Another LITTLE SHOP question.

I am producing Little Shop in Texas and am on the fence about this particular moment. I would appreciate your comments.

In the song "Be A Dentist", the 2003 Broadway production had "Orin" holding out a very long note, milking the moment on "Oh I-i-i-i-i-i-i-i am your dentist and I get off on the pain I inflict".

What do you guys think about that? Was it fun or was it just another gratuitous performer/production moment? I personally loved it and thought it was great fun. However I would appreciate your comments. Thanks so much.

Ultimately, it was a gratuitous moment. I didn't really serve any purpose other than to allow Sills a chance to show off his wonderful voice with the added comic bit to provide a good laugh, but handles correctly, it could be taken as a display of Orin's excesses and bravado. Truth be told, I don't recall if it was even held out that way on the tour... and I preferred the tour principals over the Broadway counterparts at nearly every turn, with the exception of Orin. There is certainly no reason why that moment / extended note can't be taken if the actor is comfortable in it!

I think you'd do well to read Howard Ashman's Author/Director's note in the front of the licensed script. It's a wonderful piece of writing, and holds incredibly true to successful performances of not only Little Shop, but other similar works as well. For anyone not able to read it, the gist is basically that it is best performed as honest to the characters. Though the characters and situations may be in and of themselves fantastic and humorous, this fact doesn't need any help in the form of winkingly playing the jokes. I believe his specific example is that if Audrey finds herself striking a few Fay Raye poses in terror of Audrey II, it has to be because that's how she sees herself and her world, making that her natural response, as opposed to the actress playing Audrey winking to the audience as if to say "Isn't this ridiculous and funny?!"

If I were to wager a guess, I'd say Howard never would have allowed that moment.

Updated On: 3/23/12 at 03:17 AM

"If I were to wager a guess, I'd say Howard never would have allowed that moment."

That was kinda what was wrong with the entire Broadway production, as thrilling as the finale was. If you play a satire as a cartoon, and people LAUGH when Audrey dies, there's no show there.

Hi Jimmy!

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