A plant with a history — and a taste for blood — has found a temporary home at the Theatre of Western Springs. Audrey II is the non-human star of the musical comedy, “Little Shop of Horrors” by Howard Ashman (book and lyrics) and Alan Menken (music).
Technical director Thad Hallstein located the giant plant puppet and its smaller versions at Theatre at the Center in Indiana. “It ends up that these are the plants that were used in the original 1982 off-Broadway production,” said Executive Artist Director Eddie Sugarman of Western Springs.
Directing the plant and its human costars is pure pleasure for Sugarman, who is a huge fan of this show. “For me, as a musical lover, as a science fiction and comic lover, this is a treasure trove of fun,” he said.
“Little Shop” is the story of Seymour, a meek assistant in a Skid Row flower shop, who has a huge crush on his co-worker Audrey so he names a new breed of plant after her. The plant turns out to be nothing like his sweet love — it’s rude, sings R&B and has an insatiable appetite for blood.
Gonzo Schexnayder of Riverside plays Seymour, who he said is “earnest and hardworking. He just wants to do good. He grew up in the Skid Row Home for Boys and Mr. Mushnik (the flower shop owner) took him out of it when he was a little tyke.”
Seymour’s wants are few and he thinks they are fulfilled with the arrival of the amazing plant he names Audrey II. “But it forces him to do some things that tore him apart,” Schexnayder said.
The challenge for an actor is “keeping him sweet and genuine throughout the whole thing,” Schexnayder. That “whole thing” is keeping Audrey II fed.
Drawn into this plant disaster is Jennifer Torchia of Lombard, who plays Audrey. “Audrey is probably the purest, most innocent, yet damaged, of the cast,” Torchia said. “She’s led a terrible life and, because of that, it’s given her this horrible self-esteem. She doesn’t think that she deserves happiness.”
Audrey is attracted to Seymour because, “He treats her well. He’s kind and generous,” Torchia said. But he turns out to be capable of things she wouldn’t do. Audrey would never intentionally hurt anyone, Torchia indicated, in contrast to Seymour “who has good intentions but ends up murdering people,” she said.
This show has special meaning for Torchia, who saw the movie with her late mother when she was very young. “I was very close to her and based on her reaction, I knew I would have to play Audrey some day,” she said.
In terms of plant management, the two human leads have a checkered history.
“I have cats,” Torchia said. “That kind of ruins my chance for indoor plants.”
Schexnayder praised his corn plant but admitted, “We did recently lose a fichus. It was looking pretty awful and my wife said, ‘It’s time.'”
Theatre of Western Springs presents ‘Little Shop of Horrors’
When: 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays, June 2-12, plus 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 5 and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, June 11
Where: 4384 Hampton Ave., Western Springs
Tickets: $23-$25; $12 for students
Information: (708) 246-3380; www.theatrewesternsprings.com
