Youngsters show style, verve in 'Little Shop of Horrors'

Audrey II, that man-eating plant with a blood lust, is still wreaking havoc in that Skid Row florist shop after its innocent start in life as a rare plant born during an eclipse. Mushnik, the proprieter, is still trying to figure out how to lure customers. Seymour, that orphaned bespectacled botanical genius, still sweeps the floor in that shop while pining away for the charms of the luscious salesgirl, Audrey, for whom he has named the rare plant he has discovered. And Audrey, poor beautiful Audrey, is still enmeshed in that dysfunctional love affair with a rebellious, sadistic, abusive dentist who beats her while high on various substances.

And the parable is still that success will eat you up alive, suck in your very blood, if you let it, as our poor Seymour, our reluctant media darling, soon finds out to his horror, as do the dentist, Mushnik and Audrey, not, necessarily in that order.

What is different about this intriguing "Little Shop of Horrors" is that the roles are played by talented youngsters, part of the White Plains-based Play Group Theatre (PGT), a nonprofit company dedicated to providing children and teenagers with acting training and diverse performance opportunities. And this is very definately a diverse performance opportunity embodied in the book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, with music by Alan Menken, based on the film by Roger Corman with screenplay by Charles Griffith.

Indeed, the off-Broadway version had a long run at the Orpheum with its bouncy, rock, doo-wop score and 16 catchy songs that may not be memorable but certainly move the plot along. What makes the Purchase production memorable is the adult style and acting ability that projects across the footlights from those youthful.

Let's face it: Unless they're in an "Annie,""Sound of Music" or "Wizard of Oz" and the like, a youthful acting talentis consigned to play a variation on a munchkin role 'til they're out of their teens. So they really put everything they have into PGT productions that let them play adults.

Now don't get me wrong - with their extensive theatre training, the young, idealistic Steven and Jill Abusch, PGT co-founders and the troupe's artistic director and managing director respectively, aren't co-directing a vanity production that gives show-biz wannabees a chance to strut their stuff in recital turns. This is very definately an entertaining"Little Shop of Horrors" with an excellent set, a solid back-up combo and several very talented youngsters in the leads.

Michael Backes, for example, really captures the Seymour role as the likeable nerd who buys a strange plant and breeds a new species that puts that Skid Row florist shop on the map.

The lovely, platinum-haired Audrey is played by the vampy Ellie Forseter who has a sultry, campy style of her own and the bullying dentist is played with comic flair by Justin Smith.

Caroline Gould is also impressive as Mushnick as are the trio that makes up a kind of floating Greek chorus who keep comenting on the action - Hayley Raphael, Kelly Burke and especially Shara Eisenberger. The ultra-poised Allison Mazza, Alex Bittner-Rosmiller and Michal Barnea are solid doubling, tripling and, in some cases, quadrupling (at least) in lesser roles, especially as do Gould and Smith. And Dani Silver has a powerful presence as the voice of Audrey II.

Hayley, Kelly and Shara stand out in ensemble songs like "Dadoo," and the company rendition of "Skid Row Downtown." Highlights include Backes' "Grow For Me," Forseters "Somewhere That's Green" and Smith's mototrcycle-jacketed rebel "Dentist" number. Also impressive: the shop set design by Slava Roubanov, David Eggers and Steven Abusch, especially Abusch's palnt designs, with Barabara Orwick's musical direction from the piano producing excellentsounds along with Michael Coffey(bass) and Richard Freed (percussion). Sandy and Ann Zisser impressed as stage maneger and technical director respectively.

Indeed, this is a "Little Shop of Horrors" worth seeing. Break a leaf this weekend for PGT at the Abbott Kaplan Theatre.

Scarsdale Enquirer (January 19, 1996)