Paducah's Market House Theatre presents the horror comedy rock musical Little Shop of Horrors this week. The classic musical follows a hapless florist shop worker who accidentally ends up raising a plant that feeds on human blood and flesh (and has a great singing voice for R&B). Morning Edition host Daniel Hurt spoke to Danny Preklas and Jackson Bell, two Murray State students performing in the production, about the upcoming show, their roles, and audiences can expect.
Preklas, who plays the lead role of Seymour, an employee at a florist shop who inadvertently begins raising a plant with sinister powers, said the show is campy — but in a good way. "It's a campy sci-fi musical from the early 80s about a floral shop worker who gets a plant that eats blood," he explained. "It convinces the main character, Seymour, to keep giving it blood, and it keeps growing. It promises all mystic properties to Seymour. He's going to get a Cadillac, he's going to get dates, money, and fame. But then just has to keep feeding it blood, and it wants more and more and more, and it just starts to spiral."
Bell plays the show's villain, Orin, an evil dentist with sadistic tendencies. "Orin is dating Audrey, who Seymour has a big crush on," Bell said. "So, he can't get her because she's dating Orin, but he's treating her very badly, so he's just not a good guy. So, it's that kind of dynamic of Danny loving Audrey and wanting to treat her right and Audrey being with Orin and his not treating her well. He's kind of the Act One villain."
The cast is comprised primarily of local veterans of Market House Theatre. Preklas is a regular in the Market House Theatre community and has performed Little Shop of Horrors twice before. He and Bell are the only students participating.
Market House Theatre presents Little Shop of Horrors beginning Thursday, September 5, at 7:15 pm through September 28. Tickets, showtimes, and more can be found on the Market House Theatre website.
