In The Wayne Theatre’s new production, Seymour Krelboined has a crush on his beautiful co-worker Audrey and has discovered a new species of plant that is out of this world.
In time, Seymour learns how out of this world his plant is, but not before it costs him.
“Little Shop of Horrors” explores a few weighty themes of greed and sin mixed in with laughs and catchy tunes.
“At its heart, this play is a Greek tragedy,” said director Lesley Larsen. “masked as a quirky horror comedy.”
The stage production is based on a 1960s black-and-white film of the same name, and a 1986 film which became a cult classic.
Audience members will see what happens when Seymour wants more than he is given, gets more and then a higher power intervenes.
Larsen said “Little Shop” is a cautionary tale about finding satisfaction with what you have or paying the price for fame and success.
Quirky and silly songs, including Audrey II singing about suppertime, are performed by “sincere and wildly unbelievable” characters.
Memphis-based soul singer Jonathan Blanchard is the voice of Audrey II.
“Stop feeding blood-thirsty plants,” Larsen said of what she hopes audience members take away from seeing the production.
She hopes they are reminded that fame and money are great, but are they worth the cost?
“From start to finish, this is truly just an absolute collaboration,” Larsen said of the cast of 10 actors, 10 musicians, who perform as a pit orchestra below the stage, and five crew members.
Collin Wheeler is the puppeteer who gives action to the plant also known as “Audrey II” in “Little Shop of Horrors.”
His 10th show at The Wayne, Wheeler is usually an actor on the stage. “Little Shop” has two big puppets and two small puppets. Giving action to the plant is definitely a workout, he said. He has not been the puppeteer for such a large puppet before, usually hand puppets and shadow puppets. “This is my first experience with a puppet as large as myself.” 
“As soon as they announced they were doing the show, I knew I wanted to be part of it somehow,” Wheeler said of “Little Shop.”
The 1986 film of the same name, directed by Frank Oz and starring Rick Moranis, is one of Wheeler’s favorites. Wheeler has used some songs from the show as audition pieces.
“It’s not afraid to be weird, and not everybody gets a happy ending,” he said of the stage production.
Wheeler worked closely for two days with Blanchard to sync up the puppet’s movements with Blanchard’s singing voice in the show’s story.
“I just think it’s a fun, two hours where you can just sit back, hear good music and have some laughs,” Wheeler said.
Adam “JR” Stoffel, who lives in Waynesboro, has several roles in the production, including as a wino and a customer to Mr. Mushkin’s flower shop.
After some acting in high school, Stoffel did not return to the stage until “A Christmas Story: The Musical” at The Wayne in December 2021.
“It felt like a leading role,” he said of portraying the story’s narrator and author.
Although he previously did not think he liked musical theater, he has performed in three other musicals since, including “The Sound of Music” at ShenanArts in March.
With “Little Shop,” he hopes the audience enjoys the broad range of music in the production.
“I really hope that they find a love of the music and musicals,” he said.
“Little Shop of Horrors” will be performed at The Wayne Theatre, 512 Main Street, Waynesboro, on Friday, April 28, Saturday, April 29 at 7, Saturday, April 29, Sunday April 30 at 2 p.m., Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 6 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 6 and Sunday, May 7 at 2 p.m.
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Rebecca Barnabi
