They left it all on stage

WASHINGTON — This weekend the Washington High School drama department thrilled community members with their performances of Little Shop of Horrors.

The cast consisted of considerable talent in both voice range and acting abilities.

“I’m so amazed at how much talent we have,” assistant director Rhianna Williams.

Keegan Colby portrayed Mr. Mushnik with a Brooklyn accent and almost Oscar the Grouch like demeanor.

Bailey Reese also pulled off a Brooklyn accent as the Audrey, but portrayed her character as a much sultry than grouchy.

The musical is well known for it’s people eating plant and dark undertones, but the young cast held their own.

While some audience members may have been surprised by the dropping of a few curse words and those dark undertones, Brett Pierson said that the audiences overall were really reactive.

The audience laughter and energy fed the cast.

A juxtaposition existed between the sock-hop era boppy music and the serial killer tendencies of a maniacal plant, and the ensemble was a crucial part of laying down the appropriate overall feeling of the piece.

There really was no small part for this production.

Even the “pit,” consisting of community members Craig McClenanhan, Virginia Bordwell, Randy Swift, Reverend Dave Watson, and Nolan Watson, was right on stage being directed by high school band director Don Hughes.

The pit added sound effects to the dialogue as well.

The whole production was cohesive down to the very color of costumes put together by Lisa Hughes.

Audrey’s costumes of dark black turning to light and bright colors was just one of the genius ways that Lisa Hughes was able to portray emotional changes in the musical.

The plant Audrey II was puppetted by a petite Payton Anderson.

“The video they sent us for the puppet manipulation had full size men in the puppet and we weren’t sure if Payton would be able to do it,” Lisa Hughes said of the puppeteer.

Anderson, however, attributes her ability to do the hard work with her participation in cheer leading and gymnastics.

Quinn Wubbena used his role as Seymour Krellborne as his farewell to high school performances.

Wubbena plans to attend the University of Northern Iowa and major in something having to do with music.

You may even be able to catch him in performances at UNI.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com