Drama club presents musical ‘Little Shop of Horrors’
The joy of ensemble acting shone in the faces of folks onstage, and an equal measure of joy was in the adoring audience, as the Shelter Island High School Drama Club, presented “Little Shop of Horrors,” directed and produced by John Kaasik and Anu Kaasik, in a raucous, tuneful and tight performance on Thursday, April 23. The production ran through the weekend, with performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The remarkable plant at the heart of the show had a similar diet to another creature well-known to the Shelter Island community, the deer tick, which may explain the audience’s ready acceptance of a plant (created by artist Peter Waldner) with a gaping maw and a villainous personality as protagonist, and played by Liam Sobejano in one of the great off-stage performances in memory.
By the end of “Skid Row,” the rousing number sung by the residents of that benighted neighborhood — Lily Potter, Sadie Green-Clark, Madison Quinn Sobejana, and Elsie Mae Brigham — there was no doubt that the vocal performances at this year’s musical would be extraordinary.
Equally impressive was the singing and choreography executed by the ensemble of Lydia Brigham, Makayla Cronin, Aisley Davidson, Regina Kolmogorova, Maeve Springer and Elizabeth Weslek, who crooned and bebopped in formation, to refined and tuneful effect. Jessie King’s skill as choreographer and Sara Mundy’s hand as vocal director were evident. Assistant Director Joanne Sherman and Drama Coach Sue Cincotta helped shape the students’ fine performances.
Henry Springer played the nerdy would-be boyfriend Seymour, a role that had him onstage in nearly every scene. Henry’s performance was so good that the audience forgave this lovable oaf -turned-murderer, and cheered when he got the girl.
Rosie Hanley played the sweet and lovable, battered and bruised girlfriend, Audrey, and her knockout performance of “Somewhere That’s Green” was a showstopper.
Eli Green was her sadistic boyfriend, Orin, who went into dentistry because torture is against the law. With his dark good looks and fine acting he convinced the audience that he was a man who might actually use a slow, dull drill on his patients and enjoy it.
When Daniel Hernandez, who played the Jewish shop-keeper Mr. Mushnik, raised his voice in song, I thought I was hearing the supple crooning of Mel Torme. In “Mushnik & Son,” which he performed with Henry Springer, he proved to be tri-lingual, singing Yiddish words and putting on a show of physical comedic moves.
And speaking of Yiddish, Ari Waife was a veritable ‘tummler’ (a Yiddish word that wasn’t in the show) playing a different character in almost every scene and delivering one zinger after another with perfect comedic timing.
Like the best campfire tales, this horror story used darkness and hilarity to confront and neutralize fear, and if you don’t believe me, ask 10-year-old David Bartilucci, who reassured his parents that he had already seen the show, and it was fine. The performance of his sister, Alexis Bartilucci as Mrs. Luce of Life Magazine was pure satire, and very funny. Mrs. Luce was ably played by Maeve Springer on alternate nights.’
Kylie Kuhr, as Snip played the devious agent with humor and sass, while Juliana Medina was all officious manipulation, as the scheming executive of Botanical Entertainment, whose plan to propagate the plant for profit set it loose on society like photosynthesizing Artificial Intelligence.
A show this complex and with so many onstage doesn’t happen without an outstanding crew behind the scenes, and Elliot Shack as stage manager, and stage crew Chris DiOrio, Lauren Gibbs, Michael Kotula, Natalie Mamishavilli, Daniella Rasmussen, Noemi Torres and Byron Vasquez cued actors, wrangled sets, moved props around a mechanical plant the size of a giant squid without getting eaten. A joyous night for all.
