Act I
In a bleak urban neighbourhood, three sassy street urchins—Crystal, Ronette and Chiffon—open the show with a bold warning and a groove: “Little Shop of Horrors.” They reappear throughout the story, acting as a kind of Greek chorus. We meet Seymour Krelborn, a timid and nerdy flower shop assistant, and Audrey, his glamorous but vulnerable co-worker. They, along with their grumpy boss Mr. Mushnik, lament their miserable lives in “Skid Row (Downtown).” During a mysterious eclipse, Seymour discovers a strange, flytrap-like plant he names Audrey II, in honour of Audrey (“Da-Doo”). When he accidentally pricks his finger, he realises the plant feeds on blood. He nurtures it in secret (“Grow For Me”).
As Audrey II begins to flourish, it brings success to the failing flower shop and attention to Seymour. Customers return (“Ya Never Know”), and Mushnik sees dollar signs. Audrey, meanwhile, dreams of escaping her abusive boyfriend and settling down with someone kind—like Seymour (“Somewhere That’s Green”). With business booming (“Closed for Renovation”), Seymour is offered a full partnership by Mushnik (“Mushnik and Son”). Meanwhile, we meet Orin Scrivello, Audrey’s sadistic dentist boyfriend, who proudly explains his career path in the twisted rock anthem “Dentist!”
Seymour, now exhausted from feeding Audrey II his own blood, is tempted by the plant’s offer of fame, love and success—if only he’ll find more “substantial” food (“Feed Me (Git It)”). Though Seymour lacks the nerve to kill Orin outright, fate intervenes: Orin overdoses on laughing gas. Seymour watches him die, then feeds the body to Audrey II (“Now (It’s Just the Gas)”). Mushnik begins to suspect something is wrong, but Seymour is in too deep. As Audrey II grows ever larger, the first act ends in a dramatic feeding frenzy (“Act I Finale”).
Act II
Orders flood in, and the shop is overwhelmed (“Call Back in the Morning”). Audrey and Seymour finally confess their feelings and share a heartfelt promise of safety and love (“Suddenly, Seymour”). But Mushnik confronts Seymour about Orin’s disappearance. In a panic, Seymour feeds Mushnik to the plant as well (“Suppertime”). Now fully in control of the shop and at the height of fame, Seymour is offered television deals and product endorsements (“The Meek Shall Inherit”). But he is haunted by guilt and knows the plant must be stopped.
Later, Audrey visits the shop. Audrey II tricks her into getting too close and attacks (“Sominex / Suppertime II”). Seymour rescues her, but she is fatally wounded. In her final moments, she asks Seymour to feed her to the plant so she can be part of him forever (“Somewhere That’s Green (Reprise)”). The next day, a slick businessman named Patrick Martin arrives, hoping to take cuttings of Audrey II and sell them across the country. Seymour realises this is the beginning of a worldwide takeover. He tries to kill the plant with weapons and poison, but nothing works.
In a final act of desperation, Seymour dives into the plant with a machete, hoping to kill it from the inside. But Audrey II wins again. Crystal, Ronette and Chiffon return for the final warning: across the nation, more Audrey IIs are taking root. They urge the audience to be careful what they believe—and never feed the plants (“Finale Ultimo: Don’t Feed the Plants”).
Little Shop of Horrors is outrageous, absurd and undeniably fun—but, beneath its B-grade sci-fi flair and catchy tunes lies a dark, human story about loneliness, desperation and the seductive pull of being seen.
The people of Skid Row are neglected and ignored. They’ll believe anything, follow anyone and, eventually, do anything if it offers them the chance to escape. Seymour, a quiet, socially awkward outsider, finds himself suddenly noticed—by his boss, his crush, the media… and a mysterious talking plant. The attention is intoxicating. When you’ve spent your life being invisible, even manipulation feels like love. Fame feels like purpose. The danger lies in what you’re willing to trade in return.
In our production, Audrey II is not an offstage voice but a live physical presence—an embodiment of Seymour’s inner thoughts and desires. This choice reframes the story: it’s not an alien threat, but a human one. We’ve also split the role of Mushnik across two performers—Mr. and Ms. Mushnik—which allowed us to move beyond a single cultural interpretation and reflect a broader, more authentic range of voices within our cast and community.
The band is onstage, fully visible and integrated into the world. This was a deliberate decision—to make Skid Row feel immediate and lived-in. The sound isn’t coming from somewhere else—it’s part of the fabric of this place, like the bricks, the grime and the hunger.
The costumes and set reflect this too: a faded, rotting colour palette that suggests a city forgotten. A huge thanks to Steve Annis for his brilliant set design, which gives us a Skid Row that feels both grim and surreal, and allows Act 2 to tip into garish, camp chaos as the story spirals out of control.
The sound of this show is gritty and urgent, and it’s been a challenge for this cast to tap into that energy. But they’ve stepped up, creating characters who are silly and strange, yes, but also heartbreakingly real.
When people are kept small and powerless, they’ll cling to anything that makes them feel seen. Even if it means feeding the monster.
