{"id":17019,"date":"2024-10-13T18:51:42","date_gmt":"2024-10-14T01:51:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cahighways.org\/wordpress\/?p=17019"},"modified":"2024-10-13T18:51:42","modified_gmt":"2024-10-14T01:51:42","slug":"green-and-wickedness-little-shop-of-horrors-5-star","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cahighways.org\/wordpress\/?p=17019","title":{"rendered":"Green and Wickedness? | “Little Shop of Horrors” @ 5-Star"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Little\"\"The musical\u00a0Wicked<\/em> ask the question: Why did the Wicked Witch of the West turn wicked? It also provides an explanation of why the Wicked Witch of the West was green. But I’d like to ask a different question? Why do we associate green with evil and wickedness? After all, one would think red would be the wicked color. After all, it is the color of the Devil, of danger, and of the Republican Party and Trump’s campaign sign. Arguably, red should be the color of wickedness. But no, Elphaba is green. So is Audrey II. Both are wicked, but it is only the latter we’re talking about today, as we saw\u00a0Little Shop of Horrors<\/em>, presented by 5-Star Theatricals<\/a>, today.<\/p>\n

Seeing\u00a0Little Shop\u00a0<\/em>raises the question of why we are excited about seeing some shows over and over again, and some shows not. This\u00a05-Star season was a good example of that. The first show,\u00a0Million Dollar Quartet<\/em>, we didn’t really care about seeing again. That is the type of show where once was enough: it was a jukebox show, and there was really no new nuances to be discovered in it. Great execution, but we weren’t excited to go. Their second show,\u00a0The Sound of Music<\/em>, had a different reason for our being less interested in a repeat performance: it’s been done to death. If I’m going to see\u00a0Sound of Music<\/em>, I’d like to see some revision that finds some new depth in the familiar story. I don’t think this has been done in any of the remountings. 5-Star’s production was excellent and great to see for the performances, but the presentation didn’t do something new. Another example of a show that’s really not worth seeing again is\u00a0Book of Mormon<\/em>.<\/p>\n

A third category of show, for which there wasn’t an example in this season of 5-Star, is one that hasn’t been mounted in a long time, or is making a regional debut.\u00a0Frozen<\/em>, which was leaked as the Summer 2025 5-Star production is an example of a new production at a regional level. A remounting of\u00a0Once Upon a Mattress<\/em>, as is being done at the Ahmanson, is an example of something not seen in a long long time.<\/p>\n

So where does\u00a0Little Shop\u00a0<\/em>fit into all of this?\u00a0Little Shop<\/em> is in that rare fifth categories: Shows that are so good, or so entertaining, that\u00a0 you want to see them again.\u00a0Hamilton<\/em>, which we just saw, is one of those. The aforementioned\u00a0Wicked<\/em> is another.\u00a0Little Shop\u00a0<\/em>is a third. There’s not a bad song in the show; it is very funny; and it can be very entertaining. It, after all, was the show that brought Ashman and Menken to the attention of many, long before the were found by the Disney set. This is why, today, we were at the Kavli thoroughly enjoying ourselves at Little Shop of Horrors<\/em>.<\/p>\n

I’m not longer writing synopsis of well-known shows, unless there’s something significant. You can find the summary here<\/a>. Note that the movie has a different ending; it appears movie audiences weren’t mature enough to handle the real ending. Don’t feed the plants.<\/p>\n

This production of\u00a0Little Shop\u00a0<\/em>was top-notch. The casting was excellent. The execution of the puppetry was perfect. The choreography was fun. We just really\u00a0 enjoyed the entire package.<\/p>\n

But here are a few standouts. First, the interplay between Orin (Tyler Matthew Burk) and Seymour (Jared Goldsmith) reminded me of Tim Conway and Harvey Korman: it was comic excellence. Emily Goglia, as Audrey, knocked it out of the park on “Somewhere’s That’s Green”. The three Ronnettes not only had great vocal harmony, but wonderful facial and body expressions. I also appreciated the work of Goldsmith in “Don’t It Go To Show You Never Know” with the puppetry.<\/p>\n

If you haven’t seen\u00a0Little Shop<\/em>, this production is well worth seeing. Even if you have seen\u00a0Little Shop<\/em>, this production is well worth seeing.<\/p>\n

Little Shop of Horrors<\/em> runs at 5-Star\/Kavli Theater<\/a> for one more weekend, until October 20. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

