“Fully Committed” a Wicked Holiday Delight!

Holiday fare can often be hackneyed, vapid, or sickly sweet; luckily, New Rep’s production of Fully Committed is the perfect antidote.  Sitting in the audience, the relief of my fellow theatregoers was palpable, as we laughed, groaned, and gasped in delight at the wicked and wry script from Becky Mode and the astonishing performance(s) from Gabriel Kuttner. 

The show is a fast-paced send-up of the weird, wonderful, horrible, and quirky characters to be found in the world of high-class dining in New York City.  The story follows a day in the life of typically-nice Midwestern struggling actor (Sam), who is (mistakenly) solely responsible for the reservations department at a fancy eatery in Manhattan.  Kuttner, who gives us a likable and understandable put-upon Sam, also plays the dozens of horrid or bizarre customers trying to get a table, along with the slightly-sadistic chef and four or five of the other restaurant staff.  His ability to switch personalities in the blink of an eye – what accent work! – is breathtaking, and often blindingly funny.  His antics often reduced the audience to helpless laughter, but he never paused for the entire 75-minute show, mirroring the situation of poor Sam, who can’t even take a break for a quick lunch.

The director (Bridget Kathleen O’Leary) and sound designer (Bill Barclay) also deserve particular mention.  The timing of the sound cues was near-perfect, which can’t have been easy in a show that must include several hundred telephone rings and intercom buzzes.  All in all, this is New Rep at its best; excellent acting, design, and direction, coupled with an edge of dark humor.  I cannot recommend this show highly enough.  It unfortunately only plays until Dec. 30, so be sure to get your tickets soon!

~ Shauna Shames, New Rep Reviewer

“Holiday Memories” this Holiday Season

--Victoria Petrosino, New Rep Reviewer

New Rep’s “Holiday Memories” retells two of Truman Capote’s short stories “The Thanksgiving Visitor” and “A Christmas Memory.”  Both are semi-autobiographical accounts of Capote growing up in Alabama, focusing on the rituals of a family preparing for the holidays: dreaming of Thanksgiving turkeys, collecting pecans for fruitcakes, and finding the perfect tree.  Though some of the traditions are antiquated (such as a trip to the local bootlegger to buy whiskey), the language of the stories is poetic and immersive and the setting fully captures the spirit of the holidays.

Jon Savage’s scene design creates a warm, well-worn setting for the production.  Tools, empty picture frames, flannel shirts, and books are collected almost randomly on wooden shelves along the sides of the stage.  The result is a background that is at once familiar and isolating.  All of the objects give a contained, shut-away impression that suits the nature of the stories: they are familiar and present, but only memories.

Similar to New Rep’s season opener “The Kite Runner,” Russell Vandenbrouke’s stage version of the Capote stories uses an older narrator to re-live the events of his youth; however, “Holiday Memories” uses this structure more successfully.  Marc Carver as Truman Capote brings introspection and sincere reflection to the events of his childhood.  In the second act story “A Christmas Memory,” he looks back on Miss Sook’s (Adrianne Krstansky) fruitcake ritual and remembers how they saved all year and labored for days to send the cakes to relative strangers, such as the bus driver who waved at them or to passing missionaries.  He reflects: “Is it because my friend is shy with everyone except strangers that these strangers, and merest acquaintances, seem to us our truest friends? I think yes.” This rumination gives the narrator purpose in the story-telling experience.

Holiday traditions are deceptively unique.  New Rep’s “Holiday Memories” is an interesting glimpse into the traditions of another generation, but everyone can find something familiar and relatable in the cast and setting of the production.

Treasured Holiday Memories

by Frank Furnari, New Rep Reviewer 

Holiday Memories presents us with two, somewhat autobiographical glimpses at Truman Capote's childhood, offering an entertaining evening of holiday fare.  The evening is broken up into two acts, the first is "The Thanksgiving Visitor" where we see Buddy/Truman as a boy around 7, who doesn't fit in with the other children and his best friend is Sook, a relative in her 60s.  While Buddy does not have many friends his age, the town bully torments him frequently.  One Thanksgiving, Sook takes it upon herself to invite the bully over for Thanksgiving dinner and what transpires over dinner is not what you might expect.  The second half is "A Christmas Memory" where we again see Buddy and Sook, but now it is fruitcake weather, Sook's annual tradition of making fruitcakes for many people including the President.  The process of getting and paying for the ingredients as well as the interactions between the two are very touching.  

