Culture
OU-Lancaster Theatre Presents “Little Shop of Horrors”
By: Cheri Russo
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Ohio University Lancaster Theatre is about to take a journey into a world of comedy and horror with Little Shop of Horrors, a story about a gullible florist shop worker named Seymour who raises a flesh-eating plant.
“He’s the protagonist. He’s a good guy,” said Lancaster Campus student Mason Taylor, who plays Seymour. “He makes some bad decisions. He makes quite a few bad decisions along the way. But he’s still a good guy.”
Taylor is an Ohio University Lancaster Theatre veteran. He said it’s been hard work, but worth it because he has grown as an actor.
“With Little Shop, there is so much I haven’t done before–musically and with my acting. There’s so much music,” he said. “Seymour happens across a strange plant that he thinks might be able to get the florist shop some much-needed attention in the area. As things turn out, this plant is not all that is appears to be.”
The plant is a puppet which grows in size throughout the course of the play. Working with puppets is a new challenge for Taylor and the other actors on stage.
“Calling them puppets is doing an injustice,” said Taylor. “These things are amazing pieces.”
Mr. Mushnik is the owner of the Floral Shop where Seymour works. He’s played by Lancaster Campus student Matt Dennis. Some would characterize Mr. Mushnik as the bad guy, but not Dennis.
“I don’t know if I would call him a bad guy. He’s kind of conniving and manipulative,” said Dennis. “My character is kind of a nice guy but he’s really greedy and he always puts his interest first. He tries to take advantage of Seymour and other people throughout the play. It’s kind of fun playing the bad guy because I don’t like to make waves in real life. It’s kind of fun to play someone who is so different from who you are.”
Little Shop of Horrors runs April 18–27 at the Wagner Theatre, located at 1570 Granville Pike, Lancaster. Tickets are available at www.ohio.edu/lancaster/studentlife/theatre.cfm.