What actors can learn from "Little Shop of Horrors"

November 8, 2:03 AMDC Actors ExaminerWilliam Powell

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Seymour (Zachary Brewster-Geisz) and Audrey II (Fred Wells)

Flesh-eating plants?  Solar eclipses? A picked on nerd pining for his one true love?  You'll find these elements and more when you come see the musical, Little Shop of Horrors.

An ear-pleasing treat for all, Little Shop of Horrors is the third in a string of musicals directed by Jeff Lesniak to come out of Greenbelt Arts Center in the past year, including The Rocky Horror Picture Show and You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.

While the play featured fine performances all round, Stephen Yednock and Zachary Brewster-Geisz as Mr. Mushnik and Seymour Krelborn respectively, raised the whole business to a level several degrees higher than most shows at the community theater level.

Brewster-Geisz, who also played the titular role in Greenbelt Arts Center's Amadeus earlier this year, brought enough angst and doubt to Seymour to fuel a psych ward for a year.  Plucked from an orphanage in Skid Row, Seymour finds himself working in tireless obscurity for his heartless boss, Mr. Mushnik in a florist shop until he has the forturne (or misfortune as it turns out) of discovering a flesh-eating alien plant he names Audrey II after his lovely co-worker Audrey, well played by Laura Kavinski.

As the early 60s-era play unfolds, Seymour makes a not exactly mutually acknowledged Faustian deal with Audrey II (played vocally by Charisma Wooten and manually in costume by Fred Wells), who constantly implores "feed me", to get rid of his enemies by having the plant eat them one by one. The first of Audrey II's victims is Seymour's chief competition for Audrey's heart, the dispicable Orin, a curious cross between The Fonz from Happy Days, Elvis and every bad dentist you've ever met.  You know Orin is bad when he not only beats Audrey, but brags in song about "shooting puppies with a BB gun" as a child. The Iron Actor Award goes to Stephen Backus for pulling off brilliantly not only Orin, but eight other characters.

Joanna Frezzo, Jennifer Blanton and Temple Chelee Fortson, who play neighborhood girls Chiffon, Crystal and Ronnette (three 60s doo-wop girl group names) respectively, provided hot vocals for such numbers as Da-Doo and Dentist! 

Kudos to Ken Kienas, lighting technician, J.B. Dunmyer, vocal coach, Denise A. Levien, choreography and Kevin Bolk for art design.  The band sounded great too, particularly Meagan Frame's bass.

Don't wait until it's too late.  Run like a flesh-eating plant is behind you to see this show.

When you go:

Little Shop of Horrors

November 6 - 28
Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00
Sunday November 15 and 22 at 2:00

Greenbelt Arts Center
123 Centerway
Greenbelt, MD

Phone: 301.441.8770
Email: info@greenbeltartscenter.org

TIcket prices: $18 general admission
$15 students/senors

Book and Lyrics by Howard Ashman, Music by Alan Menken directed by Jeffery Lesniak, Choreographed by Denise A. Levien, produced by Norma R. Ozur
Featuring: Stephen Backus, Jennifer Blanton, Zachary Brewster-Geisz, Temple Chelee Fortson, Joanna Frezzo, Laura Kavinski, Fred Wells, Charisma Wooten, and Stephen Yednock.

Cast left to right: Joanna Frezzo, Temple Chelee Fortson, Jennifer Blanton, Stephen Yednock, Laura Kavinski, Zachary Brewster-Geisz, Fred Wells, Charisma Wooten and Stephen Backus