The stage version by Russell Vandenbrouke has both the young Buddy (Michael John Ciszewski) and older Truman (Marc Carver) on stage at the same time.  Truman serves both as the older Buddy as well as the narrator, however since the play centers around the young Buddy, the character of Truman doesn't add much to the story – one expects Truman to have a few scenes as an adult, but other than a brief moment we don't get that.  Aside from that, it is a well-written and engaging play.  Adrianne Krstansky is wonderful as Sook; she embodies the shy, childlike nature of Sook without making her into a caricature.  Michael John Ciszewski, a sophomore at BU, is great as Buddy imbuing the role with the sensitivity and a childlike -yet wise beyond his years quality and expression.   

The set designed by Jon Savage was an intricate work of art itself.  The house gives the sense of a family who doesn’t have much money, but is resourceful - taking items from a variety of places and repurposing them.  It was very cool to see the way things would just flip out from the wall to reveal a bed or a shelf of fruitcakes.  Behind the house was a scrim with an area for actors (which wasn't always used effectively).  Behind that was a screen where additional scenery was projected (schoolhouse, kitchen) which gave the production a storybook feel with the images used, adding memory/storybook feel.  

Holiday Memories is not your typical holiday fare, but that's a good thing for those who may not want to see Christmas Carol yet again.  It is a look back at holidays of years past, but not through rose-colored glasses.  While not sugar coating the memories, it is still very enjoyable and may even make you feel nostalgic about your own holiday memories.  

“Chesapeake”

New Rep’s newest black-box show Chesapeake is a rip-roaring combination of wit, passion, intellect, and irony.  Written with the flair of a playwright confounded by the public debate over funding the arts, and spoken with the strong (and sometimes trembling) voice of an enthusiastic performance artist, this unconventional (dark) comedy cycles between hurt and hilarity.

The performance artist Kerr (who has much in common with the cur of which she dreams) is reviled by her hometown Congressman and used as a scapegoat in his campaign for Senate.   She decides, in retaliation, to teach the Congressman a lesson through his beloved Chesapeake terrier. She believes she can do it in a way that changes hearts and minds, and that it will merely be a form of “real protest.” The play thus begs the question, how far would you and should you go in the name of art and activism?  While a Boston-area audience will probably not side with the conservative Southern Congressman, perhaps neither will they appreciate Kerr’s impulsive, violent actions.  Are we supposed to decry the performance artist’s performance of recklessness much as early-twentieth-century audience booed her idols, the “Futurists?” What is the responsibility of an artist for the damage her art may do?

What unfolds for Kerr and her fellow characters can only be described as an emotional journey, and perhaps a spiritual one too. The storyline of the second act is more of a rabbit-hole than a ladder, surprising us in its depth (and in our own ability to suspend disbelief). For all those looking for something out of the ordinary, something that will tickle your fancy and raise your eyebrow, come down the New Rep for this resounding one-woman show.  The effort and dedication the actress puts into every anecdote is remarkable. Kudos also to the behind-the-scenes engineers; as in every great play, the lighting and sound design greatly accentuate the dramatic tension.

~ Shauna Shames, New Rep Reviewer (with assistance from Gabriel Shames)

Race and Racism

Victoria Petrosino, New Rep Reviewer

David Mamet’s Race opens in the sparse, professional offices of a three-person law firm. Starbucks coffee cups share desk space with a Macbook and yellow legal pads, while light filters through a wall of beige Venetian blinds.  The action starts when Charles Strickland (Patrick Shea) enters, seeking the aid of lawyers Jack Lawson (Ken Cheeseman) and Henry Brown (Johhnie McQuarley).

Charles, a wealthy, older white man, has been accused of raping a young black woman in his hotel room. As Strickland indignantly protests his innocence, Lawson cynically observes that guilt or innocence doesn’t matter anyway. The jury will find Strickland guilty because he’s white and the woman is black: social conventions and the fear of appearing racist will influence the case more than facts. As the play goes on, these conventions are mocked, defied, and continue to polarize the characters into ever-shifting alliances against one another.

Ken Cheeseman is commanding and expressive as Jack Lawson. He moves with fevered energy and sweeping mannerisms, playing the great puppeteer who continually forces his colleagues to dig deeper and answer the question: “What does a guilty man look like?”  The actor invests brash, passionate disregard for political correctness into every cynical diatribe.  In the climactic finale between Lawson and his protégé Susan, Miranda Craigwell matches Cheeseman’s energy and brazen style, leaving the audience stricken at the abrupt power shift.   

