When my sister, Jennifer Saranzak of Cedar Key, first told me that she was auditioning for the play Little Shop of Horrors, I was surprised. Partially because she hadn`t acted since high school and partially because I knew next to nothing about the play. To me it was a movie about a giant plant that said, "Feed me, Seymour!" I didn`t even know it was a musical! Jennifer asked me for advice concerning song choice and how to perform during her audition. We would video chat and she would practice for me. I`ve never been prouder of her and how brave she was being. When she got the part as Audrey, the female lead, I just knew I`d have to make the trip down from Charleston, SC to see the play. I attended two nights and a matinee and all three shows were a full house. What a treat! The audience was a mix of young and old and everything in between. I waited anxiously, probably more excited and nervous than the actors themselves. Finally the house lights went down. The play opens with a trio of beautiful, doo-wop girls played by Tiffany Black, Rebecca Locklear, and Chayene Wilder, singing Little Shop of Horrors. All three are standouts in their own right, but together they are delightful to watch. Their commentary throughout the show is funny, witty, and more than a little tongue in cheek. The ladies introduce us to Mr. Mushnik and his flower shop on an urban skid row. 
Jennifer and the Doo Wops – Rebecca Laine Locklear, Tiffany Black, Cheyene Maria Cruz Wilder
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Jennifer Saranzak (Audrey) & Tiffany Black
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The shop is down on its luck and Mr. Mushnik tells his employees, Seymour and Audrey, that he is going to be closing shop. Seymour fills him in on a strange and interesting plant he`s been working on in hopes of bringing more business to the shop. They place the plant, named the Audrey II, in the window. Lo and behold, a gentleman walks and spends $100 on roses! The shop is saved and Seymour is on a mission to figure out what the plant is hungry for. As it turns out, Audrey II wants blood. Seymour begins to feed it and as the plant grows, so does its fame and the shops`s business.
Dalton Pitts` portrayal of Seymour is both sweet and meek, comedic and endearing all at the same time. He sings with a sweet and earnest persona and you can`t help but understand why he would attract the attention of Audrey. 
Terry Wines (Mushnik), Dalton Pitts-McCallum (Seymour) & Audrey II (Michael Zubler)
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Now of course I`m biased, as all of the actors are stellar, but Audrey, played my sister Jennifer, steals the show. Audrey is a pretty girl who feels like she doesn`t deserve a good man because she has a past. She ends up with Orin, the dentist, hilariously and deviously played by Austin Ross, who has been abusing her. Audrey dreams of a life that`s better and in her first solo, she achingly sings about living Somewhere That`s Green. I`m not even a little ashamed to admit that I cried! She looked so beautiful and I couldn`t believe how well she nailed those high notes! I could feel the crowd leaning in and drinking up every word. Jennifer plays Audrey with a sweetness and vulnerability that draws you in. The chemistry between her and Seymour is believable and touching. 
Jennifer Saranzak & Dalton Pitts-McCallum
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Jennifer Saranzak & Dalton Pitts-McCallum
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A stand out performance by Terry Wines as Mr. Mushnik provides a hearty dose of humor. But the real star of the show is the positively and brilliantly designed Audrey II. Reggie Stacy and Ricky Kidd provide the gravelly voice. Their impeccable singing and comical portrayal of an alien, bloodthirsty plant had the crowd roaring with laughter. The puppeteer, Michael Zubler, manages to make a huge faceless plant have a dark and twisted sense of humor. When Seymour and Audrey II performed Feed Me, the crowd ate it up and wanted more! At intermission it was so heartwarming to hear the audience buzzing about the show. "Doesn`t the theater look great?" "It`s so funny!" "They are doing such a great job!"
From the direction by Janice Grant to the sets and costuming and the newly remodeled Chief Theater, Little Shop of Horrors, by the Suwannee Valley Players, is a top notch community theater experience. The show was held over for an additional weekend. Delicious refreshments are offered at intermission for a donation. The Suwannee Valley Players will next be performing Barefoot in the Park May 3-5 and 10-12. You can find more information at http://www.svplayers.com |
