![At the bottom of the third inning, the Lions are still scoreless. Rowe stands at home plate, preparing to bat, while Vandenbrink stands off to the side as the next batter up. Despite having the bases loaded, the team was unable to score any runs. “It’s just the beginning of the season. We’re just going to be playing out best by June, [and] that’s where champions are,” Rowe said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_3077-1200x900.jpg)
![All smiles. The group poses for a photo with last year’s book, “This is Our House,” along with their award for third Best in Show. Meikle, who was an Editor-in-Chief for the yearbook last year as well, holds both and stands at the center of the group. “That was an amazing feeling, going and grabbing the third place award,” Meikle said. “All of it paid off. I cried so much over that book, being able to receive [the award] was one of the highlights of my high school career, it was like the coolest thing ever.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/8bookpose_philly-1200x800.jpg)
Music. That’s what makes a great musical really great, and it’s the awesome songs and underscore that captured all the absurdity, comedy and poignant moments of the West Linn Theatre Arts Program’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors.”
“Little Shop of Horrors” is based on a 1960 dark comedy film that was adapted into a popular Broadway musical and then into a musical film. It continues to inspire many musical adaptations. The story centers on a nebbishy florist assistant who finds a mysterious plant with a taste for human flesh. Seymour Krelborn, played by Reed Sturtevant, senior, worked in Mushnik’s Skid Row Florists for most of his life for the grouchy florist, Mr. Mushnik, played with hilarious physicality by Joseph Joyce, junior. Seymour is desperately in love with Audrey, who was played by Caroline Hitesman, senior. Hitesman’s Audrey is an innocent “broad” in an abusive relationship with an dentist, played by Oliver Muggli, junior.
One of the other stars of the production is the underscore from the orchestra pit, provided by members of West Linn’s band program and Nancy Monson, science teacher, on piano.
Though some of the songs seemed to drag, many were fantastic; “Suddenly Seymour” shone as sung by Hitesman and Sturtevant. The title song was also a hit with me as sung by various characters including a Greek chorus of female street toughs. Ronnette, Crystal and Chiffon, played by Keeley Anderson, sophomore, Taija Channel, junior, and Arrianna Robin, senior, comment on the story in hilarious costumes and fill us in on the story with musical interludes.
Another audible star of the production is the plant itself, voiced in a hilarious deep voice by Toran Almodovar, senior. Almodovar’s performance captures the craziness of the talking plant perfectly; very funny and a little sinister at the same time.
“Little Shop of Horrors” was a magnificent blend of comedy, absurdity and tragedy, but most of all it was a great venue to see some pretty great comic acting and hear some really great songs.
