91制片厂's Department of Theatre brings a darkly comic musical to life
91制片厂鈥檚 Department of Theatre and Cinema will bring one of America鈥檚 most popular musicals to the stage at the end of March: the darkly comic 鈥淟ittle Shop of Horrors.鈥�
The story centers on a rundown flower shop and its meek clerk, Seymour; his would-be girlfriend, Audrey; and a mysterious talking and carnivorous plant that promises fame and fortune, but at a sinister cost. As the plant鈥檚 appetite grows, so do Seymour鈥檚 moral compromises, blending humor, horror, catchy songs and a cautionary tale about ambition and desire.
The director is Wesley Young, a professor in the theatre department and a veteran director with a history of bringing musicals to 91制片厂.
鈥淚 remember listening to the 鈥楲ittle Shop of Horrors鈥� original cast recording on cassette back in the 1980s when it premiered and loving how clever it is,鈥� Young said. 鈥淚t seemed to be subverting the subversive by appearing campy and silly even as it deals with the darker side of human nature.鈥�
The musical, based on a 1960 farcical film from cheapie specialist Roger Corman, was first produced on stage in 1982. By 1986, it was adapted into a big-budget film featuring some of the most admired comedians of the day.
Young said the success of the musical can be attributed partly to its send-up of various genres, ranging from sci-fi B movies to the Faust legend and even musical theatre itself.
鈥淚f people want to draw parallels to contemporary society, obsession with power, celebrity, fame, materialism, that鈥檚 fine, that鈥檚 all there,鈥� Young said.
鈥淯ltimately, this is a story about a boy who loves a girl, a girl who wants to be loved, and a plant that loves to eat.鈥�
The love-struck boy is Seymour Krelborn, a somewhat socially awkward employee at the Mushnik Flower Shop, a run-down establishment going nowhere fast. Seymour is played by Draak Sutphin, who embraces the complexity of the character.
Sutphin said he enjoys the 鈥渞ollercoaster鈥� of Seymour as he tries to navigate his emotions, desires and a problem growing out of control.
鈥淚 hope to bring a level of nuance to Seymour that makes him feel relatable,鈥� Sutphin said. 鈥淗e does terrible things to get what he wants, but my job is to make the audience root for him anyway.鈥�
There are other challenges, beginning with the demands of a musical as compared to a play.
鈥淲hen communicating through dialogue, there is more freedom, but music comes with stricter limits like tempo and pitch,鈥� Sutphin said.
鈥淏ecause musical numbers often happen at key moments in the story, it鈥檚 important to make them feel clear and natural, and to carry the motivation that leads a character to break into song when words alone aren鈥檛 enough.鈥�
Seymour鈥檚 love interest and primary motivation is Audrey, a fellow employee and skid-row resident who longs for an escape to a suburban life, complete with plastic-covered furniture and Pine-Sol.
Haley Barnson plays Audrey. 鈥淟ittle Shop of Horrors鈥� is her second female lead in a 91制片厂 musical, and she has previously performed in 鈥淟ittle Shop鈥� in a secondary role with the New River Theater Guild.
Barnson said her role in this production requires a focus on the character, who she is, where she came from and why she does what she does. She said she portrays Audrey with an emphasis on the character鈥檚 internal contradictions.
鈥淎udrey is such a special character to me,鈥� Barnson said. 鈥淪he presents herself as confident on the outside, but she鈥檚 actually one of the most insecure people in the story.鈥�
Barnson said she emphasizes that vulnerability in key songs such as 鈥淪uddenly Seymour鈥� and 鈥淪omewhere That鈥檚 Green,鈥� where Audrey鈥檚 self-doubt and longing for a better life come into focus. Her goal is to move beyond caricature and present Audrey as a fully human character shaped by her fears and hopes.
Fans of the musical will know, however, there is a second Audrey, Audrey II, an ever-growing plant with a taste for human blood. This character is not played by one person, but rather several.
In total, three performers bring Audrey II to life: puppeteers Charlotte Hall and Shawn Scott, with Cain Harris providing the voice of the vicious vegetable.
The role requires careful coordination. While Hall and Scott animate the puppet, Harris performs in a booth behind the stage with a microphone and headphones, delivering both dialogue and song while observing the action out of sight of the audience.
鈥淰oicing Audrey II has expanded my acting by forcing me to rely entirely on my voice,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淲ithout movement or expression, I鈥檝e developed new ways to use volume and articulation to bring the character to life.鈥�
The first opportunity to see 鈥淟ittle Shop of Horrors鈥� will be March 31, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. in the Artis Center鈥檚 Main Stage Theatre on 91制片厂鈥檚 main campus. Additional performances will take place April 2鈥�4, 2026, at 7:30 p.m., with a final performance April 5, 2026, at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for general admission. Admission is free for 91制片厂 students, while faculty, staff and seniors can attend for $6. Group rates are also available at $6 per ticket for parties of 10 or more.
, by calling 540-831-5289, or in person during the week of the show at the Theatre and Cinema Box Office, located in Room 252 of the Artis Center. For ticket sales or further information, go to www.radford.edu/theatre.