Wilson Central High School students will share the stage with a man-eating plant when "Little Shop of Horrors" opens Thursday, Oct. 15.
The production's star prop is a set of four Audrey II puppets rented from Music Theatre International, the New York City company that licenses the show to theaters worldwide. Theater teacher Katharine Ray confirmed to the Chronicle of Mt. Juliet that the school is using MTI's puppets for the production.
The rental is no small commitment. MTI charges $1,200 for a three-week package that covers two weeks of rehearsal and one week of performances, plus round-trip freight that can run $1,500 to $3,000 or more.
What arrives in those crates is a progression of four pods, from a pot-sized seedling to a creature large enough to fill the stage. Each pod requires its own puppeteer. The puppets are based on Martin P. Robinson's original designs but built with lighter materials, according to MTI's rental listing.
The technical challenge goes beyond moving the plant. At Wilson Central, student puppeteers operate Audrey II while a separate student supplies the character's singing and speaking voice, MtJuliet.com reported. Voice and movement have to land together on every lunge and snap of the jaws.
"Little Shop of Horrors" follows Seymour, a timid flower-shop assistant who discovers an unusual plant, names it after his coworker Audrey and learns too late what it feeds on. The musical, with music by Alan Menken and book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, premiered off-off-Broadway in 1982. The original production ran five years and 2,210 performances at New York's Orpheum Theatre.
Showtimes, the full run schedule and ticket prices had not been announced as of Thursday, Oct. 8. Families should contact Wilson Central's theater program for details.
