A bloodthirsty plant, a down-on-his-luck florist, and a score packed with doo-wop charm are taking root in Estes Park as the Fine Arts Guild of the Rockies prepares to open its production of “Little Shop of Horrors” at Estes Park High School. Running March 20-22 and March 27-28, the musical follows Seymour, a meek shop assistant who discovers a mysterious plant that thrives on blood and quickly grows beyond his control.
“There is no denying that this is one of the most fun musicals you can pick,” said director Alex Amery. “The Fine Arts Guild told me during my initial interview that they wanted this to have an ambitious vision and scope. I am taking that mandate to heart. The scale and size of the puppet, as well as the talent on display, will surprise people.”
Equal parts campy horror and offbeat comedy, the show has become a cultural touchstone since its origins as a 1960 B-movie and later stage adaptation in 1982. For Amery, the path to the material has been anything but typical.
“My first exposure to ‘Little Shop’ was back in Chicago, which is where I moved here from about two years ago; I had a friend who was in a production of this in the northern suburb of Chicago,” Amery said. “Historically, I have not been much of a musical person. I have an acting background and was an elitist drama kid who turned my nose up at musicals, but I really enjoyed this one.”
Amery, who moved to Colorado from Illinois about two years ago, came to the project after connecting with the guild while looking to reengage with theater. Though relatively new to directing, he approaches the role less as an auteur and more as a collaborator.
“I view myself as the facilitator of the talent in the room rather than someone who shows up with a hefty process or vision I’m trying to put on the show,” Amery says. “A big part of this is being wonderfully surprised by the talent that I have on hand.”
That collaborative spirit extends to the production’s design, which leans heavily into spectacle. Central to the show is Audrey II, the carnivorous plant that evolves throughout the story. In this staging, those transformations are literal and large-scale.
“We have two whole different platform-sized versions of the puppet Audrey II,” Amery says. “We have a giant puppet plant operated by three different people, and we have built the set around the ability to take a puppet out and swap it with another without stopping the show.”
The puppets, constructed by Michael Young, draw on his experience building parade floats in Estes Park, giving the production a distinct local flavor. The set, built by Tim Phillips and painted by Greg Steiner, has been designed specifically to accommodate the shifting scale of the plant, creating what Amery describes as a fluid and tightly paced theatrical experience.
“People will be impressed by the flow, and I don’t want to give away too many specifics, but by the puppets and the vision of the designers,” Amery said. “If you’ve seen a Fine Arts Guild production in the past, come on down again; we have some fresh offerings, and it’s an ambitious production.”
The idea to stage “Little Shop of Horrors” came up at a Fine Arts Guild board retreat last October.
“For some reason, we got to talking about B-grade movies. I said, well, speaking of big, great movies, you know, there’s ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’” said Lars Sage, a guild board member. “That’s when we decided to produce the musical.”
That conversation sparked a chain of events that led to the current production, including reconnecting with Young, who had worked on a previous guild staging of the show decades earlier. The timing also aligned with community events already on the calendar.
“It’s just serendipitous that we all happen to come together at the same time,” Sage says, noting that the second weekend of performances coincides with Frozen Dead Guy Days. “We’re collaborating with Frozen Dead Guys; sure, you’ll go to them during the day, but at night, why don’t you go see something that relates to that concept?”
While the premise may lean into horror, Amery emphasizes that the production prioritizes accessibility and fun over heavy-handed interpretation.
“I don’t want people to think that they are coming to see a political concept forced on it,” he says. “At the end of the day, what we are dealing with is timely, fantastic music and a hilarious script. I think people can come escape the modern world and experience a musical, but hopefully we’ve hidden some Easter eggs for those who want to go deeper.”
Those choices extend to character and costume work, particularly in the portrayal of Audrey, often played as a caricature of vulnerability. Amery hints at a more nuanced approach.
“There are so many references to classic movie monster actresses, and I want to keep and honor that,” he says. “But in a lot of ways, she almost saves Seymour.”
The production also blends familiar faces with new talent, part of a broader effort by the guild to expand its reach and artistic identity.
“We have some new blood,” Amery says. “Across the board, all of the design team are sort of trying to knock it out of the park. This seems like a strong effort on the guild’s part to try to solidify themselves as a real artistic force in town.”
That sense of momentum has been reinforced by community support, from local organizations contributing materials to residents expressing curiosity and excitement.
“Every time we go out in the town, people have heard about it or are interested,” Amery says. “If we need extra props, everyone in town has been so generous.”
With its blend of humor, horror and heart — and a production scale that aims to surprise — “Little Shop of Horrors” arrives as both a crowd-pleaser and a statement of intent for the guild.
“I’m not a musical person and I love this show,” Amery said. “If you don’t care to see ‘Guys and Dolls’ or more traditional musicals, you should come down because this pokes fun at musicals. It’s a great production for people with all different exposures to theater.”
Performances take place at Estes Park High School, 1600 Manford Ave., at 7 p.m. March 20, 21, 27 and 28, with a 2 p.m. matinee March 22. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and $15 for children ages 5-18, with free admission for children under 5.
You must be logged in to post a comment.