In the 10/19/12 showing of Race, understudy Johnnie McQuarley played the part of lawyer Henry Brown. He expertly captured Brown’s sharp-witted style, playing the perfect foil to Lawson’s world-weary cynicism. He has a unique ability to appear sympathetic, even while cutting through evasions to point out the sordid, racially charged heart of the affair.
Mamet’s play is a compelling dialogue on an issue that plays (and will continue to play) a prominent role in social consciousness. Even after casting all conventions aside, after the characters shout openly about the guilt, shame, and inescapable taboos of racial conventions, nothing is solved.  The play itself concludes abruptly, with no catharsis and no resolution. Its structure mirrors the issue itself: dialogue can only scratch the surface on an issue; the characters still cannot see past race.

David Mamet tackles Race

by Frank Furnari, New Rep Reviewer

Race, David Mamet’s 90 minute, three-scene play about race in America is typical Mamet – brash, abrupt, filled with interrupted, repeated dialogue and bad language.  The play begins abruptly, in the middle of the action, at a law firm.  We meet Charles Strickland (played by Patrick Shea) asking the lawyers to take on his case.  He is accused of raping an African American woman (Charles is white).  The law firm consists of three lawyers, one white, Jack Lawson (Ken Cheeseman), and two black, Henry Brown (Cliffe Odle) and Susan (Miranda Craigwell) – a young woman who has recently completed law school.  As the play continues and the firm decides how to tackle Strickland's case, details emerge both about Strickland and about the lawyers.  I couldn't help but think of the musical Chicago with the way the lawyers explained the legal system and how there is no truth in the legal process.  While this is a very different piece, I was reminded of the song in Chicago – Give em' the ole dazzle dazzle - this is a similar idea, but in a much darker sense.  The play continues until, as Mamet explains in a New York Times piece reprinted in the program – the lie is exposed.  Shortly after the lie is exposed (it will likely not be the lie you are expecting), the play ends just as abruptly as it beings.  No neat or happy ending here.  

Director Robert Walsh assembles a stellar cast for this production. Ken Cheeseman's portrayal of Jack is a great mix of sleazy and smart, an astute lawyer and he really shines in scenes with the young lawyer Susan.  The two have great chemistry together.  The pacing is quick, almost too quick at times – while you are laughing at one line, you’ve missed the next three.  The actors are great with the dialogue and keeping things moving – they really make the piece an engaging one.  Janie E. Howland's set design effectively conveys the feel of a successful law firm's offices; it is professional, yet not over the top.  Along the walls of the office were vertical blinds that sounded as if they were shifting after each scene.  The effect, however, was pretty much lost on me until the final scene where they served to isolate the room from the rest of the office.  

While the play does make for an interesting evening of theatre, I'm unsure what Mamet hopes to add to the discussion on the subject that hasn't been said many times.  Race factors into many (all?) of our interactions, sometimes in more pronounced ways than others, and people can use that to their advantage – again, nothing new.  As Mamet states, we don't know when this struggle will be over, but it continue "until fatigue, remorse and finally forgiveness bring resolution."  His play, like the state of our country today, does not offer resolution, but hopefully continues the dialogue. 

"Race" Bold, Troubling

  

The topic of New Rep’s newest show, “Race,” is a timely and sensitive one, and the brash chutzpah of David Mamet’s script is matched by the boldness and vigor of the production.  Kudos to the actors for heartfelt performances, and to New Rep for taking the risk of a controversial script. 

Racial oppression is deeply entangled with this country’s history and our current social, economic, and political systems.  Mamet’s New York Times  letter to “Race” audiences, re-printed in the show’s program, calls the relationship between black and white Americans a fraught marriage, where “both sides at different times are bitching, and both at different times are bailing, but we’re all in the same boat.”

The boat metaphor works nicely for this show, where the four characters are all supposed to act as a team (three lawyers and their client), but there’s plenty of bitching and bailing on all sides.  The plot revolves around not only the case (an accusation of rape, which Mamet completely trivializes), but also around the intra-office tensions and fault lines (race, sex, age, and varying levels of bitterness). 

The actors deserve commendation for their unflinching portrayals of some less-than-savory characters.  Cliff Odle (who plays Henry Brown) in particular struck us as the heart and soul of the show, even though he isn’t as mouthy or emotional as the main lawyer, Jack Lawson (played by local favorite Ken Cheeseman).  Odle’s performance rings with authenticity, and we got the sense that this character best represents Mamet’s own viewpoints on the subject of race.  (Mamet for unknown reasons gives all of the characters, including Henry, several odd and out-of-place moments of ideological preaching; Odle handled these particularly well.)

