Downtown
Where the cabs don't stop
Downtown
Where the food is slop
Downtown
Where the hop-heads flop
in the snow
Down on Skid Row
The show begins, introducing you to a cast of characters down on their luck. Seymour, a shop boy in a dead end job, with a crush on a girl who sees right through him.
Then, one seemingly normal day, everything changes for the lonely shop boy after a solar eclipse.
And when the light came back this weird plant was just sitting there,
whoop-see-doo
just, you know, stuck in, among the zinnias.
Audrey Two.
I coulda sworn it hadn't been there before,
but the old Chinese man sold it to me anyways,
for a dollar ninety-five.
Sha la la, la la la, la la la loo.
The plant was different alright and it takes just a small sacrifice on Seymour's part to make him grow. Who would have guessed that a drop of blood and this plant could make dreams come true!
All the world used to hate him
Now they're startin' t'appreciate him
All because of that strange little plant
Over there
Fame, success, and even a family for our zero turned hero.
Now, do it now
Just a flicker of pressure right here on the trigger
And Audrey won't have to put up that pig for another day
Now- for the girl, now- for the plant
Now- yes I will... but I can't
Suddenly Seymour is standin' beside you
You don't need no makeup, don't have to pretend
Suddenly Seymour is here to provide you
Sweet understanding
Seymour's your friend
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| Sophia and John pose in front of the largest Audrey II puppet |
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| Singing "The guy sure looks like plant food to me" in Feed Me |
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| Very little improvisation can occur, each intonation and chuckle is carefully timed between the two. |
The Audrey II role consists of four puppets that represent the growth of the plant from a cute little hand held bud to the monstrous eight foot plant in the final scenes. Sophia needs to be hidden from the audience and the trickery is done at times with countertops, props and actually working from inside the plant. The actor who works the movements of the plant requires extreme strength but must also be able to fit inside the confined spaces of the puppet or counter - not exactly a job for the claustrophobic! This is why the deep, soulful, baritone voice and the movement of the plant cannot be found in just one person. And so this fascinating partnership is born!
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| Sophia with the smallest Audrey II |
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| Sophia prepares to enter the largest Audrey II for the first time. She sits on a chair inside a terracotta pot with a seat belt securing her to the base. A large foam head about three times larger than her goes over her head and she manipulates the puppet from inside using a series of bars and levers. |
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| Now inside, you can see the scale of the prop that she will bring to life. It's HUGE! |
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| Audrey II, ready for her close up! |
As the sets go in the Studio Theatre, the cast is upstairs in the green room each waiting their turn to be fitted for their costume. I sit in the back observing what is called the "costume parade".
Defined by wikipedia, a costume parade is: a test of the costumes against the final stage lighting so as not to produce a conflict in color differentiation in the final product. Also, costume pieces that restrict movement or fit strangely such as shoes, hats, gloves and so on may be added either in their final form or (usually) in rehearsal form approximating size, shape, etc. to allow actors to get used to them in advance.One by one each boisterous, hilarious actor transforms into a character. It's as if the sacred act of dressing in costume has literally given them a new skin and they assume the mannerisms of the men they are about to portray on stage. They become refined, their posture changes, their tone of voice slows and some are practicing different intonations. It is really fascinating to watch. In the dressing room Costume Designer Alex Amini inspects the details of each costume with Director Danny Harvey. They explain to me that they are trying to portray a sepia tone to reflect an era gone by.
See the final product on stage until July 27. But for now, here's a sneak peek:
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| One of the set drawings for 12 Angry Men. Where it all begins. |
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| From the drawings the team begins to build the set at our workshop on Orenda Road. |
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| Meanwhile, in the rehearsal room, the first read through of 12 Angry Men has begun. |
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| Juror #8, played by Scott Carmichael, argues his point. |
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| Here the artistic team sits in the position of the future audience with a critical eye on the cast. |
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| The audience is left to judge the innocence of the man on trial based on their interpretation of the evidence. What will your vote be? |
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| The artistic team are all smiles after the completion of a successful first day. |
12 Angry Men opens July 5 in Studio Two. Stick around after the show on opening night for light refreshments and meet-and-greet with the cast and crew.
