Little Shop Of Horrors
at david posnack hebrew day school

Reviewed on March 13, 2010

Beth Benge
JP Taravella HS
Submitted for publication to

Today's top story: Seymour Krelborn, a nerdy nobody desperate for fame, fortune, and love, feeds his monstrous, man-eating Venus fly trap some of his neighbors on Skid Row! Although Seymour might not actually be one of the new reality stars of 2010, his murderous pursuit of stardom, explored in David Posnack Hebrew Day School's entertaining production of "Little Shop of Horrors" shows the steps one ordinary man would take to achieve all his dreams.

A spoof of 1950's sci-fi flicks, "Little Shop of Horrors", music and lyrics by the Disney duo Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, premiered off-Broadway in 1982 and soon became a cult classic. The darkly comedic "Little Shop of Horrors" was based on the 1960 Roger Corman horror film of the same name. The story is set in Skid Row, a squalid neighborhood where the bleakness outside mirrors the desolation felt inside by its inhabitants. One of these despondent tenants is Seymour Krelborn, a banal botanist whose dead end job at the local flower shop seems to be going nowhere until one day, after "a total eclipse of the sun", he comes across a very peculiar perennial that changes his life forever.

David Posnack Hebrew Day School's performance of "Little Shop of Horrors" was very entertaining, complete with an energetic cast and commendable technical elements. Despite a few lines lost from actors enunciating too quickly and some uneven harmonies, the cast as a whole delivered a notably focused performance and conveyed the message of the show in a truly comical manner.

As the nerdy yet vulnerable Seymour, Thiago Medaljon displayed outstanding comedic timing, a charismatic stage presence, and impressive vocal range, most notably in "Feed Me (Git It)." Throughout the show, Medaljon exhibited palpable chemistry with Stephanie Frosch (Audrey). Frosch epitomized the high-pitched, feeble-minded waif Audrey through great characterization and pleasing vocals. Her tender ambiance and commitment to her character created the perfect combination of sorrow and humor.

Oren Zadik as Orin, Audrey's "semi-sadist" dentist boyfriend, commanded several comedic moments and proved to be a hilarious adversary to Seymour. Stanley Kuschick, who voiced the monstrous man-eating plant Audrey II, did an exceptional job of evoking the true sadistic nature of the plant through his extremely expressive voice. Kuschick worked magnificently with Jimmy Marlotte, the puppeteer of Audrey II, to expertly time the enchanting voice of Audrey II with the larger-than-life movements of the murderous plant.

Technically, the show ran quite smoothly under the direction of stage manager, Romi Sher. Although some aesthetic components did not seem time-period appropriate, this did not detract from the overall exciting performance.

The cast and crew of David Posnack Hebrew Day School's production of "Little Shop of Horrors" fed its audience a performance brimming with amusing characters and compelling musical numbers, all while teaching one very valuable life lesson: whatever you do, "Don't Feed the Plants!"

Sabina Braverman
Boca Raton High School
Submitted for publication to

"Down on skid row," the sun doesn't shine and prospects for upward mobility are nonexistent. David Posnack Hebrew Day School's production of Little Shop of Horrors follows one man's unrelenting journey towards breaking free of poverty and the strange form in which his chance for salvation comes in.

With music and lyrics by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman respectively, Little Shop of Horrors is derived from the darkly comedic 1960 film by Roger Corman. Little Shop is the musical tale of Seymour Krelbourn, a trite and commonplace florist who dreams of a better life. During a total eclipse of the sun, Seymour comes in possession of a "strange and unusual plant." At first, it seems as though this peculiar plant, named Audrey II after his vivacious love interest, is Seymour's ticket out of the slums. Overnight, Audrey II brings Seymour fame and recognition. However, his new-found fame comes with a terrible price, when he discovers the formidable plant's insatiable appetite for human blood. To what lengths will Seymour go in order to "get outa skid row" and at what cost to humanity?

Thiago Medaljon's portrayal of the socially inept Seymour was commendable. His powerful voice made numbers such as "Feed Me" thoroughly enjoyable. As his character's counterpart, Audrey, Stephanie Frosch's portrayal was equally pleasant. "Underneath the bruises and the handcuffs," Stephanie's soaring soprano voice and bubbly characterizations made her easy to identify with. Her accent, which paid homage to Betty Boop, enhanced her overall portrayal.