Little Shop of Horrors<\/em>. Book and lyrics by\u00a0Howard Ashman<\/strong>. Music by\u00a0Alan Menken<\/strong>. Based on the film by\u00a0Roger Corman<\/strong>, screenplay by\u00a0Charles Griffith<\/strong>. Directed by\u00a0Brian Kite<\/strong>. Choreography by\u00a0Dana Solimando<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Cast:<\/span> (\u04d5<\/sup> denotes Actors Equity): Jared Goldsmith\u04d5<\/sup>\u00a0Seymour<\/em><\/span>; Emily Goglia\u04d5<\/sup>\u00a0Audrey<\/em><\/span>; Tyler Matthew Burk\u04d5<\/sup>\u00a0Orin & others<\/em><\/span>; Jay Brian Winnick\u04d5<\/sup>\u00a0Mushnik<\/em><\/span>; Mitchell Johnson\u00a0Audrey II – Voice<\/em><\/span>; Luz Rodriguez\u00a0Ronnette<\/em><\/span>; Reiza Landers\u00a0Crystal<\/em><\/span>; Naya Ramsey-Clarke\u00a0Chiffon<\/em><\/span>; Christian Anderson\u00a0Audrey II – Puppeteer<\/em><\/span> [at our performance; normally Genevi\u00e8ve Flati<\/em><\/span>]. Understudies: Corinne Miller\u00a0Audrey u\/s<\/em><\/span>; Sammy Linkowski\u00a0Seymour, Orin u\/s<\/em><\/span>; Steve Greene\u00a0Mushnik u\/s<\/em><\/span>.<\/p>\n

Music Department<\/span>: Ryan O’Connell Music Director and Conductor<\/em><\/span>; Darryl Tanikawa Orchestra Contractor<\/em><\/span>; Ryan O’Connell\u00a0Keyboard Synthesizer I<\/em><\/span>; Chris Kimbler\u00a0Keyboard Synthesizer II<\/em><\/span>; Charlie Ferguson\u00a0Acoustic & Electric Guitars<\/em><\/span>; Cody Cadena Guitars<\/em><\/span>; Shane Harry\u00a0Electric Bass<\/em><\/span>; Alan Peck\u00a0Set Drums<\/em><\/span>; Robert Billig\u00a0Original Vocal Arrangements<\/em><\/span>; Robby Merkin\u00a0Original Orchestrations<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Production and Creatives<\/span>: The Music and Theatre Company\u00a0Scenic Elements<\/em><\/span>; Brandon Baruch\u00a0Lighting Design<\/em><\/span>; Jonathan A. Burke\u00a0Sound Design<\/em><\/span>; Luis Martinez\u00a0Hair and Makeup Design<\/em><\/span>; Alex Choate\u00a0Prop Design<\/em><\/span>; Chris Steele & Gail Garon\u00a0Costume Coordinators<\/em><\/span>; E.K. Dagenfield Production Manager<\/em><\/span>; Cameron J. Turner\u04d5<\/sup>\u00a0Production Stage Manager<\/span>; <\/em>Ruthie Geronimo\u04d5<\/sup>\u00a0Asst. Stage Manager<\/em><\/span>; Jack Allaway\u00a0Technical Director<\/em><\/span>; David Elzer\/Demand PR\u00a0Press Representative<\/em><\/span>; Fresh Interactive\u00a0Marketing Agency<\/em><\/span>; Michael Donovan CSA and Richie Ferris CSA Casting<\/span>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2666 \u2666 \u2666<\/p>\n

Administrivia: I am not a professional critic. I\u2019m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does\u00a0a highway site<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0a podcast<\/a>\u00a0about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at:\u00a0Center Theatre Group<\/a>\/Ahmanson Theatre<\/a>;\u00a0Broadway in Hollywood\/Pantages Theatre<\/a>;\u00a0Pasadena Playhouse<\/a>; and\u00a05-Star Theatricals<\/a>. We\u2019re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at \u2014 it hasn\u2019t been the same since\u00a0Rep East died<\/a>\u00a0(it\u2019s now\u00a0The Main<\/a>, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn\u2019t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren\u2019t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups;\u00a0here\u2019s my current approach<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Upcoming \u2666 Theatre \/ \u2663 Music \/ \u25ca Other Live Performance \u2013 Next 90ish<\/em>\u00a0Days (\u2295 indicates ticketing is pending):<\/p>\n