Little Shop of Horrors
at PA Leadership Charter School's Center for Performing & Fine Arts

Reviewed on March 15, 2018

Anji Cooper
Academy of the New Church
Submitted for publication to Philadelphia Inquirer - 1

It's not easy to live downtown in "Skid Row." Downtown is where the folks are broke, and where they'll do just about anything to escape to "Somewhere That's Green." They'll even go as far as committing murder. Blossoming with energy and dark humor, PA Leadership Charter School's Little Shop of Horrors was maliciously and hilariously entertaining.

Written by Howard Ashman with music by Alan Menken, Little Shop of Horrors is a horror comedy rock musical that premiered Off-Broadway in 1982. Set in a flower shop in the slums, the story follows a hapless florist as he finds an opportunity for both success and romance with the help of a giant plant that has an insatiable hunger for human blood.

PA Leadership Charter School's production of Little Shop of Horrors was impressive because exceptionally talented actors delivered captivating energy and stunning harmonies to the packed theater.

John Viggiano, who played the lovably awkward Seymour, stole the show and the hearts of the audience with his boyish charm and melodic voice. His emotive style had the audience sympathizing for his plight. Viggiano's on-stage chemistry with Seymour's love interest was magnetic, adding even more realism to an already gripping production. Audrey (Amanda Clark), the timid, yet sweet target of Seymour's affection, consistently demonstrated impressive vocals throughout the show, especially during her performance of "Somewhere That's Green."

The rest of the cast was equally as engaging and energetic. Ronnette (Grace Slear), Chiffon (Becky Advena) and Crystal (Hannah Cohen) quickly became crowd favorites with their sassy attitudes and powerful voices. The trio was able to seamlessly change costumes between scenes, always arriving on time to blow the audience away with spine-tingling harmonies. Zachary Powell used his place on stage to add more personality to the character of Audrey II, the man-eating plant, through expression and small movements. His velvety voice was enthralling on songs like "Feed Me (Git It)" and "Suppertime," convincing even the queasiest of spectators to consider murdering for the malevolent plant. Neil Devlin constantly drew laughter from the crowd with his portrayal of Orin, the sadistic dentist.

The technical support for the show combined innovative marketing with capable stage production. To generate excitement, John Viggiano posted a small series of videos onto the Little Shop of Horrors' Facebook page. This was a unique publicity move that paid off with insights into the creation of the show. The lightning, orchestrated by Julianna Chen, helped to dramatize intense moments, such as when Seymour attempts to shoot Audrey II. While the stage crew encountered some difficulties with moving the set, their impassive, calm handling of such issues hardly caused a distraction.

PA Leadership Charter's production of Little Shop of Horrors was engrossing and fun, showcasing a notably talented cast that left the audience with one vital, resounding lesson: don't feed the plants.

Allegra Greenawalt
Harriton High School
Submitted for publication to Philadelphia Inquirer - 2

With sunrays of horror, showers of humor, and the nourishment of pure passion, PA Leadership Charter School's production of Little Shop of Horrors grew the seed of a popular show into a blooming piece of musical theater that was to die for.

Based on the 1960 cult film of the same name, Little Shop of Horrors tells the story of amateur florist Seymour as he struggles to achieve anything successful out of his mediocre life - something he finds in a mysterious breed of flytrap. However, when the plant begins to develop a thirst for human blood, Seymour realizes his success has come at the cost of a total catastrophe. Featuring a killer script by Howard Ashman and rock 'n' roll songs composed by Alan Menken, the show received great critical acclaim and a reputation as one of the most popular musicals to date.

Although many productions of this musical are often played with exaggerated characters and comical accents, PALCS's production took a more natural approach to the archetypes. Rather than embracing the zaniness of their roles, each actor played their characters more realistically. While it was a unique and innovative approach, the added drama of certain scenes occasionally distracted from the much-needed comic relief in the dialogue.

John Viggiano was endearing in his portrayal of the quirky Seymour. His vocals were outstanding, showing impressive technique as he belted the notably demanding score. Viggiano also displayed broad emotional range, consistently portraying both the comedic and dramatic moments of the show with ease. He had undeniable chemistry with Amanda Clark as fellow florist Audrey, whose fine voice and natural acting ability beautifully conveyed her character's heartbreaking story.

The terrifying flytrap, Audrey II, was brought to life by the dynamic duo of Amelia Rottman and Zachary Powell. Rottman's skillfull manipulation of the large puppet was impressive, as she perfectly timed her movements with Powell's sultry vocals. As Ronnette, triple-threat Grace Slear dominated the performance with confident poise and incredible stage presence. Along with Becky Advena (Chiffon) and Hannah Cohen (Crystal), the trio of urchins stole the show with their razor-sharp harmonies and groovy dance moves. Their presence alone in numbers such as "Skid Row" and "Feed Me (Git It)" made them all the more memorable.

The talent was not only found in the actors, but was abundant behind the scenes as well. Julianna Chen's lighting design was simple, yet very effective. Each cue was fluid, well-executed, and did not distract from the onstage action.

While the ending was far from happy, PALCS's production of Little Shop of Horrors was thoroughly entertaining, and left everyone with an important reminder: don't feed the plants!

Victoria Kline
Academy of the New Church
Submitted for publication to GPC Website Review 3

Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School's production of Little Shop of Horrors will consume you, just like the carnivorous plant at its center. It's just that good.

Based on a 1960 film, Little Shop of Horrors is a deliciously dark show with music by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. Its plotline revolves around a small downtown florist's shop and its inhabitants: Mr. Mushnik, the owner, and his two employees, Audrey and Seymour. Hoping to save the failing shop, Seymour proposes to put a "strange and interesting plant" he found while walking one day in the window to attract customers. His plan works, and the "Audrey II", as he names it, is a wild success. There's just one catch: the plant will only grow when fed blood. This transforms the show into a captivating tale of horror, and a striking metaphor for temptation.

The cast took an original approach to the script of the play, ignoring past stereotypes in favor of a heartwarming sincerity. As explained in the director's note, the cast wanted to be true to the author's intent for the characters to be played with "simplicity, honesty, and sweetness." Energy radiated from every member of the cast, put to use in the show's constantly upbeat, jazzy numbers. Ever-present, whether in the background or center-stage, were Chiffon (Becky Advena), Crystal (Hannah Cohen), and Ronnette (Grace Slear), a greek-chorus style trio whose impeccable shoo-wops and bops complemented every number.

Leading the dynamic cast was Seymour (John Viggiano), whose subtle expressions portrayed his complex character, sometimes awkward, sometimes deadly serious, perfectly. Viggiano's vibrantly clear vocals also stunned in numbers such as "Grow for Me". The emotive voice of Seymour's love-interest, Audrey (Amanda Clark), complemented his in duets such as "Suddenly Seymour", her soft but powerful vocals backed by poignant acting. Among the supporting actors, a few stood out for their musical ability and comedic timing: Orin (Neil Devlin), a sadistic dentist and Audrey's no-good boyfriend, and Mr. Mushnik (Elijah Rottman), the grumpy store owner.

Taking a bold approach, two actors played Audrey II: one as the Puppeteer (Amelia Rottman), and one as the toxic plant's tantalizing voice (Zachary Powell). This brought an intriguing power dynamic to the stage, as Powell's deep, smooth vocals and persuasive expressions competed with the well-timed chomping of the puppet.

Backed by smooth sound and dynamic lighting, the unfailing energy of the cast made the show a pleasure to watch. Although occasionally the band was overpowering, the cast made up for it with their incredibly powerful vocals and expressive motions.

The message of PALCS's hilariously successful production of Little Shop of Horrors seems rather straightforward: whatever you do, don't feed the plant! However, simple as it may sound, this message is a surprisingly deep one of greed and temptation.

Trinity Pike
Upper Merion Area High School
Submitted for publication to GPC Website Review 4

The dirt poor people of Skid Row are dying to make a buck - literally. When a clumsy amateur botanist develops a green thumb for making money, he discovers that the ingredients for success are soil, sunlight, water, and murder. Depicting the bloody repercussions, the blossoming talents of the PA Leadership Charter School's Center for Performing & Fine Arts (PALCS) gave Little Shop of Horrors a refreshing sense of integrity.

Awkward yet earnest, floral shop employee Seymour Krelborn introduces a bloodthirsty breed of flytrap to the shop to turn bankrupt into business. Desperate, he sacrifices human lives for the cash. The musical by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman traditionally involves campy caricatures, yet PALCS's cast and crew successfully granted each character unprecedented integrity and depth.

Killer vocals and consistent energy gave the production incredible dimension. Beginning the show with "Skid Row (Downtown)," sharp glares and room-shaking vibrato authentically captured the miserable life of the poor. Nuanced characterization continued to shine throughout the performance. Despite limited choreography in the small space, the cast communicated volumes with piercing facial expressions and crisp, clear line delivery. Though simple, technical effectively framed cast artistry.

John Viggiano (Seymour) depicted the evolution of his character with skillful vocals and strong acting. Transforming sweet compassion into helpless melancholy, Viggiano sharply portrayed internal conflict. Playing his love interest was Amanda Clark (Audrey), a soft-spoken masochist with an emotive singing voice. Smiling and giggling with tears in her eyes, bittersweet defined Clark's sorrowful yet indulgent "Somewhere That's Green." Clark and Viggiano showcased their romantic fiery chemistry in "Suddenly, Seymour," their energy matched by none other than the Ronettes' blazing vocals.

Fueling "Little Shop of Horrors" with powerhouse voices and gigantic stage presence, the trio served the show as a versatile high energy ensemble. Grace Slear (Ronnette), Becky Advena (Chiffon), and Hannah Cohen (Crystal) transitioned gracefully from a glittering trio of distant narrators to a sarcastic gang of local poor. Vocalizing the man-eating plant was Zachary Powell (Audrey II), eliciting rich, smooth bass lines in "Suppertime" with sinister complacency as Amelia Rottman (Puppeteer) synchronized the plant with his sound. Scary, sadistic Neil Devlin (Orin) and stern, mature Elijah Rottman (Mushnik) provided comic relief with "Now (It's Just the Gas)" and "Mushnik and Son."

Further brightening the macabre plot was lighting designed by Julianna Chen. Warm tones contrasted with blues that highlighted moments of intensity and deliberation. Little Shop Stage Management & Crew seamlessly executed smooth transitions, and marketing by John Viggiano featured amusing behind-the-scenes vlogs posted on Facebook.

With their deliciously dark rendition of Little Shop of Horrors, PALCS's masterful cast and crew efforts provided one final, haunting reminder: "Don't feed the plants."