Alan Menken

I’ve been a fan of all things Little Shop of Horrors since discovering the original campy horror/comedy film, its subsequent stage musical adaptation and the Frank Oz-directed film version of the musical adaptation in late 80s. Full disclosure: I may or may not admit to frequently belting Somewhere That’s Green while listening to my Walkman back in the day. So, as you can imagine, I was both excited and apprehensive to attend opening weekend of Renaissance Players’ take on the musical adaptation. To my delight it’s as bloody enjoyable as I had hoped.

Based on the aforementioned 1960 black comedy horror film, The Little Shop of Horrors, directed by schlock-master Roger Corman that quickly garnered cult status, Little Shop of Horrors dropped the ‘The’ when it got the stage musical treatment by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken in the 80s. That’s right. Before gaining notoriety for such Disney animated musicals as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, Menken and Ashman collaborated on a little off-Broadway favorite about nebbish floral assistant Seymour Krelborn, his sweet, albeit dim-witted co-worker crush, Audrey and Audrey II, a bloodthirsty dionaea muscipula hybrid—that’s an amped-up Venus Flytrap for the less horticulturally inclined.

As is often the case with Renaissance Players productions, Little Shop of Horrors is somewhat of a family affair, what with Jon Kopischke directing, wife Valerie Kopischke on-board as the show’s costumer and two of the Kopischke offspring featured in the cast. Luckily for the community of Dickson, TN, they are a talented family. It’s also fortunate that the rest of the cast is also plenty capable in their assigned roles.

To that end, both Brett Myers and Peri Barnhill mark their Renaissance Players acting debuts leading the cast as Seymour and Audrey. For fans of the film, Myers does a fine job channeling popular 80s comedy actor Rick Moranis’ Seymour, charmingly awkward when in the presence of his female co-worker and geekishly stumbling in and out of doorways. Proving he’s adept at physical comedy as he is musical theatre, Myers’ plays the perfect underdog the audience instantly roots for, even in the dark comedy’s stranger moments. To clarify an earlier statement, playing Seymour may be Myers’ acting debut with Renaissance Players, but he’s a familiar face at Renaissance having directed both their productions of Annie and Beauty and the Beast last season. As an actor he’s been in a number of shows elsewhere.

Barnhill’s Audrey, while not as ditsy as the role is often presented, plays her with a cutesiness peppered with just enough seemingly unintentional provocativeness. Add to that Barnhill’s voice and its easy to see why Myers’ Seymour is so smitten, as Audrey, Barnhill gets most of the show’s best-known tunes, including Suddenly Seymour and Somewhere That’s Green. Lyrics in the latter indicate she ‘cooks like Betty Crocker and looks like Donna Reed’. More accurately, in character as Audrey, Barnhill’s portrayal falls somewhere between two Marilyns…Monroe (impish mid-century big screen sex goddess) and Munster (of the cult classic TV sitcom, The Munsters). As mentioned above, I’m a huge fan of this show, and Audrey’s musical numbers in particular, and much to my delight, Barnhill performs these iconic Ashmen/Menken tunes beautifully.

Those familiar with Little Shop likely remember the three girl singers in the show who are reminiscent of such 60s groups as The Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, The Shirelles, The Marvelettes and others…well, whitewash them and you’ve got Renaissance Players’ Chiffon, Crystal and Ronnette, three wise-cracking, street-smart girls who not only hang out in the alley, but also provide plenty of doo-wop background harmonies throughout the show. Usually played by three….shall we say…more ethnically diverse actresses, this time around they come across more Pink Ladies than Supremes as played by Tory Gunn, Leslie Kopischke and Ashley Birnbaum. Nothing against these ladies, who do a fine job as the gum-poppin’, finger-snappin’, doo-woppin’ tuneful trio, as I understand a show can only be cast from the actors who audition for the roles.

Another interesting casting choice comes in the form of Alex Kopischke as Mr. Mushnik, the stereotypical jewish florist owner who sees Seymour as a son and the invention of Audrey II as a chance to turn his skid row shop into a money maker. Rather than affect a yiddish dialect, Kopischke presents Muschnik with an overly-exaggerated gravelly voice. I honestly don’t know how he’ll make it through the show’s brief two-week run without causing himself to get horse from speaking that way. Interesting vocal choices aside, Kopischke’s Mushnick is fun to watch, especially when he and Myers attempt a little wink to Fiddler on the Roof choreography during  the Mushnick and Son number midway through Act 1.

Then there’s Bryce Conner, by far the standout performer in the show. Not only is he devilishly hilarious as Orin Scrivello, DDS, Audrey’s laughing-gas-addicted dentist boyfriend, he also steals scene after scene throughout the show, playing a multitude of quick-change single-scene roles. With characters ranging from, a homeless man and a wealthy investor interested in Audrey II to customers and Mrs. Luce, a magazine editor with her eye on Seymour, it becomes simply fun wondering who Conner will show up as next. With what would appear to be a healthy affinity for Steve Martin’s portrayal of the dentist in the film adaptation, Connor hams it up during his (SPOILER ALERT) death by excessive laughing gas. Heck, I personally needed a hit of oxygen after laughing so hard as his prolonged death scene.

Rounding out the cast is Dale McCoy. Like Conner, he too plays more than one role. Primarily the voice of Audrey II, McCoy is first seen as a homeless man in the show’s full cast Skid Row number near the top of the show. Side Note: is it just me? or is Hairspray’s Good Morning Baltimore a rip-off of Skid Row?…but I digress.  A clever bit of foreshadowing, when not voicing the man-hungry plant Audrey Two, affectionally called Twoey by Seymour, McCoy’s homeless guy can be spotted carrying a cardboard sign that reads “Feed Me”, which—no-so-coincidentally— is also the title of McCoy’s big Act 1 number. McCoy is featured again during Act II Suppertime. Unfortunately, McCoy’s vocals, with his booming deep voice, after often overshadowed by the audio of the show’s soundtrack, likely because McCoy is backstage on a single mic, without the benefit of the added mics hanging above the actors who appear on stage.

Finally, special mention should be made of the set designed by Robert Cooper and the Audrey II puppets, operated by Jenna Wright. When I inquired about the puppets, Director Jon Kopischke informed me they’re from Swazzle, a Glendale, California puppet company founded by brothers Sean and Patrick Johnson. Not since the mid-2000s national tour have I seen a more professional set, better lighting and such gorgeous Audrey II puppets.

Renaissance Players’ Little Shop of Horrors wraps its two-weekend run this weekend with two shows remaining. First up, Saturday, August 4 at 7 p.m., then a final Sunday matinee on August 5 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for Adults, $10 for Seniors and Students and $5 for Children. Director Kopischke announced via social media on Saturday that Saturday evening’s performance will also offer a Back to School Special 1/2 price tickets for Students at the on-site Box Office. Tickets can also be purchased by calling 615.593.5520, or Click Here to purchase tickets online. Little Shop of Horrors is being presented in the larger auditorium space on the main level of The Renaissance Center (855 TN-46, Dickson, TN 37055 just 45 minutes west of downtown Nashville via 1-40 W).

Up next for Renaissance Players is the musical comedy, Church Basement Ladies. Appropriately, this show will be presented downstairs at The Renaissance Center in their smaller, more intimate Gaslight Dinner Theatre space and will include a pre-show dinner. Tickets are $40/Adults or $35/Seniors. Click Here for tickets or more information. To keep up with Renaissance Players, follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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