by Katherine Pereira.
CONCORD, NH — Following the lackluster turnout at the Northview High School theatre department’s bake sale, director and English teacher Donna Mackey has made the creative decision to mount this spring’s production of Little Shop of Horrors with nothing but acting blocks onstage, though sources assured that the two events were completely unrelated.
“This was always the vision,” Mackey insisted, covering her ears and shaking her head. “I wanted to showcase Skid Row’s isolation through an absence of set. This was always. The. Plan.”
Andrea Weeks, senior brown-noser and the production’s Audrey, was very eager to share her opinion.
“Ms. Mackey is the only one brave enough to ask the question ‘how much can the audience suspend their disbelief?’” Weeks gushed, plastering the halls with posters for the club’s upcoming car wash. “I mean, people loved Dear Evan Hansen, and that was just three big screens and a fake laptop."
Mackey’s stripped-down vision includes an emphasis on object work as she has completely done away with all the props in the show. Michael Martin, who was the only boy to audition and plays Seymour, was ready to rise to the occasion.
“As actors, it is our job to embrace the challenge of realistically interacting with props that simply aren’t there,” he said, appearing to sweep the floor with an impossibly girthy broom. “I was excited for our trip to New York that got canceled, but I would say I’m even more excited about this opportunity.”
When asked about her plan for the larger-than-life Audrey II, which will be portrayed by leftover scraps of astroturf from Northview’s annual football field renovation, Mackey just winked and chuckled.
“I guess you’ll just have to wait and see how that works. Tickets are $35, and all proceeds support the theatre - not that we need it.”
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