Vivian Jiang ’27
In the 1960s, an awkward assistant, a sweet coworker, and a brusque shop owner get caught up with the infamous plant, Audrey II, in Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s Little Shop of Horrors. This campy satire blends horror and comedy, along with excellent music, creating a show that’s consistently ranked among the top-produced musicals in high schools around the U.S. The Domino Club finally partakes in this statistic, presenting the cult classic Little Shop of Horrors as this year’s spring musical.
Student actor Charlie Casey ’27 praises the musical choice for both its story and songs. “I’ve been begging to do Little Shop for years. It’s top three for sure, at least. Maybe number one. I mean, it’s such an incredible, layered narrative with such strong, complex characters.” He also commends the show’s music, expressing deep admiration for its composer. He comments, “The soundtrack is top-notch. Alan Menken is one of the greatest composers ever, and he’s at full force here…the music is just there. It’s excellent at supporting the narrative, and it’s also just really great to listen to.” Furthermore, Theater Department Chair and musical director Daniel Clay provides his reasoning behind why he chose Little Shop of Horrors. “I’m familiar with the show. Mr. Erwin’s familiar with the show. We both love the show. But I think the real reason why it was a good one to do this year is because last year we did Cinderella, which was kind of geared toward children. It was sort of wholesome. Little Shop of Horrors has a darker tone. It’s more edgy, it’s more adult, it’s really campy and funny, so that’s the main reason why we chose it. We thought if there was an opportunity to do it, this would be the year.”
Photo courtesy of Boston Hassle
Little Shop of Horrors poses many technical challenges, however. Clay states that this will be the first production to utilize puppetry on a large scale. He remarks, “The thing I’m most excited about is the four puppets that exist for the plant. And so we get to play with puppetry this year. Some of our students have to do hand puppetry. They’ll have to be inside two different plants and run them.” He adds, “There will also have to be a voice from off stage, so syncing that act up with the two actors inside the plant while the person offstage is singing and speaking, that’s going to be a challenge.” Student crewmember Ben Mathisen ’27 has his own view of the potential challenges of the show. “From a technical standpoint, making it applicable to all ages and people who want to watch Little Shop coming from EA, whereas normally Little Shop is aimed towards more of an older audience, so trying to build it so that everyone can enjoy it is going to be difficult,” Mathisen explains. Overall, the musical provides plenty of opportunities for creativity and requires substantial coordination between all of its participants.
Despite Little Shop’s ambitious design, many are looking forward to the experience and memories ahead. Student actress Ellie Rheam ’27 shares optimism for the upcoming start of the musical and being with the members of the cast. “I think that Little Shop is going to be a really great show. We have a really close-knit and talented cast, and one that I think works really well together, not only on stage but off stage as well. Though I’m only doing it part-time, getting to spend time with the cast is something really special, and with a group like this, at the end of the show we are all really close,” she remarks. Rheam makes clear that the musical always strengthens the bond between its contributors and is such a memorable time of the year.
Between the actors, crew, directors, and audience, the spring musical serves as an emotional journey and a source of enthusiasm. Little Shop of Horrors in particular stands out as a classic. It presents a compelling storyline moved by characters and music that are rich with depth, all while being equally entertaining and distinct in its own style. This year’s musical promises a season of dedication, collaboration, fun memories, and, as always, a show to remember.
