The Blue Moon Theatre Brings Big Production Value to a Small Venue with their production of “Little Shop of Horrors”
by Mike McKeon
Bigger is not always better! I had the privilege of visiting The Blue Moon Theatre on Friday evening, and it would be the second production I’ve seen there since discovering them in February 2024. I must say, after only two visits, I am absolutely falling in love with this quaint little theatre. Although it is a small venue the passion for putting on a good show by all involved, from the concession stand to the lead roles, is unrivaled. As soon as you walk in you are warmly greeted with fun colorful decorations foreshadowing the expectant production, accompanied by staff eager to make you feel comfortable and at home. Make no mistake, I will be visiting again, and I insist you do the same.
The musical in discussion was the classic “Little Shop of Horrors” directed by Mike Russell and Assistant/Music Director Aimee Ferenz. Russell and Ferenz were very involved in the success of this production, with Mike also tackling lighting, sound, and costume design. While Ferenz was responsible for choreography, set design, and the role of Crystal, one of the lovely singing ensemble trio. From the moment the curtain opened I was immediately impressed with the set design and props. Which continued throughout the entire show as it will this review. Mr. Mushnik (Greg Hammell) sat behind his desk at Mushnik’s Flower Shop reading a newspaper with the head line “Strange Eclipse goes Unanswered” swiftly setting the scene. Seymour (Nicolas Renna) fumbled around in the background per his character’s clumsy demeanor. Once Renna emerged from the backroom my mind flooded with memories about the 1986 film of the same name as he looked and sounded perfect for this role. Donning the argyle sweater vest and thick rimmed glasses, I almost mistook Renna for Rick Moranis himself. Costumes from start to finish were yet another detail that added to the authenticity of the production.
The opening number does a great job of introducing all cast members, some disguised as smaller roles. As the ensemble trio Crystal, Chiffon, and Ronnette (Aimee Ferenz, April Johnson, and Shabria Moore respectively) harmonized beautifully, they were complemented with an unexpected, deep and soulful voice. This wonderful interruption made it apparent that the voice of Audrey 2 could come from no other than Taye Hopkins. Audrey (Rachel Grodek) enters with the traditional “Skid Row” accent, however did not use the traditional high pitch voice, which in my opinion was a great and much needed update to the role. Grodek also set a delightfully high bar with her first solo and maintained that great quality throughout the evening.
After the introduction, the story is ushered along seamlessly by the ensemble trio Crystal, Chiffon, and Ronnette. These three beautiful ladies not only harmonized, but remained the comic relief at every stage of the production. They danced and sang marvelously, with the choreography optimally utilizing the small stage. Considering April Johnson was asked to join the cast as Chiffon only a week or so before the first showing, she joined as though she had been there the whole time.
Upon introducing Orin (Tyler Kulik) I wasn’t sure if Kulik was right for the role, seeming almost innocent and boyish at first glance. However, Kulik’s inner villain bursts out with evil grins and maniacal laughter that leave you wondering how much is acting and how much is genuinely in him. He is able to portray the dark and twisted dentistry flawlessly, and was very entertaining. During the song “Now (It’s Just the Gas)” Kulik showcases his acting and vocal skills while performing with numerous creative props both small and large. Along with his cast mates Kulik was able to be heard very clearly as the well done sound design did not allow the background music to outweigh anyone’s singing.
This brings me to my favorite part of the production… THE PROPS!!!!! Props and puppet design were provided by Greg Murphy of MurFX LLC. Producing a musical is hard enough without the burden of creating a monster plant. Using all these props was a huge part of what made this show great. The props and puppets grow with the plot and do not disappoint. Given that this is a small stage some props needed to be moved in or out at different points of the show. The Stage Manager Brady Thompson did an amazing job of this. During intermission a large prop needed to be moved to stage requiring several people (stage hands and actors) to be involved. They were able to walk through the audience with this very large prop and all the while playfully pretending they were making a delivery for Mr. Mushnik, to keep the energy of the production alive. Props are important, but even more important is how the prop is used. The Audrey 2 was impressive, creative, and fun to watch. Primarily because of the person conducting it. Taye Hopkin may have been responsible for the voice of Audrey 2, but Andrew Fralinger gave Audrey 2 life. So much life, in fact, that Audrey 2 was able to consume the actors just as written in the script. There was no denying they had been eaten, on stage, in front of the audience. Franlinger was the Puppet Wrangler (awesome title) and had no lines in the production, but used all of his other skills as an actor to make this show as fun and entertaining as it was.
I very much enjoyed every aspect of this musical and The Blue Moon Theatre. I cannot wait to return for another production. Unfortunately I was not available to see the opening weekend, but you can still catch it tonight (9/28) at 8pm and Sunday (9/29) at 2pm. Purchase tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/little-shop-of-horrors-broadway-version-tickets-939689716237?aff=ebdsoporgprofile&fbclid=IwY2xjawFlOM1leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHRZYYIckEFpjOPI95XH6PpbZ5w3BxddAwi22THXOdMVwdv1hTQJdtkBXQQ_aem_VKvRTh9bHeR8XkGcWvcs7A
