THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 23, 1995 TAG: 9503220135
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
AUDREY TWO IS an anthropomorphist, (Webster's New World Dictionary - page 59) the savior of Mushnick's Flower Shop, where business was the pits until employee Seymour found a strange, blood-guzzling plant.
Then, things began to happen: Customers began to stream in, and Audrey Two began to change many lives.
The personality of the plant ranges from silly to shivery as it demands its favorite food.
Later, Audrey Two gets even hungrier, seeking warm flesh, plus the bones and everything that go with them.
If you are as hungry for entertainment as Audrey Two is for a good, human meal, you will get a boot out of ``Little Shop of Horrors,'' the Lakeland High School spring production.
The show's history is almost as bizarre as the plant's appetite.
It began as a film in 1960. It is scare director Roger Corman's first, and fastest, film - shot in two days.
That original version of ``Little Shop of Horrors'' featured a group of unknown actors. One is quite well-known today, Jack Nicholson, who plays a character the Marquis de Sade would have loved - a masochist who thrives on dental pain.
A few years later this spoof of scary flicks, science-fiction and B-movies became an off-Broadway, then an on-Broadway success.
The musical became a movie in 1986, an early vehicle for Steve Martin who portrays the demented dentist, portrayed at Lakeland by Brian Saunders who describes his character as a ``sado-masochistic freak. I didn't like the part at first - but it's fun to be mean.''
Other stars of the movie musical, who gained fame as time went on, were John Candy, Bill Murray, Rick Moranis and Vincent Gardenia.
Little theater groups then pounced on ``Little Shop of Horrors,'' some building their own Audrey Two, others renting the big, hungry plant from North Carolina.
Lakeland's Audrey Two, which starts out small and ends up humongous, was built by some of the high school students.
The plant's keeper, Seymour, is portrayed by Kevin Edmonds. Casey Gardner, first time onstage, is Audrey. (The smitten Seymour named the plant in her honor.)
All the ingredients that made the production so succesful as a play and movie will be seen in the Lakeland production.
Director Dale Kittle promises ``a few surprises that were not seen originally, including more audience involvement. In the last half-hour of our play the plot completely separates itself from the musical movie.
``This is a play I've always wanted to do,'' he said. ``I've always enjoyed the music, the show is fun, and it's good experience for a high school group.''
The music director is Susan Rawls. Several other teachers are helping her and Kittle.
Three people who always know what's happening in the comedy are The Archies, a trio of doo-wop gals who musically explain what's going on.
What is going on is based on a phrase you will hear throughout the play - Audrey Two's constantly yelling FEED ME. MEMO: AT A GLANCE
What: ``Little Shop of Horrors.''
Where: Lakeland High School auditorium.
When: 8 p.m., March 30-April 1. Spaghetti dinner, catered by The
Olive Garden, served in the cafeteria prior to play, April 1.
Tickets: $5, from cast members or at the door. Dinner tickets $5. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by FRANK ROBERTS
Ashanta Mitchell, left, Katie Tarkington and Cheri Brown are The
Archies, the doo-woppers in ``Little Shop of Horrors,'' March 30
through April 1 at Lakeland High School. Kevin Edmonds, right, as
Seymour, holds Audrey Two, the plant that thrives on blood.
by CNB