A murderous plant stars in one of the most-produced high school musicals across the country.
That dark element appealed to Kiski Area High School musical director Robert Capanna.
“We chose ‘Little Shop (of Horrors)’ this year because it was a big departure from last year’s ‘Shrek: The Musical,’ and the last time we did a similar dark comedy type show was all the way back in 2015 with ‘The Addams Family,’ ” Capanna said.
The musical is set for 7:30 p.m. March 15-18.
Jackson Newell was cast in the lead role of Seymour, a shy floral employee who discovers a new breed of plant he names “Audrey II” after a co-worker he’s crushing on.
Seymour starts out as a weird and dorky kid, Newell said, but progresses to a hero role.
“I was unfamiliar with the show and was hoping for the lead, and I’m loving this role,” Newell said.
Newell, a senior, has performed in musicals since he was in seventh grade.
“It’s definitely sad, my last high school role. This has been a big part of my life forever, and it’s coming to an end,” he said.
The songwriting is specific to its setting — the early 1960s in an urban skid row environment.
The musical is based on the film by the same name released in 1960.
Audience members can expect a crazy tale that includes romance and horror in this cult classic rock comedy.
“Fans of the movie will love seeing their favorite campy characters brought to life on the stage and also be pleasantly surprised be several big differences between the stage and screen versions,” Capanna said.
The show features a cast of 65 student thespians, a two-story set, a live pit orchestra and heaps of talent, Capanna added.
Reserved tickets are $10.
“Not to mention a living, breathing, giant man-eating plant. This will be one show not soon forgotten,” Capanna said.
Kiski Area junior Mason Caldwell steps into his second theater role, lending his voice as “Audrey II.”
The carnivorous plant is foul-mouthed, with a penchant for belting out R&B songs.
“My sister talked me into this. I like the energy of the musical, and I have a lot of friends in this, too. I like the sense of focusing on something and putting it all together,” Caldwell said.
Junior Ambur Orowitz plays Audrey.
Musical costume designer and coordinator Deanna Whaley has dressed Kiski drama students for almost 20 years.
She described the wardrobe choices for ‘Little Shop’ as skid row, so the colors can be drab.
“I’m excited because it’s the 1960s, and I actually lived through them,” Whaley joked. “But the urchin characters are always sparkly.”
Junior Brandon Ray plays Mushnik, the grumpy owner of the failing flower shop.
“He’s in it for the money, and he’s a greedy man who wants the best for the shop and does whatever it takes to get to there,” Ray said. “The audience will like the entire theme of just a couple of people making their way up, but at the same time some terrible things happen.”
The 30-plus stage crew members are busy building the set under the direction of technical director Ryan Felt.
This year’s show won’t be livestreamed because of licensing restrictions.
Tickets are on sale at showtix4u.com
