Giving voice to a vicious plant

Don’t bother looking for Michael James Leslie on stage at the Orange

County Performing Arts Center. But be sure, he is watching you.

Leslie, whose expansive vocal range won him a spot in a Broadway

touring cast, will be stationed in his backstage recording booth,

scanning Segerstrom Hall and gauging crowd reaction.

“I hear you laugh. I hear you burp,” Leslie said. “Even though I’m

not on stage, I’m aware of what’s going on.”

Leslie is the voice of Audrey II, the man-eating, blood-sucking

plant that dominates the stage in “Little Shop of Horrors,” a musical

that runs tonight through Aug. 28 at the performing arts center.

Leslie doesn’t make an appearance on stage until the curtain call.

“The audience doesn’t know who I am,” he said. “When I finally

come out, they think I’m the usher.”

Still, there might not be a person more familiar with the show

than Leslie, who was with the original “Little Shop of Horrors” cast

when it toured the country 20 years ago.

The musical is based on the 1960 Roger Corman film of the same

name. In the story, a skid-row florist makes a Faustian pact with a

small plant in order to win the heart of Audrey, the woman he loves.

As the florist’s exotic plant, designed by the Jim Henson Workshop,

continues to grow, a secret is revealed: It feasts on human blood.

The 1986 movie version of “Little Shop of Horrors,” starring Rick

Moranis and Steve Martin, led to the 2003 Broadway revival.

After seeing the movie and original musical production, actress

Tari Kelly said she was determined to be part of the cast.

“I’ve always wanted to do this show,” said Kelly, who plays

Audrey. “It’s a little dark, and it’s funny. I enjoy dark comedy.”

For the past year, Kelly has traveled the country perfecting

Audrey’s high-pitched, squeaky voice. It’s the longest consecutive

run she has made in one role, and Kelly said the experience has

helped her strengthen her voice.

Leslie agreed. He said performing offstage has given him a better

understanding of how an actor can use his voice alone to attract

laughter and applause.

During the show, he speaks in almost every octave range and sings

in different styles -- a cross between Tina Turner and Barry White,

he said.

That range was the design of Alan Menken, who wrote the music for

“Little Shop of Horrors,” as well as for “The Little Mermaid,”

“Beauty and the Beast” and “Aladdin.”

The book and lyrics are by written by the late Howard Ashman.

What “Little Shop of Horrors” lacks in social significance, it

makes up for with lavish set design and hummable tunes.

“It’s a little gem,” Kelly said. “It’s a perfect little show.”

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “Little Shop of Horrors”

WHEN: Tonight through Aug. 28

WHERE: Orange County Performing Arts Center’s Segerstrom Hall, 600

Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

COST: $21.25 to $64.75

CONTACT: CenterTix at (714) 556-2787 or visit o7www.ocpac.orgf7.

* ELIA POWERS is the enterprise and general assignment reporter.

He may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or by e-mail at

[email protected].