Wednesday, September 18, 2024
By James Card
“You’re not going to see anything like this in Waupaca County,” said Justin Schilling, director of the Waupaca Community Theatre’s production of the “Little Shop of Horrors.”
He stood near two giant man-eating plants that have a vague resemblance to a Venus flytrap. In the sci-fi horror musical, the plants are of extraterrestrial origin. The ones onstage next to Schilling were from Iowa. The theater rented them from a prop shop that specializes in such oddities. They were shipped to Waupaca in huge crates.
One is smaller and looks like an upright egg. The actor crawls inside and is able to sit on a stool and work its toothy jaws. Later in the storyline, the plant grows larger after consuming a few people. The other plant is a large monstrous blob and the actor crawls inside horizontally to operate its hungry mandibles.
“The Little Shop of Horrors” is the 26th consecutive musical production of the Waupaca Community Theatre. It’s based off the 1960 film by Roger Corman that was remade as an off-Broadway musical in 1982, then a film in 1986 with a playful pop/rock score.
Seymour Krelborn is the lead character and is played by Teng Vang. He works at a floral shop and has a crush on Audrey (played by Mackenzie Finger). Seymour comes across an unusual plant that is affected by a mysterious eclipse. He takes extra care of this plant and nicknames it Audrey 2. He later learns that it is carnivorous and is thirsty for blood.
The story takes place in a Skid Row part of town and there is an ensemble of down-and-outers composed of bums and street urchins that break out in song that is a mix of early 1960s rock & roll, doo-wop and Motown. The music is from a full pit orchestra conducted by John Kelley.
“The Little Shop of Horrors” will be staged at the Waupaca High School Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 27, and 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 1-3. Matinee performances are slated for 2 p.m. Sundays, July 28 and Aug. 4.
Tickets purchased online are $15 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. At the door its $17 for adults and $12 for children 12 and under. For more information, visit www.fineartsfestival.org and Waupaca Community Theatre on Facebook.
