DeSales University Act 1’s “Little Shop of Horrors” is deliciously dark and wildly entertaining. The horror musical boasts great performances, hilariously kitschy visuals and some top notch singing.
“Little Shop of Horrors,” is on the main stage through Oct. 6 at the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, DeSales University, 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley.
In the story, hopeless nerd Seymour is toiling away at a thankless job at a failing flower shop on New York’s Skid Row, when he chances upon a strange flytrap-type plant while shopping in Chinatown during an eclipse.
As Seymour, Tommy Stacherski is appealingly clutzy and earnest as he trips and drops trays of plants while trying to clean the flower shop. Stacherski nicely conveys Seymour’s frustration in “Downtown” and shows his initially reluctant but growing willingness to justify the not-so-honorable actions he is lured to do by the growing plant.
The object of Seymour’s desires is Audrey, his attractive, but naive, coworker, wonderfully portrayed by Rosie Dunphy. Dunphy’s Audrey is wrapped in a skin-tight dress but conveys a sweet self-deprecating innocence that fits the character perfectly. She also has impressive pipes as she displays on the show-stopping “Suddenly Seymour.”
Acting as a Greek chorus is a trio of street urchins who provide musical exposition through out the story. Ava Mascio, Maya Marino Cappello and Zara Patel are enjoyably clever and funny as they sing spot-on do wop harmonies and do unison dance moves.
Ryan Plunkett is the crotchety and unsympathetic flower store owner Mushnik who whines humorously in a Yiddish accent and is ruthlessly ready to take advantage of any situation.
Carter Sachse has a gleefully sadistic turn as Audrey’s abusive motorcycle-riding boyfriend who became a dentist because he enjoys the pain he inflicts on his patients. Sachse is hilariously over-the-top in “Dentist” in which the street urchins back him up dresses as dental assistants, backed by a blood-spattered curtain.
Seymour discovers the plant, named Audrey II after hus crush, needs blood to grow, in the amusing “Grow for Me,” is wonderfully voiced by Abigail Townsend, and impressively manipulated puppeteers Bella Lucano and Teddy Novak. Townsend gives Audrey II a real and threatening personality.
An earlier hand version of Audrey II is also skillfully manipulated by Stacherski as it tries to nip at the street urchins during a song.
John Bell, professor of theatre at DeSales. directs with precision and clarity, and Ryan Touhey’s musical direction is superb.
Choreography Devon Sinclair creates some well-crafted scenes, including one with a comical rolling wino who occasionally offers perfectly-timed bass notes in “Downtown.”
LaVonne Lindsay’s 50s era costumes work well and scenic designer Parris Bradley’s decrepit flower shop is just right.
All the macabre fun is backed by an excellent six piece orchestra.
There are talk backs with the cast after the performances Sept. 29 and 30. There will be an Audrey II Garden Party in the lobby after the Oct. 4 performance.
The Oct. 7 performance will feature open captioning for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing and audio descriptions for patrons who are blind or visually impaired. Tickets are half price for patrons using these services. Call box office manager Eric Pierson at 610-282-1100, ext. 1820, for information.
Performances are 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27, 28, Oct. 2, 3, 4 and 5; 2 p.m. Sept. 29 and Oct. 6, and 9:45 a.m. Sept. 30.
Ticket prices are $30 for adults and $28 for students and seniors Monday through Friday and $34 for adults and $32 for students and seniors Saturday and Sunday.
For information, call 610-282-3192, or go to www.desales.edu.