By Joe Contreras, Latin Life Denver Media

Sometimes, I just want to be entertained. I want to kick back, relax and just enjoy a production, be it a movie, TV show or a concert. That includes live theatre as well. I just want to escape everything that is going on in the world if only for a couple of hours. I don’t want to try to figure out all the hidden messages and meanings behind a show. I just want to be intrigued, made to laugh, or cry.

Little Shop of Horrors, currently playing at the Wolf Theatre at the DCPA through May 25th allowed me to do just that. The show is about a mysterious house plant that is discovered by an employee of a struggling flower shop located in a “skid row” neighborhood.

That quirky employee, Seymour Krelborn, played by Ben Fankhouser, tries to convince the shop owner and his boss, Mr. Mushnic (David Studwell) that this unique house plant will help the flower shop’s business. Mr. Mushnic, doesn’t buy the idea and is ready to shutter the store. “We did not sell so much as a fern today” exclaims Mr. Mushnik. But when a passerby notices the unusual plant, he stops by the shop and decides to buy a hundred dollars of roses. Soon word gets out and people from all over town are coming to see this intriguing plant. What is it, where did it come from, outerspace?

Through it all, Seymour has a crush on a fellow employee, the very cute but dumb Audrey, (Gizel Jiménez). Audrey, however barely notices Seymour, she is dating Arin, (Will Branner) a biker type that is a sadistic dentist and is extremely abusive to Audrey. We’re talking black eyes, bruises and handcuffs.

When the plant, which Seymour had named ‘Audrey II’, does not respond to plant food or watering and begins to wilt, the flower shops’ main attraction and business generator is at risk. Seymour accidently cuts his finger trying to nurse the plant back to health and drops of blood drip into its mouthy leaves.

“More, I want more” the plant exclaims! “You can talk” says Seymour in shock. What ensues is a mix of comedy and horror. The insatiable plant demands more blood, “It has to be fresh blood, not store bought meat” demands the plant. Either Seymour gives in to Audrey II’s demands or it will wilt and die and there goes the business and Seymour’s future prosperity. They reach an agreement and soon Seymour is feeding this growing plant dismembered body parts. But where did they come from.

With the mysterious disappearance of the abusive boyfriend, Seymour can now pursue Audrey and soon they fall deeply in love. Maybe too deeply in love.

As business booms, another entrepreneur offers to buy cuttings off the plant by the truckload. Soon, everyone will have one of these plants growing in their home, he believes. Hmmm, was this the goal of the plant all along, to take over the world consuming its population one household at a time?

I won’t give away much more other than to say, it’s all great fun and a great escape. The actors and supporting cast, the music, the songs and the singing are all wonderful. Ben Fankhauser, (Seymour) appeared in Newsies, Original Broadway Cast; Spring Awakening, First National Tour). Audrey, (Gizel Jiménez) voice is as beautiful as she is. Jiménez has appeared on Wicked, Broadway; Lin Manuel Miranda’s Tick…Tick..BOOM!  Will Branner, who has performed in Back to the Future, Broadway; Mean Girls, First National Tour, is phenomenal in his portrayal of not just Orin, Audrey’s boyfriend, but as several other characters he plays with costume and role changes happening in a matter of seconds. Some in the audience compared him to Jim Carrey in his acting, versatility and appearance.

Crystal, Ronnette and Chiffon named after three girl groups from the 60’s are Black street urchins, acting as the occasional Greek Chorus. Young, hip, and smart, these girls are the only ones who have a grip on reality. Played by Jaden Dominque, Elexis Morton and Holly Jackson, the ladies are exquisite in their performances.

Of course, the puppetry is what steals the show. Joe Gallina controls the puppetry behind the plant, as Audrey II continues grow larger and larger consuming much of the stage by the plays end. The ease with which the plant moves and sings, yes, it sings as well, becomes overwhelming.

Yes, if you are looking for a deeper meaning to this play it is there. Little Shop of Horrors is a Greek moral tragedy in which a young and fallible hero seeks to improve his life by exploiting a higher power. In typical, Greek fashion, the angry Gods don’t just punish the hero, but extend their wrath to everyone the hero touches, including those he loves.

For me, I just enjoyed the play for its audacity, boldness, daring and confident presentation full of laughs and serious emotions which left me wanting more. Feed Me!

P.S. I did look at my house plants a little differently this morning. Wondering what they were up to?

Directed by Chris Coleman and based on the film by Roger Corman, screenplay by Charles Griffith, Little Shop of Horrors plays the Wolf Theatre thru May 25.

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