The Ziegfeld Theater Company cordially invites Park City audiences into “The Little Shop of Horrors.” The musical, which opens Wednesday and runs through Nov. 1 at the Egyptian Theatre, follows the plight of Seymour Krelborn, who works with an insatiably carnivorous plant named Audrey II to save his girlfriend, Audrey (I) from her abusive ex, Dr. Orin Scrivello. The Ziegfeld staff called on Egyptian Theatre Production Manager Jake Larabee to direct the production because Audrey II is a puppet. “I have a lot of experience with puppets,” he said. “Puppets are kind of my thing. I use them in all of the shows I do. So, when ‘Little Shop’ was in preproduction, the people at the Zieg asked, ‘Who do we know that does puppets well?’ and my name came up.” While Larabee may help maneuver Audrey II backstage, the character’s main performers are Austin Payne and Troy Martell, Larabee said. “Troy Martell controls the puppet on stage, and Austin Payne is the voice,” he said. “The two of them mesh beautifully, and you would never know that there are multiple people making that character come to life.” The two actors landed the role because they knew the source material so well, Larabee said. “The moment he got into the puppet, he knew exactly what to do and needed little direction,” he said. “Then we have Austin’s voice. It’s so booming and commanding and lends so much personality and gravitas to the character.” “The Little Shop of Horrors” first came onto the scene in 1960 as a B-movie horror film directed by Roger Corman. In 1982, it hit the stage as an off-Broadway musical with music by Alan Menkin and lyrics by Howard Ashman. The musical inspired a 1986 film that was directed by Frank Oz, as well as a 2003 Broadway revival. Some of the live production awards include Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical, Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding New Score and Best New Off-Broadway Musical and the New York Drama Critic’s Circle Award for Best Musical. Oz’s film was nominated for Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy and Best Original Score at the Golden Globes and Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song and Best Visual Effects. That legacy proved to motivate Larabee to make the Ziegfeld production stand apart from others. “I think a lot of theaters, especially in Utah, like to play things safe, but if you read the script as it is, it’s really a dark show,” he said. “So, when approaching the source material, I wanted to take a little more of a darker turn because the source material lends itself to playing it straight.” To do that, Larabee recognized the hero, Seymour, played by Harrison Timm, isn’t really a good guy. “The things he does are kind of despicable, and the other characters who do their own thing are not the greatest,” Larabee said. “So, I wanted to paint those kinds of things in kind of a realistic light and really not stray away from Audrey II eating people that some productions may shy away from.” Seymour’s girlfriend, Audrey, after whom the plant is named, is played by Makayla Barlow, Larabee said. “Audrey and Seymour are the keystone characters in the story, and the relationship between them has to feel real and authentic,” he said. “One of the things Makayla and Harrison do spectacularly is not only harness the chemistry on stage, but make it believable. They allow the audience to feel the love and feel the hurt that Audrey feels from her abusive ex. And Harrison lets the audience feel his desire to save her from that situation, as misguided his actions of doing so may be.” Audrey’s Ex is a sadistic dentist Orin Scrivello played by Arie Allred, Larabee said. “One of the things I wanted to do with Orin was make him feel despicable, and Arie does a phenomenal job being a villain,” he said. “They understood the assignment, and by the time in the show Orin makes his exit, you want to hate him.” Although Allred makes the audience despise Scrivello, they are totally different in real life, Larabee said. “They are so easy to work with and are so good at taking direction and making the character their own,” he said. “But make no mistake, this version of Orin is definitely Arie’s version.” Another colorful character is Mr. Mushnik, the owner of the plant shop, played by Meish Roundy, who has played Scrivello in the past. “This time he really wanted to play Mushnik,” Larabee said. “After he read for the role, I never gave it another thought.” Roundy brings his A game to the stage every night, according to Larabee.  “He is genuinely funny, and his timing is flawless,” he said. “During scenes when he’s more flamboyant and bombastic, it’s hard for the other actors to not break character.” Although Larabee loves every scene and song in the production, the number “Get It,” performed by Audrey II and Seymour, which introduces the iconic line, “Fee Me,” is his favorite. “It has so much energy and power, and that’s when a lot of the story threads we have built in the first act start to come together,” he said. “We start to pay off some of those emotional seeds we planted. I love watching every night, and I’m excited for the audiences to enjoy it as well.” Larabee also enjoys the Egyptian Theatre’s partnership with the Ogden-based Ziegfeld Theater Company because it gives him the opportunity to put his mark on the arts and entertainment industry in both cities. “It’s about connecting with audiences,” he said. “It’s about sending messages. It’s about making people laugh. It’s about making people cry. It’s about allowing people to check their lives in at the door and enjoy a night collectively as a group. And that’s a priceless honor.” Ziegfeld Theater Company’s ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ When: Wednesday through Nov. 1 Where: Egyptian Theatre, 328 Main St. Phone: 855-745-SHOW Web: parkcityshows.com The post Egyptian Theatre opens up the Ziegfeld Theater Company’s ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less