It’s not everyday when feeding a giant green plant becomes daily routine. But even more bizarre is when that plant proceeds to talk and sing back to you. However, this is just one of the many peculiar things that happen in this year’s spring musical, Little Shop of Horrors.
Thespians have already had an impressive year, having scored 16 Cappie’s critics choice nominations for the fall play, Arsenic and Old Lace, and two successful runs of the children’s musical, Good Grief a Griffin. Looking to continue this successful season, students are now beginning rehearsals for this anticipated spring musical.
The show revolves around Seymour, a nerdy son of a shop keeper. Under the strangest of circumstances, he obtains the ownership of an abnormal, sickly plant that appears to be a venus flytrap. Seymour takes it upon himself to feed and care for the plant. As the plant continues to grow in size, however, Seymour’s life continues as normal as he tends to the shop, sings about the dismal despair of living in the slums of downtown Skid Row and lusts after his taken crush, Audrey.
“It is an exciting show that both students and teachers really want to see,” theater arts teacher George Bennett said.
Over 50 students auditioned for the musical this year, which is a surge from the usual amount of students. Some of the factors that created this rise in students hoping to receive a role in the show included Bennett’s audition policy, which is that all are welcome to audition and all of those students who attempt an audition are automatically allowed into the chorus of the show. Another factor is due to the show’s modern-day subject matter, music and entertaining plot.
Freshman Steven Aderton will play the role of Seymour in the show and says that he knows that this experience, along with his experience in two previous productions this year, will be just as exciting as the last. Aderton is not the only underclassmen in this production, for most of the cast is made up of freshmen and juniors.
“We are a very close cast with a very strong bond,” sophomore Gabi Montes de Oca, a chorus girl in the ensemble, said. “I don’t think the show would be half of the fun that it is without the cast that we have every year.”
As well as the cast, Bennett will have the opportunity to co-direct the show with Steven Hirsch, a history teacher at Robert E. Lee high school who co-directed Arsenic and Old Lace and last year’s spring musical, Grease. Alumna Tori Gowland, who played Sandy in Grease, will choreograph the show as well as serve as an acting coach on the set.
The show will be performed on April 20 and 21 and the cast will continue preparing every day after school until the curtain comes down on show night. Bennett and the rest of the cast is looking forward to having a good turnout for every performance.
“Everyone should come out and see the musical for a night of great fun, music and support for the arts at AHS,” junior Kevin Tran said. “The show is like the Superbowl for the theater department.”
