Since its premier in 1982, Little Shop of Horrors has been one of the most performed musicals by high schools across the country. The story, about a boy living on Skid Row who raises a strange plant that must survive on human blood, has become one of the most popular high school shows. This year, it was the VHS Spotlight Players’ time to shine.

From its initial auditions, it looked as if everything was going smoothly. A cast was set, rehearsals were already in progress and everyone was filled with strong emotions about what this year’s production could hold for every single one of them.

However, an immediate set back loomed in when everyone returned from the holiday break; the original director had quit, leading to multiple problems that would later turn out to be beneficial.        

Three rehearsals later, still no director. Things seemed grim. Many worried whether or not the show would go on.  The show’s producer, VHS English teacher Dana Ahmuty (“Sarno” to her cast and crew) said that if we couldn’t find a director in time, the show would be canceled.

Then, a stroke of luck – VHS English teacher Fran Young and Melody Williams, mother of VHS sophomore Austin Williams, stepped in and took charge.

With Mrs. Young,  Mrs. Williams and the music director, Marsha “Mama” Schreier on board, an immediate overhaul of the show took place. From direction to choreography to set design to pit band, everything developed and improved.

Then, another minor setback hit. The cast was told that Mrs. Williams was not commissioned to help reshape the show. There needed to be certain procedures and regulations that needed to be followed before she could officially be allowed to work on the show.

So for a month everything choreography-wise, and Mrs. Young’s co –director, waited in the wings. When she did come in to secretly help out, it was kept on the down low. She was there to “bring Austin a sandwich.”

Finally at the beginning of the second month of rehearsals, Mrs. Williams was cleared and the show seemed to be on track once again. All of our directors were in place, the final set design had come in and giant man-eating plants that were “Audrey II” had arrived.

But more problems ensued. Many days, the entire cast was not available, including, Michael Hardenberg, who despite being the lead character, had to miss rehearsals to honor previous commitments. It wasn’t until the final few rehearsals where the entire cast was present.

Final touches were made to the set, puppet rehearsals were coming to an end and the choreography and direction all came together for Tech Week.

Tech Week is where the set is finished, costumes are set and the band has started rehearsals with the cast, working with the lights and microphones and running the show from start to finish perfecting each moment of it. That final rehearsal was deemed “almost flawless.”

March 1, 2012: Opening Night. Months of hard work and sweat came to fruition as the lights went out, a drumroll kicked in and the curtain opened revealing our main performers, the Doo Wop girls, singing the heck out of the title song to a wall of cheers and thunderous applause.

For the next two days: pure magic. An extraordinary group of amazingly talented people coming together to put on the show that many would later call as “the best show that VHS has ever put on.” And those in the show felt the exact same way.

Junior Michael Hardenberg as Seymour Krelborne, showing true emotion, brought a sense of realism to the production; junior Gabi Latimer as Seymour’s love interest, Audrey, with her nasally cute voice, brought cheers from her audience in her beautiful rendition of “Somewhere That’s Green;” and sophomore Austin Williams as the evil dentist, Orin Scrivello, seemed to be in the role he was born to play.

At the final day of the performance, a dark cloud swept much of the cast. None in the cast or crew could even think about it being the last show until the final “circle-up.”

Circle Up, one of the Spotlight Players’ traditions, is where the whole cast – crew, band and directors circle around and hold hands. It’s the seniors’ job to collect gifts for our directors and it’s the juniors’ duty to come up with the gifts for this year’s seniors. Each director and senior make a speech describing their emotions and what the theater has meant to them; normally each person does it through tears.

At the end of senior speeches, another important tradition takes place, all hold hands, close eyes, turn off the lights, stay quiet, and listen to One Day More from everyone’s favorite musical Les Miserables.

For the cast and crew, that song summed up all the emotions of that night – everyone was together doing what they love with a group of friends that had grown into a family.