Deer Park High's Monstrous Musical Celebrates Predatory Plant

Deer Park High School students sang their hearts out while trying to avoid the clutches of a predatory plant in this year’s show-stopping production, the comedic monster musical “Little Shop of Horrors.”

Performed at the school’s auditorium on March 26, 27 and 28, it starred Mauricio Montes as Seymour and Destiny Parsons as Audrey, with other major roles played by Joseph DeNoyior, Olivia Grizzle, Sam Henkel, Kate Keller, Jessica Orelus and Alec Winters.

Based on Roger Corman’s low-budget 1960 horror-comedy film about a nerdy florist and his pet man-eating plant, “Little Shop of Horrors” was mutated into a popular musical by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman and premiered Off-Off-Broadway in 1982. It was later adapted into a 1986 film.

Directing for Deer Park’s thespians for the 11th year in a row was James Henry, while set designer Eileen Cullinane took a final bow, retiring after 27 years of Deer Park theater. Other dedicated faculty contributors included music director Scott Abrams, assistant director Catherine Lubrano and choreographer Kristen Wallace, with sound by Catherine Thompson and lighting by Kyle McCourt. Student director Anthony Henkel also provided the program design.

“The show was a huge success,” said Henry. “I am very proud of all the students involved, as they worked very hard since January and put on a high quality show, one that was the most technical of those I have directed. We dedicated all of our performances to Rochelle Read, our dear friend and colleague who passed away last year. She was and still is Deer Park theater’s No. 1 fan.”

Photos courtesy of the Deer Park School District