Nottingham Trent University’s musical production of Little Shop of Horrors will take over The Level on April 14th and 15th, and tickets are live now!
Little Shop of Horrors is a comedy horror that follows the life of Seymour Krelborn after he discovers the mysterious Audrey II, aka the man eating plant, during a total eclipse of the sun. After he brings it home, sudden changes begin- new successes, love and Seymours greatest desires start to come true. But at what cost? Come along to see the show to find out!
So… lets meet the cast! 🪴
Lucy plays Audrey, a sweet, soft-spoken woman who longs for life outside of Skid Row and fantasises about a future in a “picket-fence” suburban neighbourhood, free from the poverty and abuse of her life. She wishes for normalcy, safety, and a life with Seymour, away from the abusive Orin Scrivello. Her character is known for her vulnerability and her very tragic taste in men. But she is much more than that; she is a kind-hearted woman full of hope and whimsy.
Lucy says that she has connected with her character due to their shared love of dreaming about the future, along with their mutual dizziness, which has made some of Audrey’s lines “feel quite natural”. Her favourite song in the show is “Mushnik & Son”, sung by Mr Mushnik and Seymour, as she finds it “hilarious”, and it was her favourite even before rehearsals began. She says that during rehearsals it has not disappointed.
Lucy got into amateur theatre at 14 and says she “fell in love with it”. She reminisced about stories her grandparents told her about being involved in local theatre and performing. Lucy said: “I was completely captivated… Whenever I visited, I would insist on playing all their musical soundtracks on cassette. It wasn’t long before I wanted to try performing for myself.”
Her favourite show is Falsettos (“No explanation needed”), and her dream role is Trina. Lucy hopes to be involved in community theatre for the rest of her life, as she believes there is “something really special about the sense of community it creates.”
Sam’s character, Seymour Krelbourn, is shy and charming, with a gentle soul, a good heart, and a deeply caring nature (especially when it comes to Audrey). He is an orphan and a child of poverty, but throughout the show we see Seymour become more confident and an “unlikely hero” thanks to the help he gets from his new plant, Audrey II.
Sam has made the character his own by improvising lines that “felt natural in rehearsals”. He has also tapped into his introverted side for the role, but has “brought high energy” to scenes where Seymour is descending into madness or having to stand up to Audrey II.
Sam’s favourite part of the musical is “Feed Me (Git It)”, which he finds the “most fun song” as it “blends the comedy and horror” of the show. He also said that while rehearsing this song he has been “most intimidated by Sophie” (Audrey II), and that the dynamics on stage are electric, making it a “really exciting number to perform.”
Sam got into theatre when he was really young, around four or five, and has tried to be as involved as he can—whether in his secondary school shows, community theatre, or theatre schools at the weekend.
His favourite show is Hamilton, which he believes is “the most perfect musical”, with a soundtrack packed with absolute bangers—one where he could “tell you every lyric”. Sam’s dream role is Marius in Les Misérables, and performing on the West End is “a lifelong goal”.
On the topic of dreaming big, he’d love to win an Oscar or BAFTA for screen acting—alongside Charlie and Ruby as Best Director! (😉)
Audrey II is widely regarded as one of the most iconic villains in musical theatre. It is a charismatic, intimidating, and sassy villain who preys on Seymour’s vulnerability, sweetness, and desire for Audrey. Throughout the show, Audrey II entertains the audience with its witty persuasion and power. It is a villain that audiences love to fear—one you will grow to love throughout the show even though it does all the wrong things (like eating people)!
When Sophie was first cast as Audrey II, she felt “quite intimidated”, as she had “no idea how to approach such a complex character”. However, she soon found her way by focusing on the “personality behind the leaves rather than seeing it as a stereotypical villain”. Sophie said that “although Audrey II is powerful and terrifying”, she sees it as “playful, cheeky, and sometimes scandalous”. She finds this “mix of danger and charm” one of the most interesting parts of the character she gets to perform.
When making this character her own, Sophie has adopted contrasting persuasive and confident tones, especially when Audrey II manipulates Seymour, and she has added “humour and mischief” into her lines. She believes that making Audrey II “both entertaining and unsettling” is key to captivating the audience and “bringing the character to life”.
Sophie couldn’t pick just one favourite song from the show, so she gave three: “Grow for Me”, “Ya Never Know”, and “Dentist”. She also loves the first speaking interaction between Seymour and Audrey II, as she finds it hilarious.
Sophie got into theatre through her annual school musical, but she has been singing her whole life. She began singing lessons at 14 and couldn’t get enough. From then on, she did every extracurricular activity that involved singing. Picking a favourite musical and dream role proved too hard 😂—her top three musicals (“in no particular order”) are Into the Woods, In the Heights, and Anastasia, and her dream roles are Wednesday Addams, Ariel, and Adelaide/Sarah Brown.
Sophie wishes to always be performing and singing in some capacity, and she hopes to bring this into her career as a speech and language therapist.
Mr Mushnik is the owner of Mushnik’s Skid Row Florists, and he acts as Seymour’s father figure throughout the show. He is gruff, irritable, and driven by a desire to succeed and leave his poverty-stricken life in Skid Row.
