See St. George Musical Theater’s “Little Shop of Horrors” before it closes

See St. George Musical Theater’s “Little Shop of Horrors” before it closes

What happens when you mesh the genius of musical titans Alan Menken and Howard Ashman with the spirited B-movie sensibilities of thrifty filmmaking icon Roger Corman? You get the wonderfully creative “Little Shop of Horrors.” Based on the Corman-produced 1960 film of the same name, Menken and Ashman would eventually bring their magic to the property in the form of a wildly popular stage production. Shortly thereafter, this source material would hit a fever pitch in the mid ’80s by way of Frank Oz’s lively cinematic updating starring Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Steve Martin, Bill Murray, and Levi Stubbs.

Now St. George Musical Theater delivers its take on this darkly comical homage to both sci-fi B-movie schlock and ’60s-inspired rock ‘n’ roll, and the end result is one of the most entertaining stage productions St. George Musical Theater has delivered to date. Through the outstanding collaborative efforts of director Kyle Myrick , choreographer Sammy Myrick, musical director Jadon Webster, producer Dan Olsen, and a high-energy and infectiously likable cast, this take on “Little Shop of Horrors” emerges as a must-see community theater production!

Brennan Walters is outstanding as lovable Seymour, a meek floral shop employee whose life is opened up to a world of endless new possibilities following the arrival of a seemingly harmless plant, which he affectionately names after his crush of a co-worker, Audrey (played wonderfully by an adorably mousy Makayla Nelson). But it isn’t long before Audrey II begins to reveal its true nature, leading Seymour to the realization that this plant isn’t nearly as harmless as he initially thought.

Aside from knock-out performances by Walters, who also delivered a memorable turn as Cosmo in St. George Musical Theater’s production of “Singin’ in the Rain,” and Nelson, this show features terrific work by Jerry D. Harris as Mushnik, Seymour’s self-serving boss and father figure. “Little Shop of Horrors” also benefits from an engaging and talented street-urchin trio comprising Ashlie Davenport, McKenzie Morgan, and Lizzie Lotterer. Beyond the previously mentioned performances,  watch for scene-stealing work by a hilarious, Elvis-inspired Adam Cheney as Orin Scrivello, a deliciously bad dentist who has a talent for causing things pain, as well as ensemble player Joseph Nygaard, whose animated physicality might remind some of the comical mastermind that is Jim Carrey.

Rounding out a more than capable supporting cast are ensemble players Savannah Brown, Janessa Judkins, Anna McNamara, and Dallin Suman.

And last but certainly not least, you can’t bring up any production of “Little Shop of Horrors” without discussing the monstrosity that is Audrey II. The puppetry here (as performed by Nathan Merrill) is simply stunning in a live setting, and while Merrill’s contribution is superb, it’s Trey Paterson’s vocal performance that truly brings this extraordinary plant to life. Paterson has never hidden the fact that Audrey II is a dream role for him, and the proof is certainly in the pudding. He brings this colorful, vibrant character to life by way of the kind of electrifying vocals that would have made the likes of Levi Stubbs proud. Further props to Myrick, Paterson, Merrill, and crew for resisting the temptation to go the playback route with Audrey II. This maneater is every bit as live as the rest of the cast, and “Little Shop of Horrors” is all the more magical for it.

The catchy songs, the lively dancing, the stellar puppetry, the colorful production design, the creative projection, the heartfelt performances, the campy spirit, the laugh-out-loud humor of it all, etc. — I really can’t say enough nice things about St. George Musical Theater’s “Little Shop of Horrors.” It’s a briskly paced joy to behold, and it’s all punctuated by a nifty little twist that plays up the sci-fi angle and diffuses the darker nature of the proceedings a bit. In short, “Little Shop of Horrors” is completely worthy of your time.

Now for the bad news. You only have a short time to see it, because “Little Shop of Horrors” closes July 22! So what are you waiting for? Buy your tickets now!

To purchase tickets and to learn more about St. George Musical Theater, click here.

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