As the voice of Audrey II, Stanley Kuschick's performance was laudable. His bluesy tone and strong vocalizations in songs such as "Suppertime" made it hard to dislike the carnivorous plant. As the sadistic and nitrous oxide-happy dentist Orin, Oren Zadik demonstrated his character's passion for pain perfectly. As Seymour's adoptive and at times abusive father Mr. Mushnik, Joshua Caldwell was enjoyable to watch especially in the tango he completed with Seymour during "Mushnik and Son." The ensemble of Doo-Whop Girls (Rachel Amar, Amalena Caldwell, Andie Djamal, Maia Dombay, Carly Goldberg, and Cory Kennedy), which epitomize the 1960's circuit, were vocally talented and, for the most part, exhibited high energy. The combined effort between Seymour, Audrey, and the Doo-Whop Girls made "Suddenly Seymour" the most enjoyable number of the show.

Despite some inconsistencies in sound, which were often times distracting, the technical aspects of the show were effective. The costumes, designed by Rachel Frank, Caela Cohen, and Sophie Schertzer, were era appropriate and enhanced the overall production. The set, which involved a rotating flower shelf, was intricate and effective. The puppet mastering of Audrey II, which was completed by Jimmy Marlotte, seemed difficult and was timed with the voice of Audrey II perfectly.

Although the cast suffered from some diction problems, inconsistent accents, and on again off again acting, David Posnack Hebrew Day School's production of Little Shop of Horrors was a strong attempt.

Olivia Valdes
North Broward Preparatory School
Submitted for publication to

A failing flower shop, a predatory plant, and a demonic dentist on the prowl -- not exactly the spitting image of a doo-wop rock musical, right? David Posnack Hebrew Day School's production of the blackly comedic Little Shop of Horrors seamlessly fused the antithetical elements of horror, humor and a little touch of harmony.

Based on the 1960 horror film of the same name, Little Shop of Horrors debuted off-Broadway in 1982, ran for five years, and was later revived on Broadway in 2003 to great acclaim. The dark musical was composed and written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, known primarily for their Disney film scores.

Little Shop of Horrors begins as the tale of a struggling florist's fruitless attempt at attracting customers. When Seymour, the florist's employee, discovers a "strange and interesting" plant breed, the shop's troubles are seemingly over and Seymour's life is taking a turn for the better -- until he learns that this plant is a carnivore. The musical grows into an unconventional philosophic saga, questioning the problem of love versus ethics and the extent to which one man will go to "feed his own plants."

Thiago Medaljon's portrayal of Seymour demonstrated a deeper comprehension of his character's endless inner conflict. As Seymour transforms from an eager-to-please employee into a slave to his own botanical monster, Medaljon expressed the turmoil with finesse and showcased his vocal prowess during "Feed Me (Git It)." In the role of Audrey, Stephanie Frosch displayed remarkable emotional range. Frosch conveyed Audrey's perpetual insecurity elegantly and was equally authentic in her growing infatuation with Seymour.

As Orin, Oren Zadik personified the spooky, sadistic dentist whose ultimate goal is to inflict pain wherever he goes. While dosing himself with nitrous oxide, Zadik swaggered across the stage with sinister confidence. Zadik's masterful comedic timing was featured in "Dentist!", as he clarifies the reasoning behind his career choice ("You have a talent for causing things pain/Son, be a dentist"). Audrey II, the evil plant with an insatiable appetite, was orchestrated by Stanley Kuschick and Jimmy Marlotte. With Kuschick's commanding vocals and Marlotte's puppetry skill, Audrey II came to life as a frighteningly realistic villain.

Well-executed tech augmented the production's believability. Caela Cohen, Rachel Frank, and Sophie Schertzer constructed and adjusted many of the intricate costumes worn onstage. The David Posnack Show Band, comprised mainly of student musicians, handled the complex score with ease. With the exception of a few sound issues, the show's technical aspects were a success.

The poised cast of David Posnack Hebrew Day School's Little Shop of Horrors presented the gory comedy with charm and wisdom, intertwining magnificently dissimilar elements and leaving audiences with a deliciously strange desire: "Feed us..."

Zachary Durand
JP Taravella HS
Submitted for publication to

Imagine the slums of the urban Skid Row, what do we find but a street filled with urchins, rundown business, and a blood thirsty plant? All these aspects along with a genius botanist, a psychotic dentist, and a damsel in distress intertwine to create a bloody good musical as David Posnack Hebrew Day School presents "Little Shop of Horrors."

