Little Shop of Horrors Returns

~by Amy Huffman Oliver, art by Will Gaunt

The first musical show at Brown County High School’s auditorium in 1991 was Little Shop of Horrors. On April 12–14, 2024, this year’s drama students will again perform Little Shop of Horrors, a horror-comedy-rock Broadway musical, capping off a busy period of eclipse activities in Brown County.

Little Shop of Horrors is the latest in a long line of drama productions at Brown County High School (BCHS) that date back to the early 1960s. The program started as an after-school club that performed on a makeshift stage in the cafeteria, which students affectionately called the “cafetorium.”

Starting in 1974, Janice Cassiday, known as “Mrs. C” to her students, grew the drama program into an academic department that includes acting and technical classes, producing multiple dramas, comedies, and musicals each year. Cassiday is known not only for spearheading the effort to build the professional-grade auditorium at the high school in 1991, but also for positively influencing generations of students until her retirement in 2000.

Danny Webb was a drama student of Cassiday’s from 1991 to 1998 and now teaches at Brown County Middle School. He shares with his students the effect the program had on his life. “In the classroom and on the stage, there was no doubt that Janice was all in and committed to creating a professional production. Janice’s enthusiasm was contagious and created a culture that encouraged students to take pride in the process and final product.”

Dr. Laurie Godfrey, known to her students as “Doc,” directed the BCHS drama program from 2007 to 2021. Godfrey knew the first time she walked into the commons area and saw the theater banners that “this is a theater school.” She couldn’t wait to be a part of it. During her tenure, Godfrey led updates to the light and sound systems and was the driving force to build an outdoor storage unit to preserve scenery and props that could be used again. Godfrey led the drama program to win two state thespian awards in 2012 and 2013. Before her retirement in 2021, Indiana Thespians Hall of Fame inducted Godfrey in recognition of her lifetime of achievement in theater education.

This version of the 1982 musical Little Shop of Horrors is directed by the high school’s newest drama teacher, Johnny Elmore. He is a 31-year member of the Directors Guild of America who spent his career in Los Angeles working on films including Spiderman, Lethal Weapon, Swordfish, and Under Seige. He’s directed five musicals, 25 stage plays, and 12 radio plays.

Elmore returned to Brown County to be near his father and continues the drama legacy. He teaches acting and technical classes and is directing his fourth production at the high school while still juggling some volunteer directing duties at the Brown County Playhouse.

Elmore chose Little Shop of Horrors for this year’s show because it starts with an eclipse. Seymour, an orphan who works at a flower shop, played by sophomore Derek Middleton, finds a peculiar plant and takes it to the flower shop. Seymour and his co-worker, Audrey, played by senior Lilly Voils, name the plant “Audry II” and it seems to bring the flower shop fame and good fortune. The plot thickens when Seymour learns the plant’s secret to survival and its evil plan that will quickly overcome the flower shop in disturbing ways.

The puppet is the star of the show as it grows larger and changes throughout the show. Elmore will drive to Philadelphia over spring break to rent an official Audry II puppet.

“Little Shop is somewhat expensive to put on because of the puppet, but it will be worth it to connect the total eclipse in the show to the eclipse coming to Brown County just four days before the show’s opening night on April 12,” Elmore said. He hopes that after experiencing the eclipse on Monday, April 8, the community will be able to relax and enjoy a good laugh with the student actors.

The show’s songs are in the style of Motown and “doo-wop” popular music of the 1960s. Jacqueline List, the school’s choir teacher, is in her first year at Brown County and will be the musical director. Band teacher, Matthew Finley, will direct a four-piece student ensemble on a platform high above the actors.

Senior Lilly Voils is in her sixth year in the theater program, following in the footsteps of her father and brother, who were also a part of BCHS drama productions. For this show, she is the student director, choreographer, and lead female actress in the role of Audrey. “ The theater has been where I go to relax, stay busy, and laugh. It’s helped me learn leadership and social skills, and I’ve learned to be most comfortable being myself.” Voils plans to continue her studies at Franklin College in vocal choir education and she will likely continue with her love of musical theater in college and beyond.

Celebrate the eclipse and support a long tradition of high quality drama at Brown County High School by attending the show April 12–14. Tickets are available on the Facebook page “Brown County HS Theatre Department.” Adult tickets are $13 and student tickets are $7.