Praise for students after success of Little Shop of Horrors stage show

Catcote Academy Sixth Form Students on stage in Little Shop of Horrors.

Students with additional needs excelled in bringing weird and wacky characters to life on stage.

Young people from Catcote Academy’s Sixth Form Performing Arts performed three shows of comedy horror musical Little Shop of Horrors to packed audiences.

Based on Howard Ashman and Alan Merken’s 1982 musical, it told the story of Seymour Krelborn, played by student Jake Calder, a down on his luck orphan who encounters a man-eating alien plant.

The plant, played by James Hannant, brings him success until Seymour finds out what it needs to grow – blood.

Catcote Academy Sixth Form students performing Little Shop of Horrors.

Things go terribly wrong as the lives of people around him are in danger of being eaten by the plant.

Other key roles included Mr Mushnik played by Connor Baldwin, sadistic dentist Dr Orin Schrivello, played by Luke Wray, and Chloe Chawner as Seymour’s long-term crush, Audrey.

Director Rick Kitson was extremely proud of his students and staff’s hard work, saying: “I am absolutely amazed and so proud at their achievement.

“To go on stage and perform is difficult enough, but for these students who have additional needs makes it all the more special.

“I want to thank them for making my job the best in the world!”

Audiences loved the show and can not wait to see what the students do next.

It was funded in part by money raised on the Catcote Performing Arts GoFundMe page, launched last year alongside their popular ‘lip dub’ video on YouTube featuring the whole school lip-synching to This Is Me.