This December, CDNIS presented its take on the renowned film “The Little Shop of Horrors” as a musical. The production was well received by students, reflecting the immense amount of time and effort invested in the show leading up to its premiere. The exceptional performances by cast members and meticulous attention to detail by the production team created a memorable experience for all audience members.
Tristan Wong (G10) shed some light on the production process and shared that the cast had been rehearsing since early September. After participating in CDNIS productions for three years, Tristan was thrilled to have secured the leading role of Seymour, the protagonist in The Little Shop of Horrors. Reflecting on the most enriching aspect of production, Tristan said: “I really enjoy the strong sense of community and how united everyone gets when working towards the same goal. It’s a great opportunity to make new friends and explore your passions at the same time.”
“When you finish a show; it’s so satisfying. I spend most of the show stressing about calling queues and sometimes things get messed up. In the end, when the lights go out and people clap, it’s such a feeling of relief and [is] extremely rewarding.”
Although rewarding, preparing for the show did not come without its challenges. During the interview, Tristan mentioned the large age difference between the actors, with some being as young as Grade 6. This gap understandably made it difficult for everyone to stay focused throughout entire rehearsals, especially in large groups. But of course, everything worked out splendidly in the end, with the cast creating fond memories together. For example, when asked about a funny story on set, Tristan shared: “I think a funny memory was [me and Isabella (G11)] when we were performing a song. We were doing a scene where we hugged and sang at the same time, but our rhythm wasn’t clicking. So Ms. Drouet and Ms. O’Brien mimicked the hug and everyone around us, including the cast, started doing it as well. That was pretty funny.”
We also interviewed Phoebe Simpson (G11), who worked behind the scenes as the Head Stage Manager. Holding the same position in last year’s Shrek production, Phoebe was both experienced in and qualified for this role. As Head Stage Manager, Phoebe played a vital part in the musical’s success: she was responsible for scheduling rehearsals, supervising the backstage crew, recording directors’ notes for improvement, and calling actors out onto the stage during the performance. While the cast was focused on polishing their performance, Phoebe and the backstage crew prepared props and adjusted lighting and sound to optimize the audience’s immersive experience watching the show.
For Phoebe, the most fulfilling part of the musical was “When you finish a show; it’s so satisfying. I spend most of the show stressing about calling queues and sometimes things get messed up. In the end, when the lights go out and people clap, it’s such a feeling of relief and [is] extremely rewarding.”
Congratulations to the cast for putting on yet another entertaining series of performances; the dedication and passion from the actors and backstage crew truly show. We look forward to what is in store for the next academic year!