After my last post about Mary Poppins and how I mentioned that there are a quite a number of musicals that take place in London, I decide to do some research on how many musicals take place there. I admit there are a handful, but no where near as much as how many musicals and plays take place in New York City. Here's the full list (I think there's at least thirty currently found) but I'll post below some of the more popular shows.
Guys and Dolls
West Side Story
How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
Hello, Dolly!
Hair
A Chorus Line
Annie
Little Shop of Horrors
Rent
The Producers
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Avenue Q
Doubt
In the Heights
(I don't really know why this is my third post today, it's rather odd.)
I'm pretty nervous for getting my wisdom teeth out tomorrow. I think what's scaring me the most about the whole ordeal is not the surgery itself—I've had to go through various dental surgeries and altercations— but it's the fact that I'll be out asleep for this procedure. I've never been asleep whenever I've had teeth removed—I was always given novocaine and nitrous oxide, which always made me even more tired than I already was. But I know everything will go well! (Fingers crossed)
At least my dentist for tomorrow isn't like Orin Scrivello, D.D.S. (He's personally one of my favorite villains in musical theatre). That guy is nuts, but I love him anyway.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
I love vacation. It's so nice and relaxing. It also gives me time to update my posts.
Sorry for the delay, yet again. This is more work than I thought. I haven't completely forgotten about this though. Future posts might include musicals not known (i.e. Gone Missing and Hands on a Hard Body), as well as regular straight plays (i.e. Peter and the Starcatcher and Death of a Salesman). Until I gain more info, I'll leave this questionnaire.
Favorite show? I change them all the time, but currently, it's Godspell.
Favorite role you've played? Gertrude McFuzz in Seussical Jr.
Favorite show you've been in? Godspell Jr., it was the only one where I didn't deal with a ton of drama. (Drama, get it? Ha, I slay myself!)
Number of Broadway shows seen? None........ for now.
Last show you were in? RENT School Edition
Favorite song from a show? "Now (It's Just the Gas) from Little Shop of Horrors
Favorite dance number from a show you were in? "Cross the Line" from Big! The Musical
Dream role(s)? TOO MANY. Madame Giry (Phantom of the Opera), Ellen (Miss Saigon), Smitty (How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying), Adelaide (Guys and Dolls), Jan or Rizzo (Grease)
Show you would like to see? Any show except Cats. But lately, I've really wanted to see The Little Mermaid, Annie Get Your Gun and Godspell again.
Show(s) that makes you cry? Les Miserables, Godspell, Miss Saigon, RENT, Chess, South Pacific
Show(s) that makes you happy? Hairspray, Hair, Book of Mormon, Mamma Mia, Legally Blonde, The Lion King, Wicked, Avenue Q, Singin' In The Rain
Ever worn a wig for a show? Yes I have, for Cinderella: The World's Favorite Fairy Tale.
Favorite costume worn? There are some I've liked because it's from my own wardrobe, but none are my favorite yet.
Cast you're closest with?RENT School Edition
Favorite movie based on a Broadway show? I'd say Les Miserables, but I haven't officially seen it yet. So I'll say the Charlie Brown TV series from You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Show you would mostly like to see? The Little Mermaid
Friday, January 4, 2013
Day Twenty- Eight: Little Shop of Horrors
Happy 2013! Today's post is a musical that features either a character that's so bad/cruel/evil you love them OR has a musical character you love to hate. That certain character is Orin Scrivello D.D.S. from Little Shop of Horrors. I think I love Orin because he's just so funny and comedic, you often forget he's a villain!
So, the show starts with this big booming voice (similar to God's) warning the audience of a "deadly threat to its very existence." Through the three "urchins" (who end up narrating the story in their own style), they introduce the main characters: Seymour, a poor young man who's also an orphan on Skid Row; Audrey, a pretty blonde with tacky outfits dating a sadist dentist; Mushnik, their boss at Mushnik's Skid Row Florists.
Seymour comes across this strange and peculiar plant that looked "like a venus fly-trap." (He obtained it while shopping in the flower district and after the "total eclipse of the sun," it appeared). The plant is named Audrey II due to Seymour's undying love for the actual Audrey. The plant unknowingly begins to wither away, causing Seymour to be in distress. After he pricked his finger on a rose thorn, he notices the plant opens its mouth when the finger is moved near it. Seymour now understands the plant lives off of blood and begins feeding it blood, causing it to grow exponentially.
The plant, when placed near the store window, attracts all sorts of business and revenue for the store. Audrey's sadistic boyfriend, a dentist named Orin Scrivello (D.D.S). He wears leather, rides a motorcycle and enjoys his job due to him gaining pleasure for causing people pain. Orin comes to the store to pick Audrey up for their date, where Orin talks to Seymour about taking the plant and leaving Skid Row.
Mushnik, overhearing this, realizes that his business' success is from the plant (and Seymour, who originally had brought in the plant in). He knows that Seymour's an orphan, so he talks him into becoming his legal son (purposely to keep him in his sights). Seymour accepts it, despite him being constantly yelled at by Mushnik.
Meanwhile, Seymour is growing weak from him feeding his own blood to the plant. When he stops feeding it, the plant becomes animated- to the point where it could talk- and demands to be fed. Seymour makes another 'deal with the devil'; if Seymour keeps feeding the plant, the plant will grant all of Seymour's desires, which include dating Audrey. Seymour originally refuses, but after watching Orin abuse Audrey, he is manipulated again to go along with the plan.
Seymour heads to Orin's dentistry for a late-night appointment, planning on killing him with a revolver. However, Seymour doesn't have the nerve and chickens out shooting him. Orin, meanwhile, has been getting high on nitrous oxide but realizes he cannot take the gas mask off and asphyxiates while Seymour watches. After confirming he's dead, Seymour chops up Orin's body to give to the hungry plant, which grows.
The flower shop is still booming with business, with Seymour and Audrey struggling to keep up. Audrey admits to feeling guilty about Orin's death because she had secretly wished it and that she deserved to date a guy like him. The two tell of their feelings for one another; Seymour vows to always be there for Audrey. The couple talk about creating a new life together; meanwhile, Seymour feels as though Audrey loves him only for his money and that if they left, he would lose it all and she wouldn't love him anymore.
The police are investigating Orin's death (they don't have much evidence), and Mushnik confronts Seymour about his suspicions. Mushnik then realizes (from the evidence found at the shop and a motive, which was Seymour's new girlfriend) that Seymour was the one who killed Orin. Audrey II tells Seymour he will lose everything if he turned himself in.
Seymour tells Mushnik he put the days' receipts inside the plant for safekeeping. Mushnik climbs into the plant's open mouth but is devoured by Audrey II. Seymour now runs the flower shop and is surrounded by reporters, salesman, agents, and lawyers promising him fame and fortune. Seymour realizes that it's only a matter of time before Audrey II will have to eat again. He considers killing the plant, but fears he will lose Audrey's love if he does, so he decides not to.
Seymour tries to work on a speech for his lecture tour when Audrey II demands for more food. Seymour's about to kill it when Audrey comes into the shop, asking about Mushnik's trip to visit his sister. Seymour discovers that Audrey would still love him even if he didn't have the plant. He decides that the plant will die after the LIFE magazine interview the next day. Audrey, frightened by Seymour's rantings, leaves the shop.
Audrey isn't able to sleep due to Seymour's odd behavior and goes to the shop. There, she finds the plant begging her for water. She approaches to water it, not realizing it feeds on blood. Audrey gets pulled into the plant's mouth and the plant begins its feeding. Seymour arrives and attacks the plant in order to try and save Audrey. He pulls her out, but she is mortally wounded. She asks that when she dies ("which would be very shortly"), she would be fed to the plant so the two can always be together. She dies in his arms, and Seymour follows her request.
The next day, some salesman (Patrick Martin from the World Botanical Enterprises) comes by the shop, asking to take small samples of Audrey II so he can grow and sell them to every household in America. Seymour now realizes the plant's evil plan; world domination. He tries to kill the plant by shooting, cutting and poisoning it, but the plant has grown too strong. In a last attempt, Seymour runs directly at it with a machete, only to be eaten by the plant.
The three "urchins" (Crystal, Chiffon and Ronnette) end the show by warning the audience to not "feed the plant."
The song highlighting my dentist is the song "Dentist", which is Orin explaining what he does.
