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Feed me an awesome time, Seymour! The Cape Fear Regional Theatre opened a flower shop on Skid Row with preview performances of their latest production, Little Shop of Horrors, on Thursday and Friday.
Tickets went quickly, according to the theater, and both preview performances and Saturday’s opening night were completely sold out. This sinister but quirky comedy arrived just in time for spooky season and is brilliantly written to captivate audiences well beyond.
Little Shop of Horrors’s book and lyrics are by Howard Ashman while the music is by Alan Menken. Mary Catherine Burke, Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s artistic director, wore the director’s hat for this show. I caught Friday’s preview and afterwards asked Burke how her troupe performed.
“Excellent!” Burke replied. She told CityView she was thrilled to be directing.
When asked if there were any hiccups the audience didn’t notice, she said, “Tonight was a preview, and this show is still in flux. We’re meeting now as a team to adjust light and sound cues. We learned a lot from the audience tonight, so by tomorrow night, the show will be frozen. Once we open, it’s locked and nothing changes.”
What’s Little Shop of Horrors about?
The story follows Seymour Krelborn, a luckless flower shop worker who accidentally cultivates a new species of plant that feeds on human flesh. No good story is complete without a love interest, and Seymour is secretly in love with his down-on-her-luck coworker, Audrey, a kind-hearted woman with a penchant for tacky clothes. In a nod to his feelings, Seymour names the plant Audrey II after her.
Set in the 1960s, the story unfolds in the struggling downtown flower shop on Skid Row, owned and operated by Mr. Mushnik. Marc de la Concha, Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s education director, plays Mushnik, bringing his quirky delivery and polished professionalism to the role. Audiences may recognize de la Concha from his standout performances in Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s The Odd Couple, Shrek, Puffs, The Addams Family, and Clue. His performances are consistently top-notch and flawless.
When Seymour secretly discovers that blood makes the plant grow, he gains fame as his bizarre creation reaches extraordinary sizes. But Seymour soon learns that his fame comes at a steep cost: He must continue to feed the ever-hungry plant or risk losing everything.
Top-shelf performances
I was curious how Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s production would handle the macabre act of feeding the man-eating plant on stage. I felt it was handled tastefully, with a comedic flair that even children could see without being frightened.
The play features a captivating blend of puppetry, dance choreography, and stellar vocals.
Deon Releford-Lee, who is making his return to Cape Fear Regional Theatre after Jelly’s Last Jam, plays the lead role of Seymour Krelborn. Releford-Lee is incredibly animated in the role, and his vocals are spectacular.
Speaking of fantastic vocals, Hannah-Kathryn Wall, who also returns to the Cape Fear Regional Theatre stage, voices Audrey II. Her powerhouse, soulful voice could spark a church revival. Her vocals evoke a bygone era, conjuring visions of fedoras and smoky jazz clubs. She embodies the plant at its largest with a performance full of sultry persuasiveness that might just convince you to join her quest for world domination.
Kirk Osgood makes Cape Fear Regional Theatre debut
One of my favorite performances was by actor Kirk Osgood, a Chicago-based actor making his debut at Cape Fear Regional Theatre with Little Shop of Horrors. Osgood plays Orin, Audrey’s boyfriend, along with so many other characters I lost count. At one point, he’s wearing several other characters’ clothes underneath and has just enough time to change before he’s called upon again. He did a great job playing each and is a welcome addition to Cape Fear Regional Theatre.
Imagery of the stage takes you downtown
I’m always impressed with the production quality of each Cape Fear Regional Theatre show. The large electric letters that spell “Skid Row” look like they would take months to create, but according to director Burke, the theater’s tech staff did it in just three weeks with “just basically two and a half people.”
“They look at it, they budget it, and they build it together,” Burke said.
Audience reaction
During the musical’s 15-minute intermission, I spoke with Brandy and Richard Mitchell, a couple enjoying a date night with friends. Brandy said they frequently attend Cape Fear Regional Theatre productions.
“I enjoy the singing, dancing, and how they put it all together. Everyone knows exactly what they’re doing, and it all fits seamlessly,” she said.
Little Shop of Horrors is a fun experience. Though a man-eating plant is a dark subject, the theater keeps it light and entertaining. The comedy shines through, complemented by outstanding vocals, choreography, and set design. After the show, Cape Fear Regional Theatre invites anyone to take photos with the man-eating plant herself, Audrey II.
Performances of Little Shop of Horrors runs until Nov. 16. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or by calling (910) 323-4233.
