WANT TO GO?
WHAT: "Little Shop of Horrors"
WHERE: Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St., Dayton.
WHEN: Sept. 2 and 3; 8 p.m. Friday; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday.
COST: $28.50-$53.50.
TICKETS: Call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit www.ticketcenterstage.com.
The familiar tale of nerdy clerk Seymour and his mysterious, blood-thirsty plant wreaking havoc in 1950s Skid Row will receive a darker treatment at the Victoria Theatre.
Dare to Defy Productions presents lyricist/librettist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken’s 1982 musical “Little Shop of Horrors” Friday, Sept. 2 and Saturday, Sept. 3 on the downtown stage.
In an intriguing conceptual change of pace, this “Little Shop” aims to uncover the distorted underbelly accenting the relationship between the seemingly good-natured Seymour and his pet plant Audrey II. As Seymour’s dastardly deeds reach a boiling point, organizers hope audiences see him in a different light specifically in terms of the character’s inherent duality even as he endearingly romances his kindhearted, abused co-worker Audrey.
“I think the unique quality of this production of ‘Little Shop’ comes from our exploration of the darker side of Seymour and his relationship with the other characters,” said director David McKibben, who’s co-staging with Jordan Norgaard. “We are sticking strictly to the songs and script, but are removing some of the ‘campy’ approach usually seen in ‘Little Shop’ productions.”
“I’m hoping to make audiences question Seymour,” added Bobby Mitchum, seen last season in Dare to Defy’s productions of “Godspell” and “American Idiot.”
“So many times I’ve seen this show Seymour is the character you love. He’s your hero. But underneath the geeky nice guy there’s someone else lurking. ‘Little Shop’ was the first musical I ever experienced. It’s the reason I (perform) today. What the young me didn’t realize then was the story underneath. You see a story about a talking plant and an underdog and you think ‘Oh, what fun!,’ but Audrey II can represent so many things. Everyone has an Audrey II and eventually everyone realizes it’s gone too far. The hardest part is realizing when it’s gotten out of control and deciding it’s time to stop.”
In addition to exploring Seymour’s personal demons, the production is proud to incorporate non-traditional casting. Lisa Glover, a dynamic dancer seen last season in Dare to Defy’s “The Great American Trailer Park Musical,” “The Wild Party” and “American Idiot,” portrays the sweetly sincere Audrey. Glover, who also serves as choreographer, says she’s keeping Audrey’s signature innocence but has chosen to apply other approaches as well.
“Since we have decided to play the entire show a bit darker, I am playing up Audrey’s obsessive-compulsive tendencies,” she said. “I’m also (exploring) her need to please and be perfect, which takes a toll on her self-esteem. ‘Little Shop’ is one of the few shows in which you root for the anti-hero. You find yourself hoping Seymour gets everything he dreams of, but all along he’s committing murders. And what does that say about us?
“The plant has a bigger meaning — which is, fighting hate with hate only breeds hate. When you feed the plant, it grows and brings you all your desires, but the bigger it gets the more blood it wants. This show, and I especially feel Dare to Defy’s take on it, makes you ask yourself where you draw the line between right and wrong.”
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