Emma Narvaez
The curtain has risen on the latest high school drama production, and audiences are raving about the exceptional performances and stunning production design. With a talented cast and crew, the Little Shop of Horrors production promises to transport audiences to a world of music, mayhem, and a man-eating plant. But what really goes on behind the scenes? Let’s take a peek and see what it took to bring this theatrical masterpiece to life.
Meet the Cast
Dating back to last May, the cast of this musical have been avidly preparing for their roles, honing their acting, singing, and dancing skills. Due to the large variety of talented actors Saint Maur has to offer, certain cast members have been separated into the “Red Cast” and others to the “Green Cast” so that each actor has an opportunity to perform.
Kole (G12), the actor for the character Seymour, expressed the difficulties of playing the lead role, as there are a large amount of solos required. He stated, “I had to increase my range from being low to singing all these high notes in a span of like two months.” Kole has been in Drama Club since middle school, and has been a large part of the drama community here at Saint Maur. He stated that the most enjoyable part of the rehearsal process for this production was “acting with [his] friends, as they’ve been with [him] for pretty much all the years [he’s] been in drama club.”
Jessica (G12), who plays Audrey in the Green Cast, explained similar complexities in acting in a musical. Despite having some experience acting in the Beauty and the Beast production from 2020, she had to continue perfecting her singing and dancing, as she plays a much larger role in Little Shop of Horrors. Jessica has also enjoyed working with her friends during rehearsals, explaining that “unlike other clubs, drama is filled with some of the most expressive people, verbally so it’s really fun getting to know everyone in the school and seeing their true nature.”
In the Red Cast, Rei (G11) also plays the role of Audrey and prepared by watching various versions of the musical, especially the Broadway ones, as “they’re the most accurate portrayal of what an actual musical is.” One difficulty she faced was finding the balance between the dialogue of the play and the musical elements of it.
The antagonist of the musical, being a sadistic dentist who enjoys inflicting pain on his patients, is Orin, played by Oliver (G12). Oliver enjoyed playing this character because of the range of expressions he is able to capture. He stated, “I love how Orin is this crazy character and I feel like it fits my own character really well, where I’m very hyper and aggressive and exerting myself in the most extreme ways possible.” However, he also explained the difficulties that come with playing such a sporadic character, stating “it’s really hard to have that unpredictability in a planned way.”
Of course, the Little Shop of Horrors production would be nothing without Audrey II, the bloodthirsty plant puppeteered by Kei (G12) and Hinata (G9).
Undoubtedly, bringing Audrey II to life definitely came with some physical challenges. Hinata explained some of the struggles he faced as he controls this intricate and demanding puppet, stating, “Well, my back hurts especially from moving the first pod because I have to sit in a difficult position.” However, Hinata conquered this task stoically, stating “ I think it’s completely worth the pain and injuries that I go through, especially because I just love doing the puppet.”
As for the voices of Audrey II, Masaya (G9) from the Green Cast, explained that he found the singing aspect of his role quite difficult. “I wasn’t a big singer before this production, I’m still not, so the singing was challenging.” However, both Masaya and Luke (G9) from the Red Cast enjoyed seeing the show come together, Luke stating, “it’s really fun to see how far we’ve come.”
Although it would be difficult to address every cast member’s contributions in just one article, the additional cast members including Alexie (G12) and Mattéo (G10) as Mr. Bernstein, Yuta (G10) and Kai (G10) as Mr. Mushnik, Mairi (G9) as Ronette (originally played by Luisa (G9)), Yuxin (G9) as Chiffon, and Claire (G9) as Crystal have all played an essential role in the production of the Little Shop of Horrors to musical. Additionally, the ensemble comprising of Rosa (G9), Sakura (G9), Selina (G10), Masaya (G9), and Luke (G9) added depth and dimension to the musical numbers and scenes.
This production is also the second collaboration of the GGK directional team, involving Mr. Gregorides, Mr. Geyer, and Ms. Kumagai, all of whom have greatly contributed to the acting, vocal, and choreography skills displayed in the performance. It is thanks to this team that Saint Maur was able to present such a high-quality production. Their expertise and dedication to their respective areas of focus have resulted in a cohesive and polished final product that the school community is immensely grateful for.
Overall, the cast of the Little Shop of Horrors drama production truly deserves a standing ovation for their incredible effort and dedication, which shone through in every aspect of the performance.
Meet the Crew
Apart from the actors and ensemble members who contributed to this musical, there is also a large crew who offer talent from a variety of fields including props, set, lighting, sound, hair, makeup, and costumes; without whom the production would not be able to shine to its fullest potential.
Addisyn (G12), the Head of Crew, found it difficult at times to maintain the demands of the drama production as well as her personal school life. As Head of Crew, Addisyn is responsible for overseeing and managing a wide range of tasks and responsibilities, ensuring that everything runs smoothly. Being that it is her second year as Head of Crew, she has found some differences in this position as a senior. She explained that “it’s been really hard to be able to cooperate with everyone and work with everyone personally while still trying to maintain schoolwork and college apps.” However, as an experienced member of the drama club who has been involved for five years, Addisyn has enjoyed the opportunity to work with both familiar faces and fresh talent alike.
The set and props of this production truly elevated the viewing experience, transporting the audience to the mysterious plant shop of Mr. Mushnik, storing the iconic character of Audrey II. It’s thanks to Trois (G11), the Head of Set and Props, as well as the Drama Club members of this team, Mr. Levy for contributing his handyman skills to the set and mechanical puppets, and Ms. Littani for lending the art room, supplies, and assistance in designing the props. The creation of the set and props was no small feat, and required meetings for the props team twice a week for the past seven months.
As Little Shop of Horrors is a musical, the lighting and sound elements were crucial to set the tone of the performance. Jenny (G11), the Head of Lighting, explained that “for certain romantic moments, [she] put red lighting to show the romantic aspect of it and give the audience more of a feel about what the mood was for the scene.” In addition, the lighting team also “used brighter lights for the outside lights and dimmer ones for the shop lighting because the shop is more run-down.” While Jenny found difficulties in using the spotlight because of the actor’s unpredictable movements, Alex (G10), the Head of Sound, found it challenging to hear his cue because it was difficult to hear actors from far away. However, he also found this to be his favorite part of the production, stating that “getting [his] cue right is a little dopamine hit every time.”
Finally, the costumes, hair, and makeup teams contributed to the finer details of the play, such as the decade it is set in and the personalities of each character. Along with choosing the costumes that would fit the character the best, the costume team also helps the actors quickly change costumes in between scenes. Hana (G11), a member of the costume team, said this was her favorite part, stating, “It made me feel more important and the adrenaline rush made me feel excited.” The makeup team also had to quickly create realistic and gruesome effects for the characters who were devoured by the plant before they came back out. This aspect of the show definitely provided the horror described in the name of the play, adding a shock factor that immersed the audience even further into the dark and twisted world of Little Shop of Horrors.
Evidently, behind every great theater production lies a lot of hard work, dedication, and most importantly, passion. This year’s Little Shop of Horrors drama production encompasses the broad amount of talent within Saint Maur’s performing arts community and is a true testament to the power of passion and creativity, leaving a lasting impression on all who got the opportunity to witness it. Congratulations to the cast, crew, and faculty for their outstanding work in executing the iconic musical of Little Shop of Horrors!
Emma Narvaez