Ultimately, the show attempts to convince its audience that race (and sex) lie just below the surface of every social interaction – and on this point, we (mostly) agree.  Yet Mamet then goes a step further to claim that race is a (or perhaps “the”) central motivating force in every action that we all take, as jury members, say, or lawyers, or newspaper-readers, or friends.  The final twist at the end, which attempts to drive home this thesis, is wildly improbable and downright offensive.  The philosophy about race, as a whole, mixes elements of truth and insight with noxious ideological non-thought.

Whatever you may think of Mamet’s racial theorizing, the show will make you think and talk a whole lot about race – and that is a good thing.  Through these discussions, Mamet promises us, “…we not only seem to be but are working it out.”  As the Jews say, from his mouth to God’s ears!

~ Shauna Shames & Johanna Ettin, New Rep Reviewers

Kite Runner comes to life at New Rep

by Frank Furnari, New Rep Reviewer 

New Rep's season opens with The Kite Runner, an adaptation by Matthew Spangler, of the popular novel (and later movie) by Khaled Hosseini.  I will confess that I have not read the book nor seen the movie.  The play centers on Amir's journey growing up in Afghanistan in the 70s and his experiences both in his home country and later as he and his father flee to the US.  The play has both a young and an old Amir, whom we often times see together, and it is through his/their eyes that the audience is taken on a journey showing differences in class, religion, and a juxtaposition of war-torn life and escape against a new life in the US.  

We see Amir as a young boy playing with Hassan, who is the son of Amir's father's servant; the two spend all their time together.  It becomes clear that Hassan is incredibly loyal to Amir and would do anything for him.  The boys compete in kite competitions with Hassan as the kite runner.  After one competition, there is an incident in which Amir secretly witnesses something terrible happening to Hassan and does nothing to stop it.  This incident is one that continues to haunt Amir for many years as he searches for forgiveness and to free himself of secrets.  There are a few moments in the story where it almost lost me – where I found it was just too much – however, they were few and in the end it, it worked out and seemed believable.  

New Rep has assembled a very strong cast under the nuanced direction of Elaine Vaan Hogue.  There were quiet moments where you can feel the whole audience is deeply involved in the play.  In addition, there were some rather beautiful moments including the scene with the kite flying where the space is used very effectively, bringing some of the action out into the audience.  There were some violent scenes, and I felt myself being worried for the character, not being worried for the actor – I comment the violence designer, Robert Najarian.

Overall this was a very solid and moving play.  I found it even more timely that opening night was on the eve of the anniversary of 9/11.  These are issues that are still in the public's mind and it was thrilling to see this story brought to life in front of me.  

"The Kite Runner": Immersive and Introspective

By Victoria Petrosino, New Rep Reviewer

New Rep’s “The Kite Runner” has the daunting task of competing with the audience’s prior experiences with Khaled Hossein’s novel by the same name and the 2007 movie.  Overall, the company assembled a memorable cast, including the sociopath Assef (John Zdrojeski), who has a perfect maniacal laugh, and the innocent Hassan (Luke Murtha), who maintains a wonderfully serene expression throughout the performance.

The stage is set with an imposing stone slab floor, surrounded by gravel and stone walls, creating a bleak and barren landscape.  In Act II, when Amir (Nael Nacer) and his father (Ken Baltin) reach America, the set remains the same except for a blurry, zoomed in photo of the Golden Gate bridge projected behind the stage.  The slightness of the change is deliberately symbolic.   For Amir, it signifies his failure, the event in his past that he cannot bury no matter how hard he tries.  For Baba, this signifies the life he left behind: his business, his wealth, his reputation. 

The kite scene, one of the most poignant scenes of the novel, is particularly effective in Matthew Spangler’s adaptation.  The sound of whirling kites sweeps over the audience almost claustrophobically as cast members walk through the aisles flying their kites.  Combined with the cheering of the chorus, this creates a highly dramatic and anticipatory climate.  The audience truly feels the excitement of Amir’s win and all that means for his relationship with his father. 

Nacer delivers an enthusiastic portrayal of Amir in his search for redemption.  However, the drawbacks of having an older narrator re-tell the events of his childhood are numerous, and, at times, detract from the flow of the performance.  Occasionally, Nacer is forced to act in a situation that he is unable to interact with.  He tries to join in a John Wayne gun fight with young Amir (Fahim Hamid) and Hassan, but the results are awkward at best.  In Act II, when present day means an adult Amir, Nacer is forced to dually narrate the time span between adjoining events as well as act in the intervening scenes.  Because of this, the narrator always looks a little out of place.

“The Kite Runner” raises interesting points on the value of redemption and the possibility of a moral identity outside of culture or politics.  New Rep successfully sheds light on both of these issues, leveraging the collected talents of the cast to fully immerse the audience in the author’s introspective story.

