This "Little Shop" Isn't Horrible

Why is Kudzu an appropriate fractal cookie for a review of Little Shop Of Horrors?  If you've seen the movie or the show you can probably figure it out: if you haven't check it out and the similarities should become clear.  (If it's not clear after that you probably shouldn't be reading this blog.  So--on with the review!
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Little Shop Of Horrors has made a long journey from the begining as a "Grade Z" black and white film directed by "Schlockmeister" Roger Corman way back in 1960.  (These days the film is noted for the performance of a then-unknow Jack Nicholson.)  The film quickly came and went leaving little impression but somebody got the bright idea to turn the property into a musical send-up of Sci Fi and Broadway musicals.  Thanks largely to a clever script and awesome songs by Howard Ashman and Alan Mencken (who later went on to major fame as the musical force behind such hits as Disney's Litle Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and many others).  The show ran Off-Broadway for five years and spawned a second movie (staring Rick Moranis).  Since then the show has surfaced periodically in regional theaters throughout the nation.
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Little Shop of Horrors is a perfect show for a group like Performance Riverside: the cast is small and doesn't require a big band or major effects (with the exception of the puppetry required to manipulate Audrey 2).  Still, the show DOES require everyone involved to be high-caliber talent--and this Performance Riverside has in plenty and they miss few opportunities to milk the show for all its worth.  Seymour (Morgan Reynolds) is does "loveable nebbish" and he can seriously belt when he needs to (and that's pretty often in the show).  Alyssa Marie has the big voice, great face and fine figure required for Audrey (but her outifts are way to understated for the character).  Isaac James comes off as a bit to flamingly gay in his myriad roles (Orin the Dentist and several other minor parts) but his manic energy is effective and charming.  (If they ever do Batman as a Broadway musical he'd be a magnificent Joker.)  The "Urchins" are as fine a girl-group as the Crystals, Chiffons or Ronettes: they keep the show rolling along.  Audrey 2 is given voice by M. Darnell Suttles and movement by Jason Graham.  It wouoldn't be a show at the Landis without techncal problems and Audrey 2 gets the worst of it.  Still, everything works (at least mostly) and they soldiered on no matter what.
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I need to give the cast exceptional "props": we show the show as a Sunday Matinee with an audience that was thoroughly uninvolved.  Still, the cast gave 100% in spite of everything and a good time was had by all.  The script and songs are clever and almost never let the pace flag: they never let the technical issues get the best of them.  Little Shop Of Horros (at least this production is well worth the price of admission. 
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FINAL GRADE: A-