Schenectady High School to present 'Little Shop of Horrors'

PHOTOGRAPHER: Erica Miller

(L-R) Harper Seisn as Mushnik, Austin Summers as Seymour and Jasmine LaVare as Audrey during dress rehearsal of Little Shop of Horrors

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SCHENECTADY – A blood-thirsty plant is going to take the stage at Schenectady High School this week, along with the hard-working actors of the high school’s Blue Roses Theatre Company as they perform the “Little Shop of Horrors.”

Performances will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. at the school auditorium.

“This is a challenging show, but we’ve got the right cast for it,” said director Leia Depeche. “They are so dedicated to telling this story in a really authentic way, and that’s been our goal since the beginning. ‘Little Shop,’ you can do it really campy, and over-the-top-dramatic, but that’s not its intention.”

The musical tells the story about a small plant shop and shy employee Seymour, who pines after his crush, Audrey. Seymour discovers a small plant he names Audrey II, which feasts on human blood, and grows larger and larger over the course of the musical.

“There’s just a ton of talent in Schenectady, and in our kids,” Depeche said. “The arts here are their passion, it’s what they come to school here for, it’s a huge part of their day.”

Tickets can be purchased at the door and are $5 for general admission, $2 for seniors and students from other districts, and free for Schenectady City School District students and staff.

“It’s been a really great experience,” said senior Yael Woods, 17, who plays the voice of the musical’s villain, Audrey II. “This is one of my favorite shows that exists. I think this is one of the greatest shows we’ve done. Come see it, and see for yourself why this is one of the greatest shows we’ve done.”

Theater is all about community, said senior Jasmine LaVare, 17, who plays Audrey.

“For us seniors, this is our last high school musical,” LaVare said. “It’s definitely something that we want to make count. I think that it’s going to be the best one yet. We’re putting all our energy and love into this show. So for you to not come see it, you’d be missing out.”

“Little Shop” is an amazing show, said senior Gianna Taylor, 18, who plays one of the musical’s urchins. She said the show has comedy, romance, horror and a little bit of everything all in one.

“It’s full of life,” she said. “Every scene, every character is full of depth, and you can see it on stage when they are acting, when they’re singing and even when they’re dancing. Everywhere you look, there’s something to look at.”

Repetition is the name of the game, said senior Chloe Watts-McKenzie, 17, who plays one of the musical’s urchins. She said everyone has been working very hard for the musical.

“Schenectady High’s arts program doesn’t get a lot of attention, or love,” Watts-McKenzie said. “It’s quite dazzling, we have a lot of talented people here on stage and off stage.”

Image Link: Schenectady High’s Little Shop of Horrors rehearsal (1 video, 19 photos)