Photo courtesy of Jerry Naunheim Jr.

Romance. Humor. Man-eating vegetation. This musical has it all, and it’s gracing the stage of Edison Theater until Nov. 2. 

“Little Shop of Horrors,” a musical based on Howard Ashman’s book of the same title, revolves around a flower shop on Skid Row and its three employees, Seymour, Audrey, and Mr. Mushnik. In an attempt to save the failing floral shop from bankruptcy, Seymour draws attention to the store by introducing a new, exotic plant to the world: the Audrey II. However, Audrey II’s particular appetite causes major problems for Seymour and the rest of Skid Row.

The first thing that stood out about this production was the talent, particularly from first-year Elie Panoff, who played Audrey. There are several unique aspects of Audrey’s character, like her high-pitched voice, her thick New York accent, and, of course, her classic blonde bob. Panoff perfectly captured Audrey’s character while simultaneously stunning the audience with beautiful vocals, flawlessly embodying Audrey’s character. 

Speaking of talent that stuck out, senior Jacob Elliott’s portrayal of Audrey’s evil dentist boyfriend, Orin, was on point when it came to capturing Orin’s classic shrill laugh and booming voice, and his facial expressions and mannerisms were hysterical. He was a complete joy to watch and brought so much energy to the show. 

While the performance was smooth, Panoff shared that there was a lot of preparation that went into the show that left little room for imperfection. 

“We’ve been meeting five days a week for three hours … We’ve just been rehearsing 24/7,” Panoff said. “And then … for our tech week, we had 12-hour rehearsals on the weekend and then six-hour or five-hour rehearsals on the weekdays.”

The rest of the cast did an incredible job of delivering a hysterical performance true to the cult classic, giving the audience its favorite “Little Shop” songs in all their glory. First-year Eli Regardie, who played Seymour, excellently portrayed Seymour’s signature awkwardness and charm. Both leading roles were held by first-years, marking an admirable feat for the Class of 2029.

“Auditions were week one of school, and I came in with no expectations, because I was like, ‘I’m a freshman,’” Panoff said. “Even getting called back was insane. And then once I got it. I was just truly shocked and felt so grateful.” 

But the acting wasn’t the only impressive part of the show. The hallmark of the show, the carnivorous fly-trap that Seymour dubs “Audrey II,” was as hilarious as the rest of the characters, as it grew from a small table plant to a man-eating monstrosity. 

Capturing the spectacle that is Audrey II was no simple task. According to Assistant Stage Manager sophomore Elle Brouwer, all variations of the Audrey II plant are from The Muny. Brouwer also said that each version of the plant has at least one puppeteer, with four people in charge of the plant’s pot. 

Audrey II was only one of over 100 other props used in the show. Both the stage crew and tech crew had strong attention to detail. The obvious effort put in by both crews made the musical seem Broadway-quality, even as a small student production.

“Everyone’s very dedicated to [the show],” Brouwer said. “At most, you’re working around 17 hours per week on the show, and at least, you’re working eight.” 

If you’re looking to cackle and be awed by some serious talent, check out “Little Shop of Horrors” while you still can. The goriness of the show makes it the perfect addition to your Halloweekend, so make sure to grab your ticket (free for all WashU students) before it closes this Sunday.

Little Shop of Horrors continues with showings Oct. 31-Nov. 2. Pre-show Halloween Costume Contest on Friday at 7 p.m.