A truly sadistic dentist elevates Greater Boston Stage's ‘Little Shop of Horrors'
Roger Corman's 1960 film became a cult classic, for all its clunkiness.
Advertisement
Then 'Little Shop' was adapted into a musical by the powerhouse team of Howard Ashman (lyrics and book) and Alan Menken (music) that premiered in 1982. A film version was released in 1986, with
Advertisement
Stephen Markarian plays Seymour, a nebbishy employee at a flower shop owned by the mean-spirited Mr. Mushnik (Bryan Miner). Seymour is hopelessly in love with fellow employee Audrey (Kayla Shimizu), but she's dating — and being abused by — a sadistic dentist named Orin, portrayed by Troilo. (Troilo also plays several other characters, and manages to make each of them distinctive, even the ones whose stage time can be measured in seconds.)
When Seymour buys an ordinary-looking plant and brings it back to the shop, he names it Audrey 2 (built by Cameron McEachern, voiced with commanding authority by Anthony Pires Jr., and manipulated by Sydney T. Grant).
Audrey 2 —green, mean, and amphibian-looking — proves to have an insatiable appetite for human blood. Thus are set in motion events that will ultimately tell Seymour something about himself and what he is capable of, none of it all that reassuring.
Shimizu captures Audrey's lost-soul quality, and delivers a lovely rendition of the yearning 'Somewhere That's Green.' She and Markarian team up to poignant effect in 'Suddenly Seymour,' one of the great duets. Music director Bethany Aiken and her five-piece band, performing backstage, do solid work.
The Doo-Wop girls who serve up narration and commentary in roughly equal measure throughout the show — Cortlandt Barrett as Chiffon, Pearl Scott as Ronnette, and Aimee Coleman as Crystal — are a delight.
There was a touching scene during the curtain call at Wednesday's matinee. Coleman, an understudy to Becky Bass, was stepping into the role for the first time. She had a lot of friends and family in the audience, and she was given flowers, a thunderous ovation, and a memory to last a lifetime.
Advertisement
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
Book and lyrics by Howard Ashman. Music by Alan Menken. Directed by Ilana Ransom Toeplitz. Music direction, Bethany Aiken. Choreography, Chris Shin. Presented by Greater Boston Stage Company, Stoneham. Through June 29. Tickets $64 - $69. At 781-279-2200 or
Don Aucoin can be reached at
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
"A giant black hole sucking everything in, and spitting out bones": Devs react with anger and concern as yet more Microsoft layoffs see huge cuts and cancellations at game studios
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. As part of broader layoffs at Microsoft affecting several thousand people, multiple studios and teams under the Xbox umbrella have seen significant cuts, cancellations, and closures of their own – the fourth big wave of such redundancies in roughly 18 months. Devs across the industry responded to the news – which seems to have reached affected employees in confusing and disconcerting patches, assuming they were informed at all before seeing it reported elsewhere – by expressing concern for the direction of Xbox and the games industry, support for affected employees, and frustration at yet another case of workers cashing leadership's checks. Many current and/or former Xbox studio employees shared word of the layoffs on social media. One employee says Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, who's been covering the layoffs in social media updates as staggered confirmations roll in, "is getting these updates almost faster than I, an impacted employee at Zenimax Online Studios, am. Which is creating a borderline slapstick layer to this experience." Schreier reported that the rollout has been such a mess that some Zenimax employees were abruptly locked out of their Slack accounts without explanation or notice, left wondering if they still have a job or if there's just been collateral damage to company logins. "This literally just happened to my coworker as we were in the middle of a conversation," one Zenimax employee says. "Just a giant black hole sucking everything in, and spitting out bones," says Baldur's Gate 3 publishing director Michael Douse, sharing a post reporting some 9,000 layoffs across Microsoft. In a statement to GamesRadar+, Microsoft confirmed that the total layoff impact is "less than 4%" of the company, which was last estimated at around 228,000 people, so the math roughly checks out. "While I'm excited for more games, it's important to remember that behind all the PR and hype is the simple truth that they bought portfolios, not people," Douse continues. "When you're bought, they're not buying *you*. Consolidation is bad for jobs. Bad for the industry. Bad for consumer rights. Growth shouldn't come at the expense of people, it should be for the people." Veteran animator Robert Morrison, known for the likes of The Last of Us and God of War, writes: "The long time problem in the video game industry is too many people in leadership positions have been allowed to fail upwards. People that have made poor decisions with bad ideas, contributing to project cancellations, low sales, and studio closures. Good at talking and good at making friends, but not good at making great games. They keep their jobs, they keep getting promoted, and everyone else has to pay the cost." Indie dev and consultant vet Rami Ismail examined a message sent to staff by Xbox boss Phil Spencer. "One mistake people make with these letters is assume they're written for humans, but they're not," Ismail said. "There's no contrast. They're written for shareholders, & for them, this text is just a non-stop parade of good news. Record numbers? All verticals up? Layoffs?! What a feast, for them, what a feast." Bonnie Patterson, "lead narrative designer on unannounced console shooter," responded to another report noting 9,000 affected staff. "9000 people who have poured every inch of their hearts and souls into titles just so they can make people happy, watching everything they made just get dumped like it was worthless," she says. "It wasn't worthless. We aren't worthless. The world is just fucked." "Today is just another travesty in the game industry," says Respawn veteran and former Halo dev Patrick Wren. "Every day it's hard to see what the future of this industry is." After 7 years of development, Elder Scrolls Online developer's new MMO is reportedly canceled amid wider Xbox layoffs. Solve the daily Crossword
Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Tom's Guide
Tom's Guide Awards 2025: Our favorite streaming services, movies and TV shows
Regardless of whether you want to see a new original movie, binge the latest hit TV show in one sitting or follow your favorite sports team as they go all the way, streaming your favorite content online has never been easier and we've tried all the best streaming services available today. From streaming live TV, to streaming new original shows and movies, to streaming sports, there's always something to watch no matter when you fire up your TV. To help you find what's actually worth your time and money, we've watched all of the big releases across a number of different platforms, both paid and free. Our team of experts has tested and reviewed all of the best streaming services for the Tom's Guide Awards 2025. Below, we highlight our favorite new movies and shows and of course, the services that make watching them effortless from the last 12 months to make your viewing experience the best it can be. HBO Max is built on HBO's legacy — decades of being the place for quality TV before streaming was even a thing. It's where the phrase 'prestige television' basically came from, and that standard still holds. Their current shows are top-tier: "The Last of Us," "The White Lotus," "The Pitt," "Hacks." Their back catalog may be even more impressive: "The Sopranos," "Game of Thrones," "Succession." The movie library backs it up with everything from big new releases to cult classics, including a steady stream of A24 gems. Netflix brings quantity, and the Disney/Hulu bundle is great value, but HBO Max feels curated, like your friend with excellent taste put together a streaming service. This year, I re-reviewed all six of the mainstream live TV streaming services you can get in the U.S. I went in with an open mind, despite the fact that I was already a YouTube TV subscriber, because I was curious if I needed to make the switch to a different live TV service. Ultimately, I still felt that YouTube TV was the best choice for most people, thanks to a combination of popular channels, great features and a clean user interface. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. It was close, though. Hulu + Live TV and Sling both are great values, and might be better bang for your buck depending on what you're looking for from your cable TV replacement. But they come with enough caveats and shortcomings that YouTube TV reigns supreme. Best sports streaming service is a tricky category. Is it about which service offers the most sports? Or is it about which service offers the best selection of sports? Maybe it needs to be about which has the best features for sports watchers? After examining these questions, I'm not sure there's a clear winner, but I landed on YouTube TV for a couple of reasons. Multiview, catching up with key plays and NFL Sunday Ticket integration are a combination of features that only YouTube TV can offer. That led me to the conclusion that YouTube TV was the best streaming service to watch sports on, even if it doesn't necessarily offer the most sports channels or most sports leagues of any streaming service. Tubi is my go-to for free streaming. It's like wandering into a video store from 1997 and finding everything from cult horror to forgotten sitcoms to the dumbest action flicks. Where else can I watch a forgotten '80s slasher, a conspiracy doc, and an Oscar winner back-to-back — all without paying a dime? The Roku Channel is solid, and Pluto TV scratches the live-TV itch when I'm feeling lazy. But Tubi gets the nod over them for live-streaming the Super Bowl this year, without a single glitch. Touchdown! I fought long and hard for "The Pitt" to win this award, but I was overruled by a good amount of the streaming team here at Tom's Guide. To be fair, I get it. "Adolescence" is an incredible show, and while I have "The Pitt" ahead of it for my best show of the past 12 months, there are some days I consider swapping their places. This Netflix limited series is intimate and chaotic and a technical marvel all at the same time. Watching it is akin to watching a play in four acts, each one of them leaving you emotionally raw at the end of it. I promise you, you won't watch anything else like it this year. There was decent competition for this slot, but 'Woman of the Hour' was the streaming movie that left the biggest impression on the team at Tom's Guide (myself included), and I can see why: it was Anna Kendrick's directorial debut… and what a debut it was. This genuinely chilling watch isn't the movie you expect it to be. It depicts the stranger-than-fiction story of serial killer Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto) and aspiring actor Sheryl Bradshaw (Kendrick), who crossed paths when they were both cast on an episode of 'The Dating Game.' It's a compelling, tense, and well-composed feature, one that centers not on the killer, but the victims whose lives he cut short. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Forbes
Did Fan Backlash Push Pedro Pascal To Change Stylists?
