The tale of a bloodthirsty plant—and the nerdy flower shop employee who discovers and stakes his claim to happiness on it—is center stage in a joint production by GW’s Department of Theatre and Dance and Department of Music.
“Little Shop of Horrors has all the elements of a great play, including love, comedy and horror,” says Elizabeth Kitsos-Kang, part-time faculty member in GW’s Department of Theatre and Dance, who is directing the play.
The story follows the hapless Seymour, played by GW student Ryan Dring, a flower shop employee hopelessly in love with a co-worker and constantly berated by his tyrannical boss. When Seymour accidently stumbles upon a plant that craves human blood, he seizes upon it as a way to avenge his enemies and realize his dreams of love.
Set in the early 1960s, the GW production features a split-level stage with musicians performing on the top level and a street corner with the flower shop front and center on the bottom. The interior of the shop, which evolves throughout the performance, is an open space, decorated with muted colors that foreshadow the plot’s more Halloween-appropriate elements.
George Washington Today was asked not to reveal the manner in which the play interprets the plant, but suffice it to say that the translation is at once tasteful, terrifying and resourceful.
The production staff consists of 10 actors, a stage manager, choreographer, musical director and “too many to count” backstage crew members that do everything from lighting to set design, says Ms. Kitsos-Kang. The cast has been rehearsing six days a week for the past eight weeks, up to as many as 10 hours a day for final rehearsals last weekend.
“The cast and crew are some of the most dedicated and passionate people I have ever worked with,” says Ms. Kitsos-Kang, who adds that she still gets nervous opening night. “That’s part of what makes it fun!”
Little Shop of Horrors runs Oct. 29-31 at 7:30 and Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. in the Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre in GW’s Marvin Center. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for general admission.