 film version. Her delivery of the hilarious "Somewhere That's Green" was a knockout.
Onuschco was funnier in his numerous small character roles than in his larger one as the nitrous oxide-sucking dentist, which was a bit uneven and over-the-top, but still did a fine job as the "leader of the pack" style character he's meant to portray. Mark Stutz played a fatherly Mr. Mushnick, a bit weak in voice but big in heart, and was especially entertaining in his "Fiddler on the Roof" style dance routine with Hull in the "Mushnik & Son" routine.
Kudos must go to Daniel Becker, the puppeteer behind (and sometime inside) Audrey II, and the plant's spine-tingling voice, sung by Traci Ceschin. Four Audrey II puppets are used throughout the show to represent the progressive growth of the plant, from a small potted version operated Muppet-style, to a huge monster that takes up practically the entire stage.
The opening night show I attended was remarkable in its smoothness, marred only by some minor audio glitches.
"Little Shop of Horrors" will be performed at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday through March 7, 2010, at Civic Theatre of Allentown, 527 N. 19th St., Allentown, Pa. For tickets, phone 610-432-8943 or visit www.civictheatre.com
Steve Siegel is a freelance writer.
Nebbishy Seymour, played by Michael Hull, nurses a yearning desire for his attractive
co-worker, Audrey, played by Cheryl Moritz.
Photo courtesy of Civic Theatre of Allentown
Michael Hull's character, Nebbishy Seymour, works in Mushnik's failing flower shop on skid row.
Photo courtesy of Civic Theatre of Allentown
