'Little Shop' Delivers on Talent and Fun
Infinity Theatre's professional cast comes to Broadneck and delivers first-rate performance.
Those of us who attended the premiere of Infinity Theatre’s Little Shop of Horrors this weekend received well over two hours of murder, mayhem, and music that had us rocking in our seats and humming out the door.
The show, which premiered on Broadway in 1982 as a musical version of the 1960 Roger Corman film, is filled with colorful, lovable characters who yearn for a better life but don’t exactly get the happy ending you find in other, more traditional musical productions.
Infinity Theatre, led by Broadneck alum Anna Roberts-Ostroff and husband Alan, has made good on its promise to once again bring professional, Broadway level talent to the Annapolis area this summer.
The show begins with the talented trio of street urchins Ariana Scoggins, Ardale Shepherd, and Martina Sykes whose enthusiasm and sheer talent make you believe that they will be stealing the entire show. Their harmonies, and every once in a while their break-out solos, remind the audience that this production won’t be your average regional summer theatre experience.
As soon as Ira Denmark, playing Skid Row flower shop owner Mushnik, enters the stage, he has command of the audience’s attention, with his booming voice and comedic timing. He purposefully overpowers the nebbish Seymour played by Topher Nuccio, a flower shop employee and orphan who develops a plant species that will change their lives forever.
Nuccio’s portrayal of Seymour is, rightly, understated and anemic, where Stacie Bono’s Audrey, another flower shop employee and Seymour’s love interest, is charming and captures the audience’s heart with her rendition of “Somewhere That’s Green” where she shares her dreams of living a normal life with a white picket fence and an “ironing machine.”
Though a little spastic at times, Erick William Whitehead steals the show with his multiple roles, changing and entering and exiting the set in an array of costumes, sometimes within seconds. His rendition of the evil oxide-sucking dentist, Olin, kept the audience engaged and rooting for whoever he happened to be at the time.
Perhaps the one with the most memorable voice of the entire evening didn’t even spend time on stage. Lamont Whitaker, with his commanding baritone voice, played the role of Audrey II, the massive blood-eating plant, who gets its way and one by one finishes off each of the stars of the show.
The show is being held on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m. now through August 7 at the Children’s Theatre of Annapolis, 1661 Bay Head Road in Annapolis. Tickets are $18 to $35. For ticket and other information, go to www.infinitytheatre.com.
Chet Brewer
3:14 pm on Sunday, July 17, 2011
We saw Little Shop of Horrors last night at the CTA facility and its a terrific show. Topher Nuccio as Seymour was fabulous, and the rest of the cast really delivered on their roles. Audrey II both puppet and voice are superb. If you get a chance to see it it is well worth an afternoon or evening. Its a highly professional performance both artistically and technically that is unusual to find on such a local basis
alswill
11:16 pm on Sunday, July 17, 2011
I paid $32.67 for a XBOX 360 and my mom got a 17 inch Toshiba laptop for $94.83 being delivered to our house tomorrow by Fedex. I will never again pay expensive retail prices at stores.I even sold a 46 inch HDTV to my boss for $650 and it only cost me $52.78 to get. Here is the website we using to get all this stuff, http://BuzzSave.com
Debbie Farrell
7:29 am on Monday, July 18, 2011
Saw opening performance on Sat. and the show was fabulous. Well worth an afternoon or evening. Took my mother-in-law and two daughers and we all enjoyed the NYC quality performance.
Cathy Hollerbach
3:24 pm on Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Children's Theatre of Annapolis is so proud to be hosting professional Infinity Theatre Company again this summer. The show is wonderful and kids who perform in community theatre can learn so much by watching these talented adults do their stuff!