Director: Nick Waxman, with Emma Waxman and Katherine Barton
Little Shop of Horrors has been a joy to bring to life with our fabulously talented and hard-working students. With toe-tapping tunes and wickedly witty lyrics that blend the doo-wop charm of The Supremes with Broadway flair, we know you’ll feel the infectious energy, from the dark depths of the slums in “Skid Row” to the menacing, rocking blues of “Feed Me.” Every number is a melodic gem, brimming with humour, heart and a touch of horror! Alan Menken’s vibrant score and Howard Ashman’s clever wordplay create a musical experience that’s both nostalgic and refreshingly original. The show’s intricate harmonies, especially in ensemble numbers, demand precision and vocal agility, challenging performers to blend seamlessly while staying in character and offering a thrilling sense of unity once mastered. Whether it’s the soulful longing of Seymour, Audrey’s dreamy ballad, or the anxiety inducing flair of Orin, the show delivers a feast of sound that delights, surprises and lingers long after the final curtain.
It has been a pleasure as always to work with the students of Geelong Grammar School on the latest musical, and we’ve once again seen them take on incredible challenges and have a lot of fun in rehearsals creating the magic you see on stage tonight. Moving between moments of reality, hyper-reality and non-reality has been a major exploration in creating the movement language of Little Shop, taking everyday movements and turning them into exaggerated gestures, weaving them between moments of dance. The cast have worked brilliantly to connect their movement to story and place, but also in understanding movement as a critical language in communicating and connecting with the audience.
Choreographing the GGS senior musical has been a joy this year, and I’d like to thank the staff and students I’ve worked with over the years to make the musical be such a memorable and rewarding experience.
Before establishing himself as a sought-after composer for Disney and Broadway, Alan Menken gained notoriety for the highly successful Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors. The appeal of the musical lies in its diversity of musical styles, from authentic 1960s Rock and Roll, R & B, Girl Group “Doo-Wop Pop” (The Angels and The Supremes), along with Menken’s own contemporary popular musical theatre style which is characterised in his Disney musicals.
It has been a joy to see the orchestra of GGS student and staff orchestra navigate the score of Little Shop. Playing in an orchestra musical demands intense effort and dedication to the rehearsal period, production week and performances, and I have been thrilled with the energy and musicality that each orchestra member has given to the show. I hope you enjoy hearing (and seeing!) them perform on stage tonight.
Fraser Carr – Seymour Krelborn
Stella Shute – Audrey
Lana Karlusic – Ronette
Sarah Singh – Crystal
Ayesha Jaiswal – Chiffon
Kresha Jaiswal – Ronettes/ Urchins
Maiya Griffiths-Green – Ronettes/ Urchins
Lexi Taylor – Ronettes/ Urchins
Leonie Kosasi-Papdan – The Mushniks
Isaac Ng – The Mushniks
Ollie Bartholomew – Audrey II
Kimi Ji – Audrey II
Peppa van Houten – Audrey II Creepers
Annabelle Jarvis – Audrey II Creepers
Zara Armytage – Audrey II Creepers
Georgina Dobson – Audrey II Creepers
Alex Goulios – Orin Scrivello
Lucas Aponso – Bernstein
Georgie Cole – Mrs Luce
Nigel Leung – Skip Snip
Felix Waters – Patrick Martin
Beth Lalor – Interviewer
Reu Phillis – Customer 2
Tilly Burgess-Hoar – Wino #2
Lucas Guo – Wino #2
Archer Fu – Mr Chang
Juliette Cox – Skid Row Gang (and other assorted characters)
Issy van Drongelen – Skid Row Gang (and other assorted characters)
Emily Crawford – Skid Row Gang (and other assorted characters)
Hattie Wade-Holdaway – Skid Row Gang (and other assorted characters)
Daniel Rosina – Skid Row Gang (and other assorted characters)
Hamish Scudamore – Skid Row Gang (and other assorted characters)
Keyboard 1/Conductor – John Shawcross
Keyboard 2 – Kathy Hirche, Henry Huang (Yr12 M), Jason Jin (Yr12 M)
Violin – Ella Borthwick (Yr12 A)
Trumpet 1 – Ari Farrar
Trumpet 2 – Finlay Stehle (Yr10 Cu)
Reed 1 – Shae Stabryla, Tim Xu (Yr8 Ot)
Reed 2 – Jim Davidson
Guitar – Freddie Sternson (Yr11 FB)
Bass – Gen Aitken
Drums – Louis Fan (Yr11 P)
Percussion – Sean Loughran
Chloe Fitzgerald (Yr11 Fr, Stage Manager)
Oscar Einam (Yr11 FB)
William Bomar (Yr12 M)
Jasmine Luo (Yr10 Cl)
Bonnie Lampard (Yr12 He)
Brian Dong (Yr11 FB)
Bianca Jupp (Yr11 He)
Zac King (Yr10 Fr)
Director: Nick Waxman
Musical Director: John Shawcross
Assistant Director: Emma Waxman, with Katherine Barton
Choreography: Xavier McGettigan
Dance Captains: Lexi Taylor (Yr10 Cl), Georgie Cole (Yr11 EM) and Tilly Burgess-Hoar (Yr12 EM)
Vocal Director: Holly Sharpe
Lighting: Andrei XXXX
Sound: XXX, XXX
Venue Technicians: Ben Hardiman and Jordan Clarke
Make-up: XXX, XXXX
Costume: Emma Waxman
Poster/Program: Chloe Flemming
Marketing/Social Media: Nick, Jo, Jacqueline
Backstage Volunteers:
