UMR theater and music programs present ‘Little Shop of Horrors’

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On February 6, 2007

The theater and music programs at the University of Missouri-Rolla will present the musical “Little Shop of Horrors” this March on the Leach Theatre stage.

Performances will be held at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 1, through Saturday, March 3, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 4, in Leach Theatre of Castleman Hall, 10th and Main streets in Rolla, Mo. Admission is $8 for the general public and $5 for UMR students with a valid student I.D. For ticket information, contact the Leach Theatre Box office at 573-341-4219.

“Little Shop of Horrors,” written by Howard Ashman and composed by Alan Meken, is based on the 1960 film by Roger Corman.

In this gleefully gruesome musical, Seymour, a poor assistant at Skid Row Flower Shop, allows his craving for fame and fortune to seduce him into playing nursemaid to a man-eating plant. Between bites, the carnivorous Audrey II, named after Seymour’s secret love, brings down the house by singing rhythm and blues à la Otis Reading or James Brown. “The growing plant’s demands for more, more, more are accompanied by witty parodies of ‘60s music,” says John Woodfin, instructor of philosophy and liberal arts at UMR and director of the musical.

The cast of “Little Shop of Horrors” includes the following UMR students:

  • Katie Bryant, a freshman in interdisciplinary engineering from Fenton, Mo., plays Ronnette.
  • Jim Driscoll, a senior in civil engineering from Brandsville, Mo., plays multiple roles, including Orin, the sadistic dentist; Skip Spence, an East Coast agent; Patrick Martin, a sleazy opportunist, and the lovely Mrs. Luce.
  • Nate Eloe, a sophomore in computer science from Xenia, Ohio, plays Mr. Mushnik, the owner of Skid Row Flower Shop.
  • Amanda Engelke, a senior in history from Rolla, Mo., plays Crystal.
  • Adam Key, a senior in computer science from St. Louis, plays Seymour.
  • Wendy King, a junior in history from Rolla, Mo., is the puppeteer for Audrey II, the man-eating plant.
  • Dan Marincel, a junior in ceramic engineering from St. Louis, plays Derelict and performs vocals for Audrey II, the man-eating plant.
  • Michelle Rader, a junior in aerospace engineering from Marshfield, Mo., plays Chiffon.
  • Angela Reinholdt, a junior in chemical engineering from Peculiar, Mo., plays Audrey, a salesgirl at Skid Row Flower Shop.

Three UMR students serve as assistant directors for the musical: Adam Blinzler, a senior in physics from Kansas City, Mo.; Diana Meyers, a senior in ceramic engineering from Blue Springs, Mo., and Katie Nisbett, a freshman in mechanical engineering from Rolla, Mo.

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On February 6, 2007. Posted in Events