Belfry Theatre’s latest production has huge roots
For one summer, Kelly BeDell wore the character costumes of Winnie the Pooh, Chip & Dale, and the seven dwarfs as part of the Walt Disneyworld College Program. Now the 1998 Noblesville High School graduate dons a different outfit in the Belfry Theatre’s upcoming musical “Little Shop of Horrors” – Audrey II, the man-eating plant.
“It was hot, heavy, sweaty work. It totally prepared me to be a plant,” she joked. “With a head (costume), you can’t make expressions, so your body has to.”
The three plants range from a hand puppet to two full body suits. The largest plant outfit is big enough to fit two full-sized adults, which is good since Audrey gets hungry for humans.
“It’s quite a feat of acrobatics,” BeDell said of being joined by her snacks. “It’ll definitely be quite the magic trick to get them in there. It will look really funny.”
The 5’2” BeDell said she met the maximum height requirement
“The smaller you are the more comfortable you are,” she said.
BeDell is just one portion of the Audrey II team as James H. Williams lends his voice for the role. While BeDell has no speaking parts, she must mouth Audrey II’s lines, so the two began working together the first week of rehearsals.
“We’re working through how he’s going to say lines. How he says things determines how I move things,” she said. “Because he can’t ad-lib lines, he’s much more limited to react to the moment.”
Since BeDell is either hiding onstage or inside the costumes and Williams is offstage, the two have rehearsed most of the time without making eye contact.
“We try really hard to make it look alive and as verbal as possible. The more the audience thinks he’s real, it tells the story better – plus it’s fun,” BeDell said.
Williams voiced Audrey II the last time he was in “Little Shop of Horrors” 22 years ago.
“I’ve seen it several times and more than likely this is my last time in this role,” he said. “I don’t often get the opportunity to use my lower range – the seriousness – and I like that this show uses the deeper, darker side of my voice.”
“Little Shop of Horrors” tells the musical story of how a down-and-out skid row floral assistant becomes an overnight sensation when he discovers an exotic plant with a mysterious craving for fresh blood. Soon Audrey II grows into an ill-tempered, foul-mouthed, R&B-singing Carnivore who offers him fame and fortune in exchange for feeding its growing appetite.
Playing Seymour, the floral assistant, is John Whitaker who made his Belfry debut in the theater’s last show, “My Three Angels.”
“The crew was talking my ear off in December (about the show),” he said. “I’m familiar with the film, but I’ve never seen or heard the stage production. There are very significant differences between them. It’s a very different ending and more music (in the stage show) and a lot more jokes built-in.”
Seymour’s love interest, Audrey, is Krystal Becker. “Little Shop of Horrors” is Becker’s debut at the Belfry and is her first time on stage since high school.
“It’s incredibly nerve-racking. It’s been 16 years since I did a show. I wasn’t sure what to expect or how I would do. I’m loving it. I look forward to coming to rehearsal,” she said. “It’s amazing. I never expected to get the part. The fact that I did, I’m thrilled. I can check it off my bucket list.”
While she’s never acted in the show before, Becker said “Little Shop of Horrors” is one of her favorite shows.
“It’s just a fun show to do. My character is fun and very different than me. She’s a slutty, ditzy, blond,” Becker said.
A trio of 1960’s street urchins named Crystal, Ronette and Chiffon lead the audience through the musical and comment on the action throughout the show.
“It’s awesome. I think it’s really cool to be such an integral part of the show,” Nichele Washingon, who plays Crystal, said. “We love it, we like being in the middle of it,”
“We have a completely different perspective than the other actors. We have the knowledge,” Eryca Gould, who plays Chiffon, said.
The doo-wop girls do a lot of singing through the show and each has her own favorite song. Gould’s is “Skid Row” because she solos in the song. Washington said her favorite is “Da-Doo” because it was easy to learn.
“It was the first song we rehearsed and the harmonies are tight,” she said.
“My favorite is ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’” Brandi Davis, who plays Ronnette, said. “It’s the one the doo-wop girls are known for. We set the tone for the play. If we get it right, we get the tone set for a good show.”
Know More
What: Little Shop of Horrors
Plot: A down-and-out skid row floral assistant becomes an overnight sensation when he discovers an exotic plant with a mysterious craving for fresh blood. Soon, Audrey II grows into an ill-tempered, foul-mouthed, R&B-singing Carnivore who offers him fame and fortune in exchange for feeding its growing appetite.
Where: Belfry Theatre, 10690 Greenfield Ave., Noblesville
When: 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and April 12, 13, 19 and 20; and 2 p.m. Sunday and April 14 and 21.
Cost: Tickets $17 for adults, $12 for children
Reservations: 773 – 1085, www.TheBelfryTheatre.com/reservations
Cast: John Whitaker, Seymour; Krystal Becker, Audrey; Kirby Volz, Mushnik; Jimmy Mitchell, Orin; James H. Williams, Audrey II (voice); Eryca Gould, Chiffon; Nichele Washington, Crystal; Brandi Davis, Ronnette; Kelly BeDell, Puppeteer; and Evan Elliott, Becca Wenning and Katie Gipson, chorus.
Crew: Mark Stroud, producer; Connie Murello‐Todd and Christy Clinton, co-directors; Dana Lesh, assistant director; Brenna Campbell, music director; Rich Baker, choreographer; Jeff Bick, stage manager; Ryan Shelton, set design; Geoff Lynch and Charlie McMillan, lighting/sound design; Sherri Byer and Debra Hughes, sets/properties; Brittney Cordray‐Scott, hair/makeup.
Set construction: David Todd, Charlie McMillan, Zach Mason, Kendell Roberts, James H. Williams, Mark Tumey and Mark Stroud; Set decoration: Connie Murello‐Todd, Dana Roberts and Claudia Macrae; Crew: Andy Young, Anne Auwaerter, Kendell Roberts, Dana Roberts, Mary Jo Bick, Ron Richards, Mark Tumey, Ryan Shelton, Paul BeDell and Beth Whitaker; Costumes: Marilyn Dearmin, Lindsay Carter, Alice Ernst, Jeanette Wiles and Norma Floyd; Fran Knapp, Charlie McMillan and Geoff Lynch, light/sound tech and design; and Muncie Civic Theatre, puppet creation.