"Kite Runner" Beautiful & Painful

New Rep opens its 2012-2013 season with Mathew Spangler’s adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner.” The excellent cast, most of whom are making New Rep debuts, carried us deep into an unfamiliar world. Especially noteworthy is Nael Nacer who, as the adult Amir, narrates, sets the scene and leads us through the barriers of time and space. He physically shadows the actions of young Amir (Fahim Hamid) who skillfully portrays the boy’s painful transition from ease and playfulness to haunting guilt and shame. Luke Murtha is both Hassan and later his son Sohrab. The actor has a difficult task here as Hassan’s innocence, selflessness and saintly ability to forgive could be cloying. Murtha makes him radiantly believable. It’s hard to take your eyes off of him when he is on stage. Ken Baltin is also outstanding as the gruff father who carries a deep secret.  Many of the actors play multiple parts and Paige Clark is particularly notable for her ability to transform herself in seconds from an annoyed Vietnamese shopkeeper to the lovely Soraya. Drummer Fredrick Williams adds immeasurably to the atmosphere.

As always the sets and lighting are absolutely stunning. Although the set and lighting designers are also new to New Rep they live up to the very high standards regular fans have come to expect. We are always impressed by the New Rep’s ability to utterly transform the rather small stage in unique and ingenious ways. 

Any adaptator of ‘The Kite Runner’ faces a daunting task. This is a novel about a writer, a man who almost by definition, lives in his own words. There are times when the play suffers from too much narration and not enough dialogue. Overall, though, New Rep’s season opener provides an absorbing and at times deeply moving evening in the theater.

~ Johanna Ettin & Shauna Shames

Exciting photos surrounding THE KITE RUNNER!

Photo from our SPOTLIGHT SYMPOSIUM on THE AFGHAN DIASPORA this past Sunday, with panelists (l-r):

Dr. Thomas Barfield, Nick B. Mills, Matthew Spangler, Najim Azadzoi, and moderator Aaron Schachter of WGBH/PRI’s “The World”

Photo from last night’s Opening Celebration of THE KITE RUNNER with Lydia Diamond (left) playwright of STICK FLY and Matthew Spangler (right), playwright of THE KITE RUNNER.

Photo of Matthew Spangler (left) playwright of THE KITE RUNNER and WGBH reporter Jared Bowen (right) filming a feature on the set of THE KITE RUNNER.

Come see The Kite Runner! Running through Sept 30, 2012. Visit www.newrep.org/kite_runner.php for tickets and show schedule.

Three New Rep Theatre Artists Look Back at their First Involvement with LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

l. to r. Blake Pfeil and Susan Molloy in Little Shop of Horrors.
Photo by Andrew Brilliant / Brilliant Pictures.

Three New Rep Theatre Artists Look Back at their First Involvement with

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS has seen lots of life. What we have come to know as the fun, cult musical debuted Off-Broadway in 1982, was based on the 1960 black comedy film The Little Shop Of Horrors, directed by Roger Corman. The musical, after five years Off-Broadway and 2,209 performances, and after earning both the Drama Critics Circle Award and the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical, transferred to Broadway. In 1986 the musical was made into the 1986 film directed by Frank Oz.

Three theatre artists involved with New Rep’s current 2012 production share their thoughts on this beloved musical, and its longevity and place within the canon.

Director Russell Garrett saw the original Off-Broadway production at the Orpheum Theater in New York in 1982. “I loved it,” he says. “There really hadn’t been anything like it before, that I knew of. It was such a great mix of sci-fi, nostalgia, comedy, and great early 60s style music.”

At the time Garrett didn’t think LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS would last thirty years. “In the early 80s people weren’t turning odd, cult movies into musicals. The original film was a terrible, low-budget piece—so it’s amazing that Ashman and Menken had the vision, seeing the potential fun in making it a musical.” Since then, Garrett continues, “musicals have been made from other cult films like Reefer Madness, The Toxic Avenger, and The Evil Dead.”

Although New Rep’s production is the first Garrett’s worked on, he also saw productions in London and several times since. His favorite part of the play is when the plant first speaks to Seymour. “Not only is it very funny, but in the song ‘Feed Me,’ the plant pushes Seymour to commit the unthinkable. It’s a great Faustian moment, combined with great song and humor.” When asked to name his favorite song from LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, Garrett says “Well, I have three. ‘Somewhere That’s Green’ and ‘Suddenly Seymour’ are great book-based character songs with wonderful lyrics and melodies. But the one I never get tired of is the title song ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’ the three-part girl-group sound is so infectious.”