Pedro has made the character his own by making him “youthful and physically comedic”, improvising lines to add extra depth to his Mushnik. He said he has really enjoyed crafting the role for the show’s comedic horror, focusing especially on the comedy to bring his character to life.
His favourite song in the show is “Mushnik and Son”, as it is packed full of “fun choreography and acting”, which he has had lots of fun playing around with to make it his own. He also likes “Feed Me (Git It)” as it is “a really catchy song”.
Pedro began theatre when he was very young, and he began to fall in love with acting in 2015 when he started taking part in acting courses and musical theatre workshops. He said: “I’ve had a lot of fun with acting. I just love performing.”
His favourite musical is The Lion King because of its animation, and one day he hopes to see it live on the Broadway stage. His dream role is the “chaotic, energetic” Genie in Aladdin, as he wants to see what he could bring to the role (and if his version is anything like his Mushnik, we would all be in for a treat)!
Orin Scrivello is a sadistic, narcissistic, and abusive dentist with a dark personality. He is seen as the “tough guy” who wears black leather and rides a motorcycle — a typical bad guy! At the beginning of the show, he is in a relationship with Audrey, and we see him take pleasure in causing pain through his job as a dentist.
Sebastian has made the character his own, adding “raunchiness and dialing up the camp”. He has also really leaned into the comedic side of his villainous role. He said: “I am really excited about being cast as Orin. I tend to thrive in comedic relief characters, and I wanted to play a full-on villain. I love playing characters you love to hate.” (Which is why he will be perfect in this role!)
His favourite song is “Dentist”, as it is “absolutely ridiculous” and one of his favourites to sing in the show. He also said he loves “Skid Row” as it is a fun song, and he really enjoys the ensemble numbers in the show.
Sebastian began to love theatre and “became obsessed with performing” from a very early age. Every New Year, he and his family would go to London to see a show to celebrate. He also took part in his school productions, highlighting School of Rock, where he played the drums, as he thrives on and enjoys the “controlled chaos” of it all.
His favourite show he has been in is The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals, and his favourite overall show is Heathers. His dream acting role is Nightwing.
Crystal is one third of the street-wise, witty “urchins” who narrate and commentate on the show as the story unfolds. She has a sassy, sharp, and soulful personality with a ‘diva’ attitude—one Manel really enjoys playing. She mentioned feeling close to the character due to the sass, and she has added her own “energy and attitude” to really bring Crystal to life. Manel really enjoys performing “Skid Row” as it is “open and there is so much going on”. She also loves the “abundance of opportunities to harmonise” with her fellow urchins and the chance to “work off each other’s tone and really put it all in”. Her favourite part of the show is the dance in “Prologue”, as it sets up the comedic horror tones of the production.
Manel has always loved music and dancing, making musical theatre the perfect place for her to be. Her favourite show is Burlesque, and her favourite song to sing is “This Is Me” from The Greatest Showman. One day, she would love to be a lead singer, like Christina Aguilera, and she hopes to pursue a career in law in the future.
Ronnette is savvy and sincere, one of the three “urchins” narrating the play. Wyen has loved playing this role, saying that “she just feels right.” She has brought as much of herself to the character as she can, making her “confident and bold.” Their favourite songs in the show are “Skid Row” and “Ya Never Know,” as they are “high energy” and really entertaining to build up and choreograph. Wyen especially loves “Skid Row” because it “starts off down in the dumps but then gets really powerful when they sing it all together.”
Wyen got into performing in secondary school during their production of Into the Woods, and their favourite musical is Mamma Mia! because it got her into theatre; she used to sing the soundtrack every day. She loves to sing and dance, and her dream role is Veronica in Heathers.
Chiffon is the young, stylish, and hip “urchin” who also serves as the narrator of the story, making her integral to the plot of the show. She is fierce and is not afraid to say it as it is. Charlotte has really enjoyed building her character, improvising what felt natural, and “trying to be silly with her.” Her favorite moment in the show is her performance in “Mushnik and Son.”
Charlotte got into performing when she was little, as her parents thought she was “too shy.” She really loves singing along to musical soundtracks, and her favorite is Wild Party. Her dream role is to play Eurydice in Hadestown.
Xanthe has a tough job on her hands, playing all the ensemble roles in the show—but we know she’s going to be amazing! To make her characters her own, she has tried to make them “as funny as she can.” She loves The Meek Shall Inherit because of it’s “three part harmony the three ‘urchins‘ sings in the chorus.” Xanthe also gets to play 3 roles and has 2 costume changes during this song which is “challenging” but “really fun and exciting” as she gets to play around with each character.
She has been involved with drama since she was little and has “always adored listening to and singing show tunes.” Some of her family also work in theatre, so she has many fond memories of the arts and “being taken to the second half of musicals when no one could find a babysitter.” 😂 Xanthe’s favourite musical is The Last Five Years, as she believes it is a “clever musical and so devastating but uplifting somehow.” Her dream role is anyone in Legally Blonde, and she wishes to work in the theatre costume sector!
So now you have met the cast… go book your show! It is most definitely something you DO NOT want to miss! 🪴
