Cochrane theatre lovers can experience Cochrane High Performance and Visual Arts’ take on the sci-fi horror classic, Little Shop of Horrors: The Musical from Feb. 7 to 10.
Three performances from Feb. 7 to 9 will take place at 7 p.m. at Cochrane High School, with two additional performances on Feb. 10 at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase online, with prices ranging from $11.98 for students and seniors, to $17.31 for adults.
The horror-rock comedy set in 1982 tells the story of Seymour Krelborn, an assistant at a floral shop in Skid Row, New York. In the play, Krelborn finds and raises a plant that eventually grows and thrives by consuming human flesh and blood.
Cochrane High School students and members of Cochrane High Performance and Visual Arts, Imogen Souvairan and Fran Punch, will star in the production’s leading roles of Seymour Krelborn and Audrey Fulquard, respectively.
Punch described her character Audrey as someone who would always be placed in difficult situations due to her circumstances. She would later overcome them by working at plant shop with Seymour.
“[Seymour] is that one person who shows her love, and that is all that she’s looking for, really,” Souvairan said.
Souvairan's character Seymour, grew up in an orphanage and is in an environment he cannot escape from. He later discovers a carnivorous plant that he names Audrey II.
“He’s sweet, he’s clumsy, he has such a big heart, and he wants to show Audrey that he has enough heart,” Punch said. “[And] that he can love her even though she’s gone through some bad times.”
From the costumes, set, and even the puppet work, each aspect of the production has been hand-crafted by students and former staff members of Cochrane High School.
Souvairan added the work done behind the scenes perfectly captures the essence of the story.
“It’s only one stage, but there’s so many locations of the skid row world that’s on that same stage.” she said.
Punch added that the costume and make-up work achieved by the production really adds to the early 1980s setting.
“It’s really fun to be able to dive into another era and embrace that different style,” he said.
Director of the production and drama teacher at Cochrane High School, Dustin Whetton, has directed several theatrical productions in the past. He operates Cochrane High’s musical theatre program alongside April Waterbury and is proud to work alongside his students.
“Being a director here at Cochrane High School has always been a pretty cool experience because the students take the productions and musicals quite seriously,” Whetton said. “They have a bit of a gravitas to how they approach things.
“They want to be professional and they want to show that they can rise above the typical constructs that exist in high-school theatre and that they can match what professional theatre is.”
With everyone who is part of the production fully invested and sharing the same passion for theatre, Whetton said seeing his students achieve new highs on the stage is always inspiring.
“It’s really awesome to have those kinds of students,” Whetton said. “I’m really excited to see what they end up performing on the day of, and letting it all out there.”
With opening night fast approaching, Souvairan and Punch are excited to show to the community what the Cochrane High Visual and Performing Arts group has been working towards.
“I’m so excited for people to be able to share this moment with us, especially since we’ve worked on this for a few months now,” Souvairan said.
“I’m grateful to have this role and that Mr. Whetton trusted me with it,” Punch added. “And I’m very grateful to be on stage again, performing for an audience because that’s really fun.”
Tickets can be found online at Eventbrite.ca and searching ‘Little Shop of Horrors: The Musical by Cochrane High Performing Arts.’
“We encourage people to come out, check out the Cochrane High Theatre, and buy those tickets quick,” Whetton said.
