Review: 'Little Shop,' Big Talent at Murphy Junior High

Upon entering the theater, the tone for the evening was instantly made apparent. The show, under the stage and musical direction of Mr. Anthony Pollera, began with the stage preset and the curtains left open revealing the desolate, down-on-its-luck area of Skid Row.

The pit orchestra was reminiscent of a group of street musicians, small in numbers but big in sound. The set design by Mr. Peter Campbell evoked visions of a city in decline: a place that the rest of the world had forgotten, with a lone trashcan as the only freestanding set piece.

As the lights dimmed the audience was greeted by the Skid Row Trio of Crystal, Ronnette and Chiffon, portrayed by Kristen Gonzalez, Lauren Rifkin and Alexandra Bassis, respectively. The trio kicked off the show with the title number “Little Shop of Horrors.” Their harmonies were tight and full of energy, enough to make any Doo-Wop fan from the 1960’s proud.

Soon after they were joined with what seemed to be a cast of thousands, appearing from every corner of the theater and filling it with music. The cast was clearly enjoying themselves on stage and it showed. The scene shifted to “Downtown (Skid Row),” which showcased Ms. Kristen Gonzalez’s powerful voice and we were introduced to our leads Seymour, portrayed my Mr. Ryan Ward, and Audrey, portrayed by Ms. Emily Gates.

Mr. Ward’s portrayal of Seymour had just the right combination of nerdy and lovable in his number “Grow for Me,” while Ms. Gate’s Audrey was able to perfectly balance being annoying (but in a good way) and sweet. In her number “Somewhere That’s Green,” I had chills throughout the song. The character of Mr. Mushnik, portrayed by Mr. Matthew Hoffman, offered great comedic prowess and brought down the house in his number “Mushnik and Son.”

Every story needs a villain; this story had two. The first is the sadistic dentist Dr. Orin Scrivello D.D.S., portrayed by Mr. Ezra Solomon, who slithered onto the stage and had the audience instantly loving to hate him with his number “Dentist.” The second villain in the story is the character of Audrey II, a plant. Voiced by Ms. Laura Ryan and operated by Murphy choral teacher Mr. Brian Pickford, Audrey II brought an ominous yet comical performance to the show.

The choreography under the direction of Ms. Jaymee Frankel showcased the athleticism of the students and helped to further highlight the era. The costume work by Ms. Donna Bauch was fantastic, in particular in the dancers and the “parts” of Audrey II. Overall a fantastic performance by the R.C. Murphy Theater Company; they should all be extremely proud of their achievements. Bravo!

– Andrew Lenahan