"Little Shop" was first introduced to the public in 1960 as a black comedy motion picture only to be transformed into the popular musical it is today in 1982. In it's most widely known form, "Little Shop" the musical was written by the duo Howard Ashman and Alan Menken who are most commonly associated with their work for Disney. It tells the story of geeky Seymour Krelborn who creates a plant that thrives on the blood of humans. Seymour is faced with making decisions of love versus fame and must decide for himself what is good and what is evil.

David Posnack's interpretation of "Little Shop of Horrors" was anchored by it's believable set, and lead characters to create a fine night of theater.

As the corky Seymour, Thiago Medaljon did an exceptional job as the torn hero of the story. Medaljon also showcased an impressive vocal ability in the song "Feed Me (Git It)." Opposite Medaljon, Stephanie Frosch tackled the role of Audrey, the adorable love interest in Seymour's life. Frosch was able to show a softer side of Audrey most notably in the ballad "Somewhere That's Green" where solid acting and vocal ability interwove.

Filling into the leather jacket of the demonic dentist Orin, Oren Zadik gave an energetic performance. His rock and roll enthusiasm in the number "Dentist!" was noteworthy. The standout performance of the evening however came from the voice and puppeteer of the man eating plant Audrey Two. Stanley Kushick (the voice) and Jimmy Marlotte (the puppeteer) worked in perfect tandem to create a ghoulish plant with a whole lotta soul. The ensemble worked well together as a whole. Though musically harmonies and cut offs were not always solid, some individual vocals made up for it.

The David Posnack Show Band played the full Menken score with much gusto. Sometimes that energy did overpowered the actors but mostly they gave a fine performance. Lights, and set enhanced the mood of the piece to create a dark and sultry setting. Though a few light issues were present they were quickly resolved.

David Posnack's production of "Little Shop of Horrors" was one of grisly delight and would make you think that the next time your outside, think twice about what you feed your plants.

Chrstine Homrich
Boca Raton High School
Submitted for publication to

Finding a way out of Skid Row is no small feat, and neither is dealing with the guilt of being a murderer in order to keep suddenly acquired fame. In the musical Little Shop of Horrors, Seymour realizes how far a person will go for fortune, fame, and love.

Based on the film by Roger Corman, Little Shop of Horrors is a musical that tells the story of a poor boy, named Seymour, who is taken under the wing of Mr. Mushnik, the owner of a florist shop down on Skid Row. When times are tough, and business is lousy for the neglected flower shop, Mr. Mushnik begins to hint toward closing the store for good. Audrey, a sweet yet vulnerable girl who works in the shop insists that Seymour show Mr. Mushnik the strange and interesting plant he has been nurturing. While Seymour is reluctant, his love for the flower shop compels him to show Mr. Mushnik the plant, which he has named Audrey II. With a simple placement in the window, Audrey II is a success and brings business to the run-down shop. But when Seymour learns that his beloved Audrey II is a blood-thirsty monster, he feeds it his blood so it grows big and strong, but eventually Seymour must kill people in order to keep the plant alive, and to keep his newly found fame and romance. Once Seymour realizes that his precious plant has an evil plan for world domination, he realizes that he should never have "fed the plant".

Thiago Medaljon gave a commendable performance as clumsy Seymour, and had good characterization and facials. Also, Stephanie Frosch did an acceptable job playing the role of insecure Audrey, while using a consistent accent throughout the show and demonstrating decent vocals.

As the voice and puppeteer of Audrey II, Stanley Kushick and Jimmy Marlotte did a great job at timing the movement of the plant with the talking and singing. Stanley Kushick was exceptional as the voice of Audrey II and showed a nice vocal range.

Although the technical aspects of this show were inconsistent and distracting, the actors kept in character throughout the production. The sound elements were a bit unstable and there were often feedback and microphone issues that took attention away from the actors. However, Romi Sher and the technical crew were unheard by the audience throughout the performance, and the costumes for this production were well done and, for the most part, helped to contribute to the mood of the show.

Overall, this production allowed the audience to enjoy a reasonably entertaining night of theatre, and while Skid Row is not the most preferred place to be, watching David Posnack Hebrew Day School's production of Little Shop of Horrors was a pretty good place for theatre lovers to be this weekend.