Our Golden Valley Theater has performed their spring musical Little Shop Of Horrors on April 17th, 18th, and 19th. Is there a difference between showings? Do the actors prefer one show over another?
As an audience member you can only compare each show to what you have seen before. In this case a Little Shop is a popular production, and members may go in expecting it to be similar to the version they have seen.
Night 1: stage fright and excitement
Opening night, a night where everyone outside of the production finally gets to experience what the actors and director have been waiting to share. “I do get upset after I make a mistake, but I go home and make sure I won’t the same mistake again the following night” Maddie Ruhland a cast member
This is a night where many emotions come to surface one of them being anxiety but that does not stop actors from pushing through.
Night one was very successful, the audience giving back when they felt it was necessary, leaving the actor excited for night two. However even through the successes, actors can often get in their heads especially on night one.
Night 2: Keep the applause coming
It is always fun when actors have something to build off of. Night 1 was successful, which gave them the confidence to push through every little bump when heading down skid row.
Night 2 saw the crowd giving back each and every time they were impressed, “It really just depends on the audiences’ energy and my energy” says Ava Bender, a cast member of the production. When it comes to applause there can never be too much. Night one was very successful, but when it came to night 2, audience members couldn’t help but to show the actors appreciation.
One of the reasons actors believe some shows are better than others is the amount of people that are in the audience. This would not matter if the crowd was constantly giving back. ”Once I am on stage I just forget everyone is in the crowd and act to the best of my abilities,” Makayla Turansky, a cast member stated.
One thing actors talk about backstage is the amount of times people reacted. It always brings joy to the actors’ faces when they hear how much the audience was laughing or clapping because it means they are enjoying the show.
Night 3: Final Bow
Night 3 is always the most emotional, not only because this is the last time the community gets to experience their version of the show, but this is the last performance for seniors.
“I prefer people to come see me perform on day 3 because it’s the last show, and I tend to work better the last night. I feel the last night is always so good because we want to give it our all.” stated Turansky.
By night 3 actors have worked through all of the bumps, at this point there focus is on pushing through. These actors have worked incredibly hard to put this show together but they wouldn’t have been able to do so without help from their director Miss Hubble, Mrs. Nazario the choir director, Mr. Nazario the band director, and Mrs. Finkel the accompanist. From Anna Tatlock’s outstanding performance of “Somewhere That’s Green”, to the cast’s rendition of “Don’t Feed The Plants”, Little Shop Of Horrors was truly an amazing production.
