Horrors! Young actors open ‘Little Shop’ this weekend

BREWER – Brewer Youth Theatre will present the musical comedy “Little Shop of Horrors,” at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 12-13, and Thursday-Saturday, May 18-20, at Brewer Middle School’s theater. Rich Kimball is the director of the show, Clayton Smith is the music director and the cast of consists of 30 high school and middle school students.

Based on the 1960 Roger Corman film, which starred a young Jack Nicholson, the musical was originally produced in 1982 by the off-Broadway WPA Theatre before moving to the Orpheum, where it ran for more than five years and 2,209 performances.

A movie version starring Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene and Steve Martin was released in 1986, and though it was financially successful, many critics disliked the change to a happier, more “Hollywood” ending.

The theatrical edition produced by the Brewer Youth Theatre returns to the original, darker finale.

The play will feature Jamie Bartol as Seymour, Alexandria Marceron as Audrey, Craig Douglas as Mr. Mushnik and Matt McLaughlin as dentist Dr. Orin Scrivello.

Anna Burgess, Kristin Brown, Katelan Daniels, Melanie Moore, Sarah Somers and Elysa Woodhead play the street urchins who also serve as a sort of Greek chorus. The cast includes Kyle Holyoke, Mallory Stratton, Erika Cote, Brian Vallance, Kate Weigel, Matt Adams, Hali Fleishman, Ian MacLeod, Alex Foley, Tyler Hoxie, Tess McLaughlin, Zora Merrill, Angela Patterson, Rachel Sibley, Jillian McNally, Catherine Nichols, Brianna Philbrick and puppeteer Elizabeth Cote.

Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and students. Tickets will be available at the door. For information call 989-8640.