Every spring, New Hope Academy’s theater department displays a new musical production, and 2024’s show did not disappoint. NHA’s version of Little Shop of Horrors was performed April 19th and 20th, 2024, and was the first show in the theater department’s history to be performed more than once. The performance opened up new opportunities for growth in the department, with the cast and crew overcoming many creative feats, like a challenging score, three part harmonies, extensive choreography, and perhaps the most incredible feature yet: a homemade puppet. Involvement in the production was spread throughout the school, from the cast and crew to students in various art or 3D printing classes. Whether they memorized lines, sang, puppetered, worked in tech or pit, or even made a prop in art class, almost every student found a way to support the department, from beginning to end.
Since January, the cast and crew of Little Shop of Horrors practiced, with the actors gathering at the
Yardley campus from 3-5 PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. With rehearsals led by Jenna Parrilla-Alvino and assisted by Jen Miller, the cast was kept in good shape throughout the entire production. When asked about rehearsal, our puppeteer Claire Smith (‘25) stated, “It
was fun at first, but after two hours of being in that thing (the Audrey II puppet), my back never recovered.” Although Audrey II puppet creator and science teacher Seth Ball declined to comment on her back, he stated, “Building Audrey was a challenge, but after the construction of Milky White and all of the Little Shop puppets, I can’t wait for next year’s performance of Jaws or Alien!” Jaws or Alien are not options for next year’s musical production.
The show in itself was an emotional experience
for its two leads, Pebble Pressler (‘24) and Derek Cepin-Bailey (‘24), who are both seniors and performed Little Shop of Horrors as their last high school theatrical production. Derek, who played Seymour Krelborn, viewed the show as a beautiful way to close out his high school years, stating “I feel accepting. I’m ready for it to end.”
Being in the cast was not the only way to get involved in the production, with countless students performing in the pit orchestra, working lights and sound, and aiding the creation of the Audrey II puppet. Students in the pit worked with music teachers Chris Cinalli and Cameron Stahl on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while students in the tech crew worked with 3D Animation teacher Andrew Hay. Despite some obstacles, the tech crew was able to pull through and create an amazing show, using advanced equipment like a spotlight, light boards, and even a fog machine.
With yet another huge success for the school’s theater department, NHA continues to encourage all students to involve themselves in future productions. Director Jenna Parrilla-Alvino said, “I knew there was going to be a high expectation and some pressure associated with choosing Little Shop Of Horrors, as it would be our first musical we have ever repeated here at NHA…I waited 12 years for this show to make sure we had the right talent and group of students. This team could not have been more perfect to revive this show as far as casting and work ethic are concerned.”
Jenna added, “All of the students had immense passion for theater, along with a passion to better themselves as creatives, and as human beings. I also had the privilege of working alongside a super talented team of adults that helped bring this otherworldly vision to life. This revival turned out to be one of the best shows we’ve done at NHA, and I hope this production has opened a door for even more students to join our theater family next year to put on some awesome shows!”
While the end of any production is always bittersweet, NHA as a community has a shared appreciation for this show, and much excitement on what’s to come!
By: Ana Torres (‘26)
