REVIEW: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at Senior Center for the Arts

David Williams and Cat Eberwine give such winning performances as Seymour and Audrey in the Senior Center for the Arts' production of Little Shop of Horrors, now onstage at Nashville Dinner Theatre through November 15, that it's easy to overlook some of the production's other, more obvious, shortcomingS. Williams and Eberwine are sublimely off-kilter as the oddest of couples in the Alan Menken-Howard Ashman musical, with an onstage chemistry that makes them completely believable and altogether lovable in their cartoonish roles.

Based on the Roger Corman 1950s film, the musical Little Shop is just as kitschy and kicky as its source material, thanks to Messrs. Menken and Ashman, who've created a book that is at once hilarious and disturbing, and a musical score that does exactly what one hopes for in a musical comedy: you leave the theatre humming all the delicious songs, with a definite spring in your step. And that's a pretty good review in itself; after all, practically everybody dies in Little Shop and a gigantic, people-eating plant is taking over the world and still you leave in an upbeat mood.

Somewhat unevenly directed by Nashville stage veteran Tim Larson, SCA's Little Shop isn't nearly as satisfying as one might hope - or even expect - to find. Some of the blocking seems rather clumsily conceived and there are some directorial choices that are, simply put, confounding. For example, during Eberwine's beautifully sung solo "Somewhere That's Green," the audience's focus is drawn from her superb performance (delivered from an elevated playing area downstage left) to a center stage, completely inexplicable "Audrey Dream Ballet," danced by Erin Spencer. Sure, Agnes DeMille made it work in Oklahoma!, but it's out of place in this delightful musical.

Despite that, Eberwine delivers a wonderfully nuanced performance as Audrey and her voice is exquisitely heard throughout her character's musical numbers. She displays her skills as a comic actress with assurance and she struts her stuff in Audrey's form-fitting costumes with style and aplomb.

As Seymour Krelborn, the botanical genius cum plant-growing wunderkind, Williams is ideally cast and gives a pitch-perfect performance. His Seymour effectively embodies the character's heartfelt sweetness and naivete as both his confidence and his love for Audrey grow. "Suddenly Seymour" is arguably one of the production's musical highlights, and Williams' sure-handed comedic delivery is on-target from his first moments onstage to the play's final scenes.

Joshua Waldrep, playing more than a few years beyond his own age, is a nimble and manipulative Mr. Mushnik, owner of the Skid Row floral shop where both Seymour and Audrey toil. Don Hilaker, making his Nashville community theatre debut, is fine as sadistic dentist Orin Scrivello (note to self: keep those images out of your mind midweek during oral surgery) and a bevy of other minor characters.

Of course, no production of Little Shop of Horrors can be considered even mildly successful without a strong voice behind Audrey II and in this production David Arnold definitely delivers the goods. Noted local puppeteer Jennifer Kleine effectively handles the reins of the Audrey II creation of Ron Cushman, Brent Pierce and Kleine herself.

One of my favorite things about Little Shop of Horrors is the trio of '50s style do-wop singers who serve as a Greek chorus of sorts to comment on the play's events. An homage to the girl groups of that era, Chiffon, Crystal and Ronnette are there to guide the audience along the way and to add their lovely harmonies to the show's biggest musical numbers. While they have their good moments, Amber Boyer (Chiffon), Danielle Papet (Crystal) and LaQuita James (Ronnette) also have some rather dicey ones, too, sounding somewhat flat and appearing less than ebullient in the show's opening title tune.

Larson has expanded the show's cast - to uneven results - to include a singing/kinda dancing ensemble to populate Skid Row. As with any community theatre production, the level of talent is wide-ranging, but it's clear that Trey Palmer deserves a much bigger role and a star on his dressing room door sooner rather than later.

Musical director John Kennerly's band does a fine job with Menken's music, with some of Nashville's best-known keyboardists (John Todd and Jeff Hall) on the job, along with Ricky Perry, Chris Dunn and Casey Brown. Brad Kramer's serviceable set design is well-executed despite problems with SCA sight-lines. Kate Adams-Johnson's choreography doesn't pack its usual punch, although there are some real glimmers of her imagination here and there.

- Little Shop of Horrors. Music by Alan Menken. Lyrics and book by Howard Ashman. Directed by Tim Larson. Musical direction by John Kennerly. Choreography by Kate Adams-Johnson. Produced by Jane Schnelle and Richard Sparkman. Presented by Senior Center for the Arts at the Nashville Dinner Theatre, Donelson. Through November 15.

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