Backstage at "Little Shop of Horrors"

Gina Wilhelm Actress - Backstage at "Little Shop of Horrors"

I had the pleasure of attending "Little Shop of Horrors" at ACT (A Contemporary Theatre), a co-production with the 5th Avenue Theatre.

The show was done with the usual level quality one expects from ACT and 5th Ave, full of great singing and acting, clever lighting and sets, and expert direction.

However, the treat for me was taking a backstage tour with Audrey II puppeteer Eric Esteb.

Eric showed me (and my mom, also a puppeteer) all four puppets used in the show. The final puppet was under a drape, but we did get to look at its back.

The third puppet, which is the one used in "Feed Me" was in full view, and I even go to feel it.

Eric graciously told us his favorite part of the show (eating people), and how that works.

He told us about the technical aspects of operating the two larger plants. I had thought he got to leave the stage when the plant is more "dormant," but that was not the case, and in fact, he's on stage for all of act II.

The puppets used for this production are based on the original puppets designed by Sesame Street performer Martin P. Robinson (who is probably best known for performing Telly Monster), though are made from lighter weight materials than were available in 1982.

Eric also revealed that the largest Audrey II puppet was too large to fit in the rehearsal space, so rehearsals with that puppet occurred in another room

He also would rehearse one-on-one with that puppet with Ekello J. Harrid, Jr., who voices the killer plant. The effort showed, as their lip synch was very good.

After looking at the puppets, Eric and Jason (a stagehand whose last name I sadly didn't get) graciously showed us the area under the stage.

There are several set pieces moved in through trap doors on hydraulic lifts, and Jason's job is to raise and lower them using a console that looks, as Eric put it, like the inside of the Tardis.

These lifts also facilitate a few entrances and several exits, and it was very neat to see.

I am grateful to both of them for letting us see the inner backstage workings of this terrific show.

When you go to the show, check out Eric's curtain call. Quite possibly the best curtain call I've ever seen.

When he isn't acting, singing, or puppeteering, Eric is an aerialist whose work can be seen at TheInnamorati.com.

"Little Shop" runs at ACT in the Falls Theater (700 Union St., Seattle), and tickets are $29 to $74 and can be purchased at 206-292-7676 or acttheatre.org.

The show runs until June 15, so there's still time to catch it.

Eric, Gina, and Jason backstage at ACT

Gina Wilhelm Actress

Adventures in Auditioning: SecondStory Repertory

Gina Wilhelm Actress - Adventures in Auditioning: SecondStory Repertory

As we near the end of April and beginning of May, several theatre companies in the Seattle/Puget Sound area hold general season auditions.

For those who are unfamiliar (and I was when I moved up here a few years ago), some theatres just have one audition for their whole season.

They will then call actors back throughout the year to see them for specific shows, thereby only having to deal with the callback right when it's time to start work on the show.

Among the theatre companies that do that are Village Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, 5th Avenue Musical Theatre, Seattle Public Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre, and SecondStory Repertory.

Today was all about SecondStory Repertory, which is based out of Redmond Town Center. Next season they have seven shows on the mainstage as well as four "Sprouts" children's shows.

I had done the general audition for SecondStory last year, and it had involved a group of some 20 actors all sitting in the auditorium with most of the upcoming season's directors at the front of the room.

Each actor went up when called and performed in front of everyone else. Each audition group was scheduled in 1-hour blocks.

I therefore assumed that was what was in store for us this year. However, this time it was more of what I have become accustomed to: Three directors, an accompanist, and one actor.

I gave my monologue first. It was received well, I think. At one point in the piece, my character goes from being cynical and despairing to overcome with joy over an essay she's reading.

One of my biggest strengths is my ability to react to what's going on onstage (they say acting is reacting).

I had given myself a peptalk before the audition to remember to really react to what my character was reading.

Judging from the chuckles I heard from behind the table, it paid off.

I got some other laughs, too, and at the end, the accompanist said he was going to have to watch the movie from which my piece was adapted. Given his tone, I took that as a compliment.

After that, I sang my song. This was a little challenge today.

The accompanist was playing an electric keyboard, and the volume was down a little quieter than I would have liked. A few times it was hard to hear where the beat was.

However, I continued to sing, remembering to act the music, and they seemed really pleased. I thanked them and left.

The hardest part for me about season general auditions is that they hold callbacks at various times throughout the year, and you don't really know when they'll be.

However, they're doing a number of good shows this season, some with parts for which I think I'd really be suited, and I think things went well, so hopefully I'll be hearing from them!

In any event, I'll have more opportunity to get used to the idea: I have my season general audition for Village Theatre in Issaquah this week. More to come!

Gina Wilhelm Actress