Sometimes it really does pay to surf the Internet. That's what Jon Rosen, the president of fledgling Scotts Valley Performing Arts, found out last December. While conducting research for his upcoming community theater production of the musical Little Shop Of Horrors, he stumbled across the web site of actor Mel Welles.

Mr. Welles achieved cult icon status based on his portrayal of the florist Gravis Mushnik in Roger Corman's 1960 science fiction horror spoof The Little Shop Of Horrors, on which the 1980 off-Broadway musical and subsequent 1984 film starring Rick Moranis and Steve Martin were based. Although Corman's original film won notoriety for one of the earliest featured appearances of Jack Nicholson (a hilarious bit part as a masochistic dental patient, recreated in the musical film by Saturday Night Live comedian Bill Murray), it was a very funny low-budget film in its own right.

With wonderful performances by perennial Corman stars Welles, Jonathan Haze, Jackie Joseph and Dick Miller, The Little Shop Of Horrors tells the story of Seymour (Haze), an unappreciated Skid Row florist's apprentice, who becomes famous when he discovers an amazing flytrap-like plant which he names after his girlfriend Audrey (Joseph). His boss, Mushnik (Welles), suspecting foul play when the local dentist disappears, discovers Seymour's secret to making the plant grow--it thrives on human flesh and blood. The plant's trademark line "Feed Me!" (yes, it also talks!) has become a catch phrase for science fiction film buffs around the world.

After finding his website, Rosen struck up an e-mail conversation with Mr. Welles, hoping to get some authentic bits of advice on how to capture the spirit of the original film in his local production. In the process, he inquired as to whether Welles had ever played Mushnik on stage. In Welles' own words: "I have heard that (the late) writer and director Howard Ashman wanted me in the off-Broadway cast but he thought I was no longer working in show business. There were even rumors of my death. So, Hy Anzell was cast in the role of Mushnik and he did a wonderful job. When they filmed the motion picture version of the musical, director Frank Oz decided against using any of the original film cast and instead featured (the late) Vincent Gardenia as Musknik."

Rosen asked him why he had never played the part in a local touring or stock company production and Welles replied, "Because no one has ever asked me." Seizing the opportunity, Rosen popped the question, and Welles graciously agreed to perform in the production as a benefit for the fledgling Northern California theater company.

Mr. Welles is very excited about the opportunity to recreate his motion picture role on stage. Since performing in Corman's movie, he has had a long and successful acting, directing and producing career in film and television. His publishing company produced several award-winning children's books in a series entitled Wiki, Tiki, and Krapachnek. He still works actively doing voice-overs and lectures. He is currently creating a touring musical entitled Beyond The Pale based on the story Mottel, The Cantor's Son by Sholem Aleichem.

"Although Scotts Valley Performing Arts is a small non-profit community theater, it is fun to go back to one's roots. I may be a little bit older than I was when I did the film," Welles noted, "but I still feel very close to the character of Mushnik. I am looking forward to working with this talented group of local actors."

Scotts Valley Performing Arts was established by Rosen and co-founder Geoffrey Ward in early 1998 to bring theatrical productions directly to their local community, a Silicon Valley suburb located just north of Santa Cruz. Its first production of Bye Bye Birdie in June 1998 was well received by the community, and it was followed in November by the female version of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple and a holiday concert in December.

"I always hoped someday we would be able to have an occasional guest star in our productions, but I never expected it to happen this fast!" said Rosen.

The Little Shop Of Horrors was written and directed by Howard Ashman with music by Alan Menken (authors and composers of Walt Disney's The Little Mermaid and Beauty And The Beast). It is based on the original film directed by Roger Corman with screenplay by Charles Griffith. The Scotts Valley Performing Arts production is directed by Jon Rosen, produced by John Boring and Joan DeMuro, with musical direction by Karen Pajack and choreography by Geri Carlson Sauls. The Little Shop Of Horrors is presented by special arrangement with Music Theatre International.

The Little Shop Of Horrors opens at Felton Community Hall, 6191 Highway 9 in Felton, California, on Friday, April 9th, with a gala champagne party. Performances through April 25th are on Friday at 8:00 PM, Saturday at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM (no 2:00 PM performance on Saturday, April 10th), and Sunday at 2:00 PM. For more information, please call (831) 438-SHOW. Orders for tickets may be mailed to Scotts Valley Performing Arts, 139 Sunridge Drive, Scotts Valley, CA 95066. Visa and Mastercard are accepted.

Press release copyright Scotts Valley Performance Arts Council

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