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A bloodthirsty plant, a bashful florist, and some doo-wop chorus girls are taking center stage at Cape Fear Regional Theatre as Little Shop of Horrors bursts to life in Fayetteville. This cult classic musical blends campy horror with toe-tapping tunes and promises audiences a wickedly fun ride through Skid Row where dreams bloom—and danger lurks in a flowerpot.
From Thursday through Nov. 1, experience Little Shop of Horrors with direction by Cape Fear Regional Theatre Artistic Director Mary Catherine Burke and choreography from Emmy Award-winner Tyce Diorio.
“This show has very fun and campy moments, a little spooky at times,” Burke said. “It’s a dysfunctional family trying to improve their circumstances—a bunch of whack-a-doos just being profoundly hilarious.”
She also added that the show’s composer also wrote the music for the movie version of A Little Mermaid, and both have fun, catchy, sing-a-long songs.
“He wrote the music for this show first before being hired by Disney so some might recognize some of the echoes or preambles that eventually turned into The Little Mermaid,” Burke said.
Burke said this is also the perfect show for the space on 1707 Owen Drive that the Cape Fear Regional Theatre is using while they renovate their building in Haymount.
“This show works perfectly in this space because it is so intimate and you can really be in front of the audience,” Burke said.
Diorio, who is returning to Cape Fear Regional Theatre after choreographing Music City, The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical Party, and The Addams Family, said that he feels lucky to be working with Burke again.
“I will always say yes to Mary Kate and Ashley [Owen] when they ask me to be involved because it is always so exciting to do something here at CFRT because it’s like a little masterclass for me,” Diorio said. “It’s rare to find such synergy and they are so creative. They push me to up the ante with my artistry.”
He said he has always loved the show’s music and working through it has been inspiring.
“This music is full and rich and gets into your soul,” Diorio said. “Good work is forever.”
The leads for Little Shop of Horrors are Deon Releford-Lee, playing Seymour, and Emily Norah Samuelson, playing Audrey. Cape Fear Regional Theatre Director of Education Marc de la Concha plays Mr. Mushnik, the failing flower shop’s grumpy owner who is both a father figure and a boss to Seymour.
Son of a Fort Bragg Army soldier, Releford-Lee graduated from high school from Cross Creek Early College in 2011 and finished his bachelor’s degree in theatre and dance from Fayetteville State University in 2014 before moving to New York City. His previous roles with Cape Fear Regional Theatre include Sebastian in The Little Mermaid, the Scarecrow in The Wiz, and filling in at the last minute as Jelly in Jelly’s Last Jam when the star got COVID.
“The culture of this space keeps me returning,” Releford-Lee said. “I’m so excited to play a role that people would not expect to see me in, and this cast and the directors are phenomenal.”
The synergy and culture of the production was a resounding theme throughout the cast.
“When I first met Mary Kate, it was magnetic,” Samuelson said. “It was a lovely meeting of the minds. She’s amazing to work with and I can just look at her to get the notes I need.”
Samuelson, who learned of the auditions from an Instagram post, said she was excited for her first show at Cape Fear Regional Theatre.
“I have always loved this show and I think it’s the most perfect piece of musical theater,” Samuelson said. “This show has a little bit of everything. It’s funny, it’s littered with sadness, but also has a lot of optimism. We are having fun as a cast and I hope everyone loves it as much as we do.”
And de la Concha has been a popular local favorite since becoming the education director in 2019 and on the main stage with roles in The Addams Family and Shrek the Musical. He said working with Diorio has been a particularly fun treat because of the way he takes chances.
“He will tell me to go one way and I’ll look at him with a ‘Huh?’, but do it anyway and it works every single time,” de la Concha said. “This show is going to be great.”
Performances for Little Shop of Horrors run from Thursday through Nov. 16, with 7:30 p.m. performances Wednesday to Saturday and 2 p.m. matinees on Saturdays and Sundays at 1707 Owen Drive in Fayetteville.
Ticket prices range from $20 to $39. There are also special events throughout the run of the show. From 6:45 to 7:15 p.m. on Thursday, theater-goers will receive complimentary bloody marys and snacks before the show. And on Friday, show attendees can play sci-fi trivia from 6:45 to 7:15 p.m. with a trivia battle on classic sci-fi movies, TV and pop culture, with Venus Fly Trap prizes! Space is limited so even with tickets, interested individuals need to sign up online.
Military Appreciation Night is Oct. 29 and Teacher Appreciation Night is Oct. 31 with 25% off ticket prices.
Cape Fear Regional Theatre Marketing Director Ashley Nichole Owen said the theater will also be offering side seats for $25 on weekdays and $30 on weekends. Burke said it was in an effort to be inclusive and thoughtful for those who might want to attend, but find themselves with a tighter budget.
“We realize times are a little uncertain with the government furloughs so we want to make our seats accessible to everyone,” Burke said.
This will be the final season at 1707 Owen Drive as renovations continue at the theater’s home on Haymount. “You can officially see the outline of our new facility, including our two new classrooms, expanded lobby and our new scene shop,” Owen said.
For more information, visit the Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s website or call the box office at 910-323-4233. Tickets can be purchased in person at the new offsite office at 310 Green St., which is open from noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. During performances, the box office will be open from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, moving to the 1707 Owen Drive theater location at 5:30 p.m.
