Little Shop of Horrors: a feat of directing
By Olivia Garrett
Photo taken by Olivia Garrett
The Owasso theatre department has triumphantly completed their spring musical, “Little Shop of Horrors”, successfully finalizing their 2024 production season. The musical required many weeks of diligent, strenuous work from both the performers and the directors, overall being a considerable feat of effort from all who helped bring the show to life.
“Everyone gave their all. We worked day and night, and during rehearsals, we would try to get through as much as we could,” cast member James Burkhalter III states.
Receiving largely high receptions from the public, the show will be remembered as one of the department's more successful productions. This triumph should be significantly credited to the directors who brought the production together, molding it with expert design. Going above and beyond, the different directors and crew members worked tirelessly to put on an exemplary show for the students, not letting an error slip by their view.
“Each director is very intentional about what they do. Mr. King is one of the most dedicated people and he puts in a lot of his own time into the smallest details,” Burkhalter shares.
Bestowing high praise onto those who guided them, Burkhalter and many others attribute the show’s prosperity to everyone who worked behind the scenes to make it happen. These workers spent many long nights with the cast, rehearsing, going over lines and fine-tuning parts of the show that could be improved.
“Mr. King did most of the directing, but most of all he let us freely do whatever and that’s what I really love about working with him,” performer Darci Roberts smiles.
Through a multitude of choreographers, directors and crew members the department labored to form a helpful and uplifting environment. From the detailed set pieces to the heartfelt and imaginative performances, the care that was put into the production was evident. Performers delivered a unique yet grounded take on the piece that really solidified the production's success.
The show itself was a dark comedy and featured a more mature side of performance that had yet to be explored by the department. Seeing this side of the school’s theatre art department felt refreshing and new, helping set apart the piece from anything the department had put on before. Successfully perfecting this production however was not without tough work and tedious revision.
“During rehearsals, we would get through as much as we could. The week before the performance we would just keep running the show,” Burkhalter admits.
Several intricate pieces and elements had to come together to produce such an expansive project, and this massive workload could strain the cast itself. However, the theatre department's understanding attitude ensured that the environment remained supportive and congenial as the weeks went on.
Burkhalter attests to this as he proclaims, “Ms. Robinson put in a lot throughout the show. She broke things down for people who have never done this before and really helped them feel more confident.”
This production was the end of an era for many seniors and older members of the department, causing the show to have a special sense of conclusiveness. “Little Shop of Horrors” was a product of more than just this spring season’s making, it was the result of many years of hard work and design by the theatre department and all who invested their time and effort into it.
“It was my final show. All the seniors were in it and it just had a real sense of finality,” Burkhalter finally adds.
Going forward, the department will continue to pour its full heart and mind into its productions, assuring that projects remain continually supportive and uplifting. Thanks to the diligent work of both the student performers and crew of directors, “Little Shop of Horrors” will be remembered by the theatre community as an important and impactful piece of work.