Fari to say the cast of Showbiz Queenstown’s season of Little Shop of Horrors are absolutely fizzing to hit the stage.
Based on the 1982 off-Broadway musical, ’86 film and countless global stage versions since, director Tiffany Bindon’s Little Shop’s 10-night season opens at the Queenstown Memorial Centre next Thursday, and those involved “can’t tell you how pumped we are”.
Queenstowner Andy Bell plays Seymour Krelborn in the sci-fi production which he says is “really hard to put into words because any words I use make it sound a little bit whacky – but that’s the charm of the show”.
Bell’s character works at Mushnik’s Flower Shop in New York’s ‘Skid Row’ – the poorest part of town – which is shut down by the owner Mr Mushnik – played by Chris McKenzie – until Seymour buys an otherworldly plant during a solar eclipse.
The plant, he discovers, turns fortunes around, though has a terrifying affinity for blood.
Little Shop then tells the story of what happens when one is offered fame, fortune and love – and what one is willing to do to gt them.
It’s a smaller cast than previous years, just nine, but Bell says everyone is “just perfect” for their roles, and the size lets the audience appreciate the 50-plus people working behind the scenes.
“It’s a chance to showcase other volunteer work in the quality of the set … [Queenstown will] appreciate the many hands that go into it.”
The Showbiz team are all volunteers who, by the time opening night comes around, will have been working on this production for around three months.
Bell, who’s also on the committee and board, says it’s something people may not realise – “we do it for the love of it, we’re giving our time and we’ve all got jobs and families”.
“But it’s worth it to be a part of something like this.”
The cast first came together in February and have since been meeting at least twice a week for rehearsals.
Those in charge of lighting, tech, music, set creation and more have also been grinding to put it all together.
Last week was the Little Shop cast’s first time rehearsing in the Memorial Centre, getting a glimpse of the set and finally coming together with the band.
And although the group’s spending an insane amount of time with each other, the connections and relationships just create a “buzz” for both them and the audience.
The audience, Bell reckons, is in for quite at treat.
“The music is really fun, super catchy – you’ll be walking out of the theatre singing to yourself.
“Expect lots and lots of high energy, lots of fun, a little bit of dark humour and tunes that’ll be stuck in [your] head for days.”
He adds musical theatre in Queenstown is a “rare beast”, so can’t recommend coming along more.
“We get one chance a year to put on a show of this standard and we’d hate for anyone to miss it.”
Showbiz Queenstown presents Little Shop of Horrors – the musical, Queenstown Memorial Centre, May 18-27, 7.30pm till 10pm, matinee performance on Sunday, May 21, 2pm till 4.30pm. Tickets between $28.92 and $64.29, from bit.ly/3NJ8vz7
