Learning aim B- Little Shop of Horrors research

Genre of musical- Horror/Comedy rock musical
Composer- Alan Menkin
Writer (Original director)- Howard Ashman
Vocal arrangements/ Musical Direction- Robert Ashman
Orchestrations- Robby Merkin
First performed- July 27th 1982 in the Orpheum Theatre in New York

Cast

• Seymour-Mid-twenties and perhaps balding a little. Insecure, Naive. However sweet and well-meaning.
• Audrey- The bleached blonde, Seymours secret love. Not very educated, no self-worth.
• Mr. Munshnik- Their boss. A failure of an east side florist. His accent is more middle class. Seldom smiles and often sweats.  
• Orin-A talk, dark, handsome dentist with a black leather jacket and sadistic tendencies.  
• The plant (Audrey 2)- An anthropomorphic cross between a Venus fly trap and an avocado. It has a huge, nasty looking pod which gains a shark like aspect when open and snapping food. The creature is played by a series of four increasing large puppets. (The first time we see the plant it is less than one foot tall, The last time we see it, it takes up the whole stage). Crystal, Ronnette and Chiffon- Three black female street urchins who function as participants in the action and a Greek chorus outside it. They’re young, hip, smart and the only ones in the whole cast who really know what’s going on.

Synopsis

Little Shop of Horrors is a horror comedy rock musical, by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman, about a hapless florist shop worker who raises a plant that feeds on human blood and flesh. The musical is based on the low-budget 1960 black comedy film The Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Roger Corman. The music, composed by Menken in the style of early 1960s rock and roll, doo-wop and early Motown, includes several well-known tunes, including the title song, "Skid Row (Downtown)", "Somewhere That's Green", and "Suddenly, Seymour

Musical numbers

1. Prologue
2. Skid Row (Downtown)
3. Da-Doo
4. Grow For Me
5. Somewhere That's Green
6. Some Fun Now
7. Dentist!
8. Feed Me (Git It)
9. Suddenly, Seymour
10. Suppertime
11. The Meek Shall Inherit
12. Mean Green Mother From Outer Space
13. Don't Feed The Plant

 

Performers associated with the show

Original Off-Broadway cast

• Seymour Krelborn – Lee Wilkof.
• Audrey – Ellen Greene.
• Mr. Mushnik – Hy Anzell.
• Chiffon – Marlene Danielle (replaced after two weeks by Leilani Jones)
• Crystal – Jennifer Leigh Warren.
• Ronette – Sheila Kay Davis.
• Audrey II (voice) – Ron Taylor.
• Audrey II (manipulation) / Wino #1 – Martin P. Robinson

Film Cast

• Rick Moranis as Seymour Krelborn
• Ellen Greene as Audrey
• Vincent Gardenia as Mr. Mushnik
• Steve Martin as Orin Scrivello
• Levi Stubbs as the voice of Audrey II
• Tichina Arnold, Michelle Weeks, and Tisha Campbell as Crystal, Ronette, and Chiffon
  

Questions we might have about a chosen musical

Character/ Relationship Analysis