Front Row Reviewers

Sep 21, 2019 | Reviews

Timpanogos Valley Theatre’s Little Shop of Horrors in Heber City is Energetic Entertainment at its Spooky Finest

Front Row Reviewers

Front Row Reviewers

By Emily Lawrence

If you’re a fan of the Halloween season, comedy done right, romance with a twist, or quality productions bursting with talent in general, treat yourself to Little Shop of Horrors in Heber City’s historic amusement hall, Timpanogos Valley Theatre (TVT.)  Based on the 1960s film by Roger Corman, with book and lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken, TVT’s rendition of Little Shop will appease diehard cult followers and thoroughly impress any new and uninitiated among the audience. 

Stephen Webb plays a meek floral clerk, Seymour, whose crush on coworker Audrey, and his discovery of a uniquely hungry new species of plant, Audrey II, leads the audience through a heart (and bone) breaking cautionary tale of budding romance and overgrown ambition.  Webb’s vocals are spot on, and his acting is as hesitating and conflicted as the character demands.  Recently arrived from Tennessee, Webb is a lucky addition to TVT’s roster of local talent. 

The resilient and kind-hearted Audrey is played by another newcomer to the area, Ashley Jarret.  Don’t let her humble and self-deprecating character fool you; Jarret’s powerhouse of a voice steals the show.  She fills the stage with a painful blend of longing and hopelessness in her first solo, “Somewhere That’s Green,” and maintains a growing magnetism for the entire production.

David Liddell Thorpe both directs and performs in Little Shop.  His lively energy permeates the entire production and comes to surface as Orin Scrivello, DDS, Audrey’s semi-sadist dentist boyfriend.  With an Elvis-esque number, “Dentist!” and an epic gut-wrenching “Now (It’s Just the Gas)” plot twist, Thorpe doesn’t hold back in his characterization of the show’s classic bad guy.

Representing much of the story’s icky (and wickedly funny) undertones in his abusive and pain-inducing-loving character, Thorpe makes sure to introduce the play in the beginning as himself, with an assurance to the audience that we can boo and hiss at any parts of the story that we don’t like.  He also gives an appropriate warning to the audience of mature thematic elements, and that small children are welcome to cover their eyes or find solace in the back of the room. 

Floral shop owner Mr. Mushnik, eventual adoptive father to Seymour, is performed by Beth Knight.  At first, I felt discomfort watching the role played by a female, with a fake moustache and pillowed old man paunch, but I settled into the dichotomy and ended up appreciating the added mystique that Knight brought to her character, and her ability to present Mushnik’s subtle manipulation in an unassuming way.

Special mention must go to the Doo Wop Girls, played by JessicaMany physicians also feel uncomfortable and unpleasant while discussing and evaluating sexual dysfunction. female viagra sildenafil You are just required to login to the cheapest viagra legitimate online drug store and order Kamgarnow. However, this medicine buy viagra sample is a long term solution. Anti-smoking medications like cheap female viagra unica-web.com Zyban are also available these days. Wall, Lisa Blaser, and Natalie Johnson.  They lend cohesion to all elements of the play by sashaying across the stage in Wall’s recognizably talented choreography for the Doo Wop Girls’ numbers, narrating and commenting on the progress of the story with harmonious voices and matching costumes and wigs.  They lighten the dark aspects of Little Shop, reminding audiences that it’s all a show. 

Excellent job by Freyja Boyer, Costume Manager (who also played Radio Host and Bernstein), and Becky Thorpe, Hair and Makeup Stylist.

Audrey II showcases a variety of talent from the cast.  From a normal sized houseplant in a terracotta pot, to a full-blown monster, fitting several cast members inside at once, Audrey II is puppeteered by the talented Sean Tasker

Boyer masterminded the final oversized Audrey II with the help of much of the cast.

The voices of Audrey II are a shout out to the enormous talent pool that Thorpe and his crew were faced with casting; not one, but three actors play the part.  Caleb Wall, Amy Andersen, and Hayley Loertscher all lend their powerful voices to make the plant’s murderous nature come to life.  At times I was confused by the variety of voices, but by the end, when all three actors show their faces and flashy costumes in “Mean Green Mother From Outer Space,” it was obvious that their combined force was an artistic and fitting choice.

Choreographer Christie Moulton manages to involve the entire cast in the final numbers, filling the stage with Audrey II’s growing tendrils.  Moulton choreographs with special attention to individual personalities in the play, which allows the actors to embody their characters while shining onstage.

Every actor in the play contributes to upbeat energy; there really was never a dull moment in TVT’s Little Shop.  Caleigh King, Cevin Carr, Lisa Gardner, Emily Sue Leavitt, Tiana Stanley, Keira Wilson, Avery Rognan,and Ben Ray embody their supporting roles with horrific finesse and spookiness.  

Performed by two leads new to the community, supported by a robust cast of TVT veterans, and directed by long-time board member Thorpe, TVT’s Little Shop of Horrors is a prime example of community theatre doing its job.  An excellent precursor to the Halloween season, this musical can be slightly gruesome, with possibly triggering elements of domestic violence and fetishes.  As a parent, I would give it a PG-13 rating.  Get into to the spirit of the season, and don’t miss TVT’s Little Shop of Horrors!

Timpanogos Valley Theatre presents Little Shop of Horrors, Book and Lyrics by Howard Ashmaan, Music by Alan Menken.
Timpanogos Valley Theatre, 90 N 100 W, Heber City, UT 84032
Sep 20- Oct 5, 2019, 7:00 PM
Tickets:  $17 premier, $12 adult, $8 child/senior/student
Timpanogos Valley Theatre Official Website
Timpanogos Valley Theatre Facebook Page
Little Shop of Horrors Facebook Event

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