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 01: Pedro Pascal attends the 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A ... More Line Of Beauty" at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic) Pedro Pascal didn't become a household name overnight. His decades-long acting career finally exploded with the success of HBO's The Last of Us, which turned him into an award s-season regular and a bona fide 'daddy' to his online fans. And while his onscreen presence was undoubtedly part of his appeal, his red carpet looks became almost as talked about as his leading man roles, thanks to stylist Julie Ragolia. The Pedro Pascal one sees today wasn't an accident. It was a deliberate rebrand, in partnership with Ragolia, focusing on creating a celebrity persona predicated on something rare: a man over 50 who dressed with humor, sensuality and no concern for fitting the traditional mold of a Hollywood leading man. Whether it was a sheer blouse and Valentino cape at the Met Gala or the now-famous Saint Laurent thigh-high boots, Pascal's fashion choices stood out because he never looked like he was trying to please anyone but himself. 'I'm a storyteller,' Ragolia told GQ in an email earlier this month, 'I told a story about how men of a certain age can still be seen as sexy.' She didn't chase trends or try to flatten Pascal into another suit-wearing A-lister; instead, Ragolia worked with Pascal to create a style that was uniquely his own on and off the press junket. 'Stylists are not dictators. We are collaborators,' Ragolia tweeted earlier this year. With this philosophy, Ragolia and Pascal collaborated on looks which both complemented his onscreen persona, while softening the edges, blurring gender lines and showing a confidence in dressing that's often lost for men hitting their middle ages. HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 24: Pedro Pascal attends the Los Angeles Premiere of HBO Original ... More Series "The Last of Us" Season 2 at TCL Chinese Theater on March 24, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic) And, in turn, fans began to take notice—and quickly. Stan accounts dedicated to Pascal's every move dissected his outfits with the fervor usually reserved for pop stars, with more than one of his fashion choices being describes as 'breaking the internet'. His thighs trended. His scarves became talking points. But with that attention came entitlement from the same fans that celebrated Ragolia's stylistic choices in dressing Pascal. Ragolia revealed in April that she had received death threats over one of Pascal's outfits. 'One of you called for my death because you didn't like Pedro's outfit,' she posted. '…I'm just going to let you sit with your obsession.' It's not the first time a stylist has been caught in the crossfire of fan culture. But the Pascal fandom, like many others today, operates at a volume and intensity that's hard to manage. Some fans see themselves as curators of their favorite star's image, and when reality doesn't align with fantasy, the response can turn hostile. Stylists, who are often invisible until something goes 'wrong,' end up as easy targets and take the blame for the perceived mistakes from the fandom. CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 17: Pedro Pascal during the "Eddington" photocall at the 78th annual Cannes ... More Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 17, 2025 in Cannes, France. (Photo by) This has resulted in speculation that the intensity of Pascal's fanbase became too much for Ragolia, The two parted ways after Cannes, and since then, Pascal has begun working with Jamie Mizrahi, whose client list includes Jennifer Lawrence and Jeremy Allen White. Mizrahi is no stranger to high-profile, closely scrutinized figures, and so far, her work with Pascal suggests a clear throughline from Ragolia's original approach. On recent press stops for Eddington and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Pascal has worn looks that continue to emphasize proportion, softness, and a willingness to blur traditional gender codes. Whether that direction is Mizrahi's choice or Pascal's own preference is hard to say, but the consistency—and the timing—suggests a deliberate effort to keep Pascal's public image unaffected as award season approaches. While it has not been confirmed that the reason behind Pascal's stylist shake-up, there is no doubt that stylists are an easy target when a fan base is riled up. From death threats to constant online criticism, Julie Ragolia's success as a stylist was often overlooked by fans for the perceived 'mistakes' she made in her longtime collaboration with Pedro Pascal. For now, it's too early to tell how Jamie Mizrahi will put her own stamp on Pascal's public image; but one can only hope that the celebrity's fanbase is a little more forgiving to her than, perhaps, it had been to Ragolia. BERLIN, GERMANY - JULY 08: Pedro Pascal attends the "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" blue carpet ... More fan event at Das Center on July 08, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by)
