Kirstin Howell, Bill Carr, Hugh Ritchie, and Stephane Gaudet (front) Owen Lee (back). Photo: Stoo Metz.
There is a lot of drama and a little bit of horror in our political landscape these days, but at Neptune Theatre, where Little Shop of Horrors opens on Friday March 14th, 2025, the ‘horrors’ are mixed, thankfully, with a great deal of comedy, and a very catchy doo-wop/ rock n’ rock/ Motown score.
The musical has music by Alan Menken and lyrics and a book by Howard Ashman. You may recognize Menken and Ashman as the duo who wrote the music for Walt Disney’s The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Aladdin (1992) (with Tim Rice). Little Shop of Horrors predates these films; it opened off-off-Broadway May 6, 1982, and then transferred to the Orpheum Theatre off-Broadway where it ran for five years. It was made into a film in 1986 directed by Frank Oz, of Muppet and Star Wars fame, starring Canadian legend Rick Moranis as Seymour and Ellen Greene, who originated the role of Audrey. It has since become a staple in the American musical theatre canon.
The musical takes place primarily in and around Mushnik’s flower shop. Both his employees, Seymour and Audrey, are unhappy with their lot in life. Seymour is awkward and cowardly and is caring for a “strange and unusual” plant he found, while secretly pining for Audrey. Audrey has low self esteem and is dating a misogynistic dentist. At first, however, it seems as though the odd little plant has a magical element that might be able to draw Audrey and Seymour closer together and away from their problems. There is just one catch: the plant will only eat human blood.
In Neptune Theatre’s production Kirstin Howell plays Audrey. “I just keep saying… ‘poor Audrey…’ because she just gets the worst end of the stick every time. She’s a product of her upbringing, and she just wants to get out [of Skid Row] and she just can’t. Poor Audrey.” While there is a supernatural and science fiction element in Little Shop in respect to the plant, which can be quite over the top, fun and silly, Menken and Ashman have also given the musical a very real, and in many ways much darker, villain in Orin Scrivello, played at Neptune by Ryan Brown. The intimate partner violence depicted between Audrey and Orin is very much grounded in real life, and the balance between this very serious subject matter and the more comedic tone of the show overall is complex to navigate.
Both Kirstin Howell and Bill Carr, who plays Mr. Mushnik, will be familiar to longtime Neptune audiences. Howell has been in Neptune productions of Elf, Noises Off, Kamp, Mamma Mia, Once, Mary Poppins, and Beauty and the Beast, among others. Bill Carr was also in Noises Off, and he has performed in an array of performances here dating back to when John Neville was the Artistic Director in the early 1980s.
“Dinosaurs were still foraging around the area,” he jokes, as he names off a series of shows he did during Neville’s tenure, including Much Ado About Nothing and Taming of the Shrew (1980-81). “It was with the old theatre [before the extensive renovations in the mid 1990s], so we were down in the dressing rooms that if we had caught fire, everyone would have died. But it was an amazing experience to be with that group… I got to work with some amazing artists. You drink what’s coming to you and grow accordingly.” Carr notes that now he is “the oldest person in the cast by far” and notes, “the best part of this show for me is working with the absolutely amazing talent that’s on that stage. Every moment that I’m on there, I’m impressed, and I’m overwhelmed, and I’m overjoyed. I think that the audience is blessed to have these young people doing the amazing work they’re doing on stage.”
One of those young people making their Neptune debut in Little Shop is Reeny, a Portia White Award for Excellence in Vocal Performance recipient, who has also won multiple East Coast Music, Music Nova Scotia, and African Nova Scotia Music Awards. Her debut album is WWIII: Strength, Courage, Love, which was released in 2018, and if you haven’t heard “When Are You Lonely” yet; you’re in for a real treat. Her newest single is “Amber Lights,” available wherever you get your music.
Reeny plays Chiffon, one of three ‘urchins’ who act like a classical Greek chorus in the show. Reeny describes the three as “weaving in and out causing havoc- both fun havoc and evil havoc.” She explains that the three have dual personalities- on the one hand they are “nice, cutesy semi-innocent teenagers,” but that they’re also part of the bigger nefarious plot of the carnivorous plant. “It’s been really fun,” she says, “We get to do a lot of cool songs and cool choreography, it’s been a lot of work, but I’m having fun, and I get to work with a great cast, and great urchin friends,” she says referring to Kih Becke, who plays Crystal and Thaydra Gray, who plays Ronnette.
Reeny performed in musicals in high school before embarking on her very successful music career, but said she jumped at the opportunity to do another musical as an adult. “It’s a lot of work, really different from the world I’m used to,” she says, “but it’s a good challenge for me, and I’m learning a lot and having a blast. I have a great cast who has embraced me intruding on their territory. Everyone’s been super sweet, so it’s a really good change for me.”
Howell mentions, for her, working with Hugh Ritchie as Seymour, has been “grounding” for her, especially since she has only done one other show in the past four years since becoming a mother. “He is phenomenal. He is so solid. From day one, he had played the part before… I was a little nervous coming back, but working with him is so fantastic. He gives 1000% percent at every rehearsal, let alone on stage.”
It’s clear that Neptune’s production of Little Shop of Horrors is a consummate ensemble piece, where those making their professional stage debuts are able to learn from theatre veterans and vice versa, and where the cast feel both grounded and buoyed up by one another in a really beautiful way.
Little Shop of Horrors, by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, directed by Jeremy Webb, with choreography by Liliona Quarmyne, and musical direction by Sarah Richardson, plays at Neptune Theatre (1593 Argyle Street, Halifax) until May 11, 2025.
Tickets range in price from $40.00-$100.00 depending on seating. They are available online here, or by calling the Box Office at 902.429.7070 or visit in person at 1593 Argyle Street.
Run time is approximately 2 hours, including a 20 minute intermission.
Please note, this show contains: Gunshots, intimate partner violence (implied and discussed), implied human dismemberment, implied asphyxiation, theatrical fog, haze, flashing lights, loud noises.
This show is recommended for ages 9+
Industry Night
Tuesday, March 18 – 7:30 PM
Talkback
Thursday, March 20 – 7:30 PM
Masked Performance
Sunday, March 23 – 2:00 PM
Audio Described Performance
Sunday, May 4 – 2:00 PM
Neptune Theatre is fully accessible for wheelchair users. Neptune offers hearing-assistance devices, along with their masked performance and audio described performance. For more Accessibility Information Click Here.
