Blood, sweat, tears and a puppet

Horsham Arts Council has been busy gearing up for its production of Little Shop of Horrors, set to again showcase Wimmera talent in musical theatre and art.

The nine-show production, starting at Horsham Town Hall on Saturday and finishing on October 20, showcases acting and singing and also set and puppet construction.

The creation and use of puppets represents a first for Horsham Arts Council, which wowed sell-out crowds with its production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat earlier this year.

Little Shop of Horrors director Debbie Boutcher said she was extremely happy with how the show had developed.

“The team has put in an amazing job to bring everything together,” she said.

“A lot of blood, sweat and tears has gone into this production and technically it has been quite a challenge.”

The show’s plot follows events in a small, rundown florist shop where Seymour Krelborn has discovered a new and unidentified strange plant.

But circumstances are not as they appear when people in the area start to go missing.

The ‘plant’, Audrey 2, is the subject of the arts group’s artistic exploration into puppet construction.

As well as presenting the show, Horsham Arts Council is also providing an opportunity for patrons to meet and greet Audrey 2 by buying an ‘Audrey 2 experience’.

Producer Luke Mitton said the experience was a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ opportunity to see, interact and have a photograph taken with the plant.

“Don’t miss your chance to see this outrageously funny show,” he said.

People can visit Horsham Town Hall website www.horshamtownhall.com. au to book a ticket.

Principal profiles

Chris Versteegen Role: Seymour Krelborn What is your favourite part of the show? Audrey 2. The technical work that has gone into every incarnation of the plant is remarkable. The audience will be at a loss as to how she moves and eventually eats people. If you were a plant from outer space, what sort of plant would you be? I’d be some sort of flytrap that can’t be identified in anyone’s books. What would be your favourite meal? Anything from Shmendrick’s. Why should people see the show? The sci-fi themes and music are brilliant and like nothing else seen on stage. Also, the Wimmera has such talent. From musicians and actors to builders and puppeteers, people should come and see the show to support amateur theatre and the arts.

Tim O’donnell Role: Mr Mushnik What is your favourite part of the show? I love the band we have put together and the songs are great. But the plant is a thing of beauty. If you were a plant from outer space, what sort of plant would you be? Triffid. I’m a big sci-fi fan. What would be your favourite meal? Jar Jar Binks sandwiches. Why should people see the show? This a much-loved show that is funny, emotional and musical. It has some great design moments and some great moments that all cast can shine in and share.

ARole: The voice of Audrey 2, also known as the ‘The Plant’. What is your favourite part of the show? That’s a hard question because there isn’t a bad part of the show. But if I had to pick, I’d say the music. My favourite songs are ‘The Dentist’ and ‘Don’t feed the Plants’. If you were a plant from outer space, what sort of plant would you be? Well I was chosen to be an evil blood-drinking plant in this musical, so that probably says something about me. However, I’d like to be some kind of nicer alien plant. What would be your favourite meal? Cake and rainbows. Why should people see the show? Honestly, I think Horsham Arts Council shows have a level of quality that I haven’t seen elsewhere. The cast members in this musical are brilliant and I strive every rehearsal to keep up with them. Overall, it’ll be a good night out, and who doesn’t want to see a blood-drinking plant devour the world? I know I do. If you were a plant from outer space, what sort of plant would you be? An all-singing, all-dancing kind of plant. What would be your favourite meal? All the fruits and vegetables. Why should people see the show? You’ll have so much fun. You’ll laugh and you might cry. You’d be giving your support to Horsham Arts Council.

Stacey Brennan Role: Urchin, Crystal What is your favourite part of the show? Sitting on the stoop with my urchin girls. If you were a plant from outer space, what sort of plant would you be? rose plant. They are hard to kill. What would be your favourite meal? Macaroni and cheese. Why should people see the show? Who wouldn’t want to see a plant from outer space eat people on stage? Also, the music is fantastic along with all the cast, crew and musos. It’ll be spectacular. • Other cast members include: Audrey, Belinda Elliott; Dentist, Beau Ladlow; and urchin, Erin Boutcher.

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