BWW Reviews: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at The Vex Buds But Doesn't Bloom

Early on in Little Shop of Horrors, the crowd favorite musical now playing at the Sheldon Vexler Theatre, forlorn florist Seymour Krelborn begs his strange and interesting but dying new plant, dubbed the Audrey II, to bloom. The same pleas could be asked of the show. While bolstered by some talented and gifted performers, this production sadly remains a seedling that doesn't completely sprout.

Based upon the 1960s cult classic horror film of the same name, Little Shop of Horrors tells the story of Seymour Krelborn, a nerdy flower shop assistant that works in the struggling Skid Row flower shop. The shop's financial situation turns around when Seymour finds a strange and interesting new plant which he places in the window. There's just one problem. The plant loves the taste of human flesh. The zany musical has one of the oddest success stories in American Theatre. The original 1982 off-Broadway production launched the careers of composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman, and though they're most remembered for their contributions to the Disney animated films of the late 80s and early 90s, Menken and Ashman's1960s doo-wop inspired score for Little Shop is one of their best.

There are a few notable bright spots in the production at The Vex. As Seymour, San Antonio favorite Benjamin Scharff gives yet another spectacular performance. He turns Seymour into a cute and likeable but nerdy and frumpy underdog that you cheer for, and his singing voice is sensational. Brandi Hollsten gives an interesting and unique interpretation of Audrey, Seymour's co-worker and love interest. While most actresses play Audrey as a slut or a ditz, Hollsten turns her into Skid Row's version of the girl next door. There's a sweetness and innocence to her Audrey, and it's clear that Audrey desperately wants to get away from her abusive boyfriend and from Skid Row altogether. Like Scharff, Hollsten has a fantastic voice, making their duet "Suddenly Seymour" a highlight. As Audrey's abusive and sadistic boyfriend Orin, Robert J. Vance is a scene-stealer. He plays the nitrous oxide-loving jerk with hysterical, over-the-top glee and belts his song "Dentist!" with ease. As Seymour's boss, Mr. Mushnik, Scott Leibowitz plays the character as a modern day Tevye. The choice is funny and quite effective. As a trio of singing street urchins, Amanda Golden, Vicky Liendo, and Meghan Ollivant all have fine voices and are fun to watch.

Unfortunately, the strong performances mentioned above are often drowned out by the flaws surrounding them. The direction by Jim Mammarella is inconsistent. Some ideas are brilliant while others are not. Mammarella's decision to re-imagine the plant as a trio of women is an inspired one. It allows for the plant to not just manipulate Seymour; the plant can now seduce him, and Sara Brookes, Morgan Clyde, and Belinda Harolds bring a sexy, sinister edge to the plant. The substitution of three female voices for the gruff male voice of the plant is also a nice change. Sadly, the strong directing choices end there. Mammarella's staging would be much better suited for a traditional proscenium stage rather than The Vex's thrust stage, and though the running time is a short 2 hours and 5 minutes, the show feels slow and lacks energy. The slow pace and lack of energy often drains the show of its humor. Desiree Johnson's choreography is a bit bland and rehashes doo-wop girl group moves. While Little Shop of Horrors is by no means a dance-heavy show, the cast doesn't sell the limited choreography they get. Nothing pops, and there's a universal lack of enthusiasm from the ensemble.

The work from the design team is a mixed bag as well. Ken Frazier's set thrusts the audience into the dirty, gritty world of Skid Row, though I'd argue that the flower shop is actually dirtier than the street around it when it should be, particularly in the second act, a bright spot in the worst part of town. The lighting, also by Frazier, is simple and lacks color and variety. The results produced by costumers Tammy Frazier and Yvette Oakes-Crabtree are mixed as well. While the costumes for the plant are intricate and well designed, the rest of the costumes are not memorable.

As should be expected of a musical comedy about an evil, talking, man-eating plant, Little Shop of Horrors is intended to be a silly, campy, tongue-in-cheek evening of entertainment. The Vex's current production of the show regrettably lacks the camp appeal. Though there are several strong performances and a few interesting and unique ideas, this Little Shop could use some gardening.

Running time: 2 hours and 5 minutes, including one 15 minute intermission.

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS plays the Sheldon Vexler Theatre inside the Barshop Jewish Community Center of San Antonio at 12500 NW Military Highway, San Antonio, 78231 now thru June 9th. Performances are Thursdays at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2:30pm with an additional performance on Sunday, 5/26 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $20 general admission, $18 senior/military/JCC members, and $14 students and groups. Call 210-302-6835 for tickets. For more information, visit www.vexler.org.

Pictured: Benjamin Scharff as Seymour in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. Photo Credit: Dylan Brainard.

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