Costume Designer Frances McSherry was lucky enough to work on the original production. “I moved to New York in 1981 and started working at a little costume construction shop in the East Village,” she says. “My boss, Sally Lesser, asked me to be the Assistant Costume Designer. It started at the WPA and moved Off-Broadway to The Orpheum, a great little theatre around the corner from the costume shop. We maintained and refreshed costume items as they wore out. If there was a change in the cast, we’d build a new set of costumes.”

“I loved working on LITTLE SHOP,” she continues. “It was very unusual. I’d never seen anything quite like it. Once the show opened to great reviews, people started flocking to the East Village to see it. The area, at the time, was a bit like Skid Row. The show certainly helped clean up the area.”

“The campy quality of the piece was the best part,” she says. “The audience sat so close to the action, in such an intimate space. It was great to see the audience jump in their seats when the vines dropped at the end of the performance.”

McSherry is not surprised LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS lasted thirty years. “It’s extremely well written and the songs are great. It was fun to watch Howard and Alan become famous and move on to The Little Mermaid and other Disney productions.” She especially liked the use of the Urchins as a Greek chorus. “Their watchful eyes and knowing commentary make the show. And I love the romance between Audrey and Seymour. As such an unlikely couple, you cheer when they get together.”

At the time, McSherry shares “That one of the main characters was a puppet, made LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS unusual.”

McSherry’s favorite part of the play, from a costuming standpoint, is “‘The Meek Shall Inherit.’ It's such a well written, frenetic scene. Those lightning-fast changes from Bernstein to Mrs. Luce to Skip Snip are magical. Then the urchins become the Supremes...what can be better than that!”

New Rep Artistic Director Jim Petosa first saw LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS in Manhattan in the early 80s. “I was working with the New York Theatre Studio, one of the many off-off-Broadway companies of the time. WPA had come up with the remarkable little musical that was fun, irreverent, and appealing. At the time, this was juxtaposed with the early days of the AIDS epidemic.” 

“People were frightened of what they didn't know of this strange disease killing people in increasing numbers each year,” he continues. “It was a bit like living in a horror movie.   That this silly, giddy, and guilty pleasure of a musical could provide a lot of laughter during a time that looked at blood borne contagion as no laughing matter puts the musical in a slightly different context. Sometimes I think we forget the social context surrounding this musical when it came to life--from our 2012 vantage point.” 

Petosa earned his Actors Equity Association card playing the voice of Audrey II, in 1986 in the Washington, D.C. area. “So I am forever thankful for the little shop of opportunity it provided me.”

Petosa’s favorite song from LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is “Feed Me,” he says. “One day we were performing the second act seduction of Audrey. I was at my microphone singing when a sandbag hanging above my head developed a slow leak. There was nothing I could do but let the sand pour down on my head since the microphone was in a fixed position. The urchins, Tisha, Teshina and Michelle (who also played in the 1986 film) caught the sand with their hands over my head, while I continued to sing!”

When asked about the place the musical holds thirty years later, Petosa shares, “I think LITTLE SHOP is reflective of a particularly American brand of comedy that mixes deep satire with surprising sentimentality. It's the kind of mixture that you see in South Park or in that show's creators' Broadway hit The Book Of Mormon. It is scathing in its critique of our American society, but extremely sentimental at heart.”

"Little Shop of Horrors": A Tale of Two Tendrils

by Jack Craib, New Rep Reviewer
                 
Attend the tale of Audrey II. She’s green and mean, this cousin of the Venus fly trap. A true pistil-packing momma with a profoundly bass voice, she’s the horticultural star of New Rep’s final production of the season, “Little Shop of Horrors”. This off-Broadway hit of the 1982 season (with a five year run, winning the New York Drama Critics and Outer Circle Critics Best Musical Awards) is based on a much-beloved, campy cult black and white 1960 film by Director Roger Corman (the king of the low-budget B movies) and Screenwriter Charles Griffith. It ultimately became a 1986 film musical, and was revived on Broadway in 2003. Most prophetically, it was the first mega success of novice creators Alan Menken (score) and the late Howard Ashman (book and lyrics), who would go on to such efforts as “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast”. Perhaps you’ve heard of them.

“Little Shop”, only their second work together, was a loving tribute in farce to the horror movie genre, spoofing 60’s rock and roll, doo-wop, and Motown sound, television sitcoms, and several other targets. Ashman’s book and lyrics were filled with intentionally outrageous puns (for example, referring to the character of a sadistic dentist as the “leader of the plaque”). Some of his other references (“Father Knows Best”, “The Donna Reed Show”, “December Bride” and even “Howdy Doody”) may not resonate with younger audience members today, but most of their fang-in-cheek humor is timeless, if treated with affection and in the right hands.

And this production is certainly in the right hands. Attention must be paid to the direction and choreography by Russell Garrett in his New Rep debut. His respect for this work, which he has described, quite accurately, as true “musical comedy heaven”, shows in his faithful treatment, balanced with a considerable number of original and imaginative touches. Attention must also be paid to the often underappreciated Music Direction by Todd C. Gordon, credited with work on literally dozens of New Rep musicals. As usual, technical credits are superb, never more important than in this particular work. Peter Colao, Scenic Designer for New Rep as far back as “Sweeney Todd” and responsible for constructing all of the company’s sets for the last decade, has captured just the right tone with an amazingly complex set. Costume Designer Frances Nelson McSherry, who was Assistant Costume Designer on the original off-Broadway production, obviously had a ball with the Skid Row outfits, which one character describes as at least not “cheap and tasteless” (but they are, they are, and deliciously so). Paul Perry’s Sound Design was a bit unbalanced at times, and the Lighting Design by Franklin Meissner, Jr. missed a few cues, but these were minor glitches, easily adjusted, and understandable given that the cast covers a lot of stage territory.

Ah, and that cast. Blake Pfeil as Seymour, in his New Rep debut, is the ultimate nerd working in a struggling Skid Row flower shop; his innocent mimicking of his co-worker Audrey’s accent (as living in “the guttah”) alone is worth the price of admission. Susan Molloy plays Audrey (the part played so memorably by Ellen Greene in both the original production and the film musical) with the perfect tone of the clueless bimbo. Bill Mootos stands out as her boyfriend, Orin the Dentist, and several other roles, reminiscent of his recent work in “Hound of the Baskervilles” at Central Square Theater (another multi-role effort requiring many quick costume changes). Another standout was Lovely Hoffman as Crystal, one of the Greek chorus trio that included fine performances by Jennifer Fogarty as Chiffon and Ceit McCaleb Zweil as Ronnette. Paul D. Farwell as Mr. Mushnik, the owner of the flower shop, seemed to be growing in the role. And then there were Timothy John Smith as the voice of Audrey II and Timothy P. Hoover as her “manipulator” or puppeteer. Together they make one unforgettable villain’s cry, “Feed me!”, providing, oxymoronically, a hysterically hammy plant. How Audrey II miraculously appears, unites Seymour and Audrey, grows, and forever changes the lives of most of the cast, is best left for audience members to discover for themselves.

In a season that included the very memorable “Long Day’s Journey Into Night”, this is arguably the highlight. A disclaimer might be in order here: “Little Shop” is one of this reviewer’s all-time favorite shows. Thus it was a relief to find it recreated and refreshed by such trust in the material, which truly pays off. Those familiar only with the film musical version will note some differences; here there is no masochistic dental patient (as in both film versions), and, most significantly, a darker ending. Audrey II is about to take over the world. As one character puts it earlier in the show, “you’re not in Kansas anymore”. One piece of sage advice sung at the end of the show and worth repeating: “Don’t feed the plants!”

"Little Shop" Is A Little Slice of Camp

By Jana Pollack, New Rep Reviewer 


"Little Shop of Horrors" is a funny, little musical. It's based on a silly (albeit dark) idea, and it doesn't try to achieve too much depth. It just lets itself be what it is: silly. 

Our hero is Seymour (Blake Pfiel), an orphan. Seymour works for Mr. Mushnik (New Rep favorite Paul D Farwell), a florist who took him in when he was a boy. But Mr. Mushnik's shop is on skid row, and its days are severely numbered. That is, until Seymour develops a new and fascinating plant! Which unfortunately turns out to survive exclusively on human blood. Also, there is a girl, Audrey (Susan Malloy), involved: Seymour's feelings for Audrey are made clear by his choice of name for the deadly plant (he calls it the Audrey II). Within this setup, the plot thickens and unfolds. 

Each number in "Little Shop" is accompanied by three doo-wop girls, Chiffon, Crystal, and Ronnette (Jennifer Fogarty, Lovely Hoffman, and Ceit McCaleb Zweil), who serve to remind us that this a joke. They open the show with a prologue, choreographed to include lots of finger snapping and synchronized head turns. Throughout, they remain on the sidelines, adding harmonies and camp. 

The show is held together by its incredibly strong lead: as Seymour, Blake Pfiel is the perfect mixture of sweet and determined, and his beautiful voice elevates each of his numbers far above the rest. Malloy is a very capable Audrey, and Farwell delivers his classic grumpy old man with perfection as Mr. Mushnik. 

While director Russel Garrett gets many things right, his use of the doo-wop girls missed the mark. Instead of contributing to each song, they took away, with loud performances that stifled the harmonies. While they do need to be over the top in order for the show to work, in this case they were unable to strike the right balance, creating a sense of discord throughout the production. 

This was my first time seeing "Little Shop of Horrors", and I expected to like it much more than I did. Aside from the issues I've mentioned, there is little to fault with this particular production; however, something about it failed to ignite. "Little Shop" was very successful in its off-Broadway run, and less so when it did go to Broadway in 2003. Perhaps this production would have been better served by New Rep's downstage black box space. As it stands, this show does not manage to fill the Charles Mosesian theater - there's simply not enough to it, and, as an audience member, it was difficult to invest in.

Almost Too Much Fun for One Show!

New Rep's new production of "Little Shop of Horrors" lives up to the promise of the play's predecessors; it is campy, corny, and loads of laughs.  Congrats to New Rep on a perfect season closer.

The ostensible events of the play, involving a blood-sucking plant from outer space, are so wildly improbable that they demand a production bordering on the outrageous.  This one delivers!  The action is orchestrated by three (suspiciously clean and peppy!) singing orphans, excellently performed by Lovely (yep, that's her name, and also a good description) Hoffman, Jennifer Fogarty, and Ceit McCaleb Zweil.  Hoffman's voice in particular steals the show, while Zweil and Fogarty keep the cast's energy levels roof-high with bopping dance moves.

The play's central characters are caricatures, intended to exaggerate human behavior; in this, no one succeeds better than Susan Molloy as Audrey.  This is a tough role, and Molloy pulls it off with accent intact, even while singing.  Hats off also to Blake Pfeil as Seymour, who we liked better than Rick Moranis in the movie remake.  And the supporting actors (Bill Mootos as the sadistic dentist, Paul Farwell as the florist Mr. Mushnik) are appropriately evil, crazy, and/or conniving, as the situation demands.  But the finest work in the whole show, we thought, was the plant puppetry and voice work by the talented "Tim" team of Timothy John Smith (voice) and Timothy Hoover (Audrey II manipulation).  Excellent!

If you're looking for serious drama, well, this ain't it.  But if you want a rollicking good time, and catchy songs you'll be singing all the way home, you can't do better than this fun show.

~ Shauna Shames & Johanna Ettin, New Rep Reviewer

Little Shop of Horrors is lots of fun

by Frank Furnari, New Rep Reviewer

Little Shop of Horrors ends New Rep's mainstage season on a fun, campy note and is the most entertaining show of New Rep's season.  Known by many from the 1986 film incarnation, this comedy horror musical tells the story of Seymour Krelborn, an orphan that was taken in as a child by Mr. Mushnik, owner of a floundering flower shop.  Business has been so bad that Mushnik is planning to let go his employees, Seymour and Audrey, but Seymour shows his latest botanical creation, which he calls Audrey II.  This 'strange and interesting plan' draws in lots of business and attention – the only problem is that rather than requiring water and plant food, Audrey II requires blood – human blood, oh and it talks.  Oh, did I mention - it's very funny?  

Director Russell Garrett assembles a superb cast staring with the street urchin trio – Chiffon played by Jennifer Fogarty, Ronnett played by Ceit McCaelb Zweil, and Crystal played by Lovely Hoffman.  Lovely's bio states that she's a contemporary R&B soul artist and it shows – her powerful voice on the opening notes of "Skid Row" set the bar high for the rest of the show.  Not to be outdone, Jennifer and Ceit join in, blend well and have obvious chemistry on stage.  Blake Pfeil is the lovable Seymour and when we first see him on stage I was reminded of Rick Moranis, but Blake make the role his own and makes you fall in love with him – he is perfect in the role.  Susan Molloy’s Audrey shines, especially during Somewhere That’s Green.  Bill Moots (Orin) doesn’t come across as a very mean dentist, but gives a very funny and memorable performance of It’s Just The Gas.   

Peter Colao's set design was a very good use of the space; with two rotating sections, it allowed various locations to be portrayed quickly.  Lots of little touches added to this (properties design by Lauren L. Duffy) and proved fodder for comedy including the flower case and the dentist's gas mask. On opening night there were some minor sound issues – a minor complaint and one got better as the performance went on.   This is one of my favorite shows in this season of Boston theatre - a great production of a funny musical; it’s not to be missed.