Theatre

Little Shop of Horrors

by Eric H. Schwertz

Tuesday February 7, 2006

Our Time Musical Theatre Troupe presented a concert production of the popular musical comedy Little Shop of Horrors on Nov. 10 in Reisinger.

Such a production strips away the spectacle of elaborate sets, costumes and choreography normally associated with the musical theatre genre to allow performers and audiences alike to focus on the music at the core of the piece. The actors, dressed in simple black costumes, stood behind music stands on a bare stage and performed the show in its purest form to an enthusiastic and receptive audience.

The show, based on the film by Roger Corman, is set in and around Mushnik’s Skid Row Florist on the decidedly wrong side of town. With the shop about to close for good, Seymour Krelbourn, an employee, unveils his newest strange and interesting plant named Audrey II after a fellow employee and love interest. The new plant begins to attract attention and business is finally booming. The problem is that Audrey II requires blood to survive. As the plant grows it forces the innocent Seymour to murder for its survival, ensuring Seymour’s rise to fame.

This production was the first in Our Time’s 2005-2006 season. The Troupe was founded five years ago as an outlet for the community of musical theater artists and aficionados at Sarah Lawrence. Today, the troupe continues its mission, producing theatre of a professional quality while utilizing the varied talents of its many members. Last season’s celebrated production of Bat Boy: The Musical played to capacity audiences in the Suzanne Werner Wright Theatre and featured a cast, staff and crew of over 30 undergraduate and graduate students.

The Troupe is currently preparing for a Spring 2006 production of the popular Kander and Ebb